Park of China
Overview
| Designation | UNESCO World Heritage (natural, 1995) US National Park |
| Location | Southern New Mexico, USA |
| Latitude, longitude | 32.1, -104.6 Google Maps |
| Nearby cities | Carlsbad |
| Highlights | Caves |
| Wildlife | Bats |
| Area | 46,800 acres |
| Length | Over 30 miles |
| Depth | 900 feet |
| Nearby sites | Guadalupe Mountains National Park, White Sands National Park, Big Bend National Park, Taos Pueblo, Chaco Culture National Historical Park |
| Themes | Cave, Karst, Wildlife, Fossils & geological sites, Hiking & climbing |
About
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is in southern New Mexico. It became a US national park in 1930, and in 1995 it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a natural site.
Map
Travel tips
Getting there: the nearest city is Carlsbad, New Mexico, about 30 minutes' drive from the park; El Paso, Texas, is about two and a half to three hours away. You need a car.
Ways in: from the visitor centre you can walk down a 1.25-mile trail from the natural entrance, or take the elevator straight to the cave floor, which takes far less time.
The Big Room: the largest single chamber in the cave; its loop of about 1.25 miles is level and passes stalactites and stalagmites.
Reservations: entry into the cave is by timed reservation, which can fill in busy periods, so book ahead; you must hold a reservation to enter.
Bats: on summer evenings large numbers of bats fly out of the cave at sunset and can be watched from an amphitheatre, generally from May to October.
Time: the cave takes two to three hours; with the bat flight, plan half a day to a day.
Season: the temperature in the cave stays around 13 degrees Celsius all year, so it can be visited in any season; the ground above is hot in summer.
Where to stay: there is no lodging in the park; stay in Carlsbad or in White's City nearby.
Caution: the floor is damp and slippery, so wear non-slip shoes and bring a jacket; food (other than water) is not allowed in the cave, and nothing should be touched.
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