welcome to
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Cave was first protected as a National Monument in 1923 by President Calvin Coolidge through the Antiquities Act. In 1930, Congress passed legislation signed by President Herbert Hoover re-designating the area as Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
Place:
LOCATION:
Eddy County in southeastern New Mexico
Place:
LOCATION:
Eddy County in southeastern New Mexico
Highlights
Carlsbad Caverns National Park offers beauty both above and below ground. The park protects flora and fauna of the Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains.
But the park, of course, is best known for the more than 119 limestone caves hidden below the surface, offering eye-popping formations that dazzle and tantalize the imagination. The park offers many levels of cave exploration opportunities for the public including casual established trails, guided off-trail trips, and excursions for people with technical caving skills.
The park is also home to sixteen species of bats. By far the most numerous is the Brazilian free-tailed bat, hundreds of thousands of which make the park home from April through October each year. During this time, visitors gather in the early evening to watch the bats’ mass exodus from Bat Cave for their nightly hunting foray, during which thousands of pounds of insects are consumed.
390,932
People Visited in 2022
353
Jobs Supported by Visitation
Location
Entrance to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Eastern New Mexico
Owner
Privately Owned & Operated
Local Business Spotlight
Whites City
How Carlsbad Caverns National Park benefitted this area directly?
Whites City, New Mexico, is located 4 miles east of Carlsbad Caverns National Park and was first settled by visionary businessman Charlie White. Whites City has grown substantially since its early beginnings and primarily serves visitors to Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Receiving high marks from the many travelers visiting the caverns, Whites City offers a grocery store, RV Park, the Cactus Café, and all the basic amenities needed for travelers.
How does Carlsbad Caverns National Park benefit the local community and the state of New Mexico?
While Whites City is at the National Park’s doorstep, the city of Carlsbad is the main beneficiary of the millions of dollars in spending and the hundreds of jobs supported by the nearly 400,000 visitors each year to Carlsbad Caverns. In 2019, the United Nations recognized the worldwide significance of Carlsbad Caverns spectacular resources by designating it as a World Heritage Site in 1995. These designations make Carlsbad’s star shine brighter on the map. As one of the top visited national parks in New Mexico, Carlsbad Caverns draws many people to the city and our state who have never or rarely visited before. This spurs an interest in visiting other parks and monuments in New Mexico, providing economic benefits around the rest of the state.