National Park · NM
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is partially closed.
Last checked Wed, 14 Oct 2026 13:00:58 GMT
A desert cave with a room almost 4,000 feet long, entered on foot down a switchbacking natural entrance or by elevator (reservation required), and home to a summer colony of 400,000 bats.
A federal government shutdown is in effect. Access and staffing at National Park Service sites vary — some close and barricade entrances, some stay open but unstaffed. Live shutdown status →
High ancient sea ledges, deep rocky canyons, flowering cactus, and desert wildlife—treasures above the ground in the Chihuahuan Desert. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes.
Read more on Wikipedia ↗ Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA.
| Mon | 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
| Tue | 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
| Wed | 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
| Thu | 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
| Fri | 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
| Sat | 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
| Sun | 9:00AM - 2:30PM |
Entering Carlsbad Cavern on the self-guided route (Natural Entrance or elevator) requires a timed-entry reservation on Recreation.gov — released 30 days ahead and up to 7 a.m. MT on the day of. $1 per ticket; the park entrance fee is paid separately at the visitor center. You enter any time between your reserved slot and 2:30 p.m. Ranger-guided tours are booked separately.
Reservation window: year-round. Confirm on the official site before you travel — programs change year to year.
We derive Carlsbad Caverns National Park's status from the National Park Service's own alerts and operating hours, refreshed hourly — this is our reading, not an official determination. As of the last check: Closures Due to Flood Damage Full method: how we check park status.