Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Underground limestone cave system in Eddy County, New Mexico.
The national park contains more than 119 caves formed through limestone dissolution, creating extensive networks of passages and chambers beneath the Chihuahuan Desert.
The cave system gained protection in 1923 when President Calvin Coolidge declared it a national monument, leading to its establishment as a national park in 1930.
The park presents educational programs about cave formation, regional geology, and local wildlife, including the natural spectacle of bat emergence during summer evenings.
Visitors need timed entry tickets to access the caves, with options for self-guided tours through the natural entrance or elevator access from the visitor center.
The Big Room chamber extends 4,000 feet in length, 625 feet in width, and reaches 255 feet in height, making it North America's largest underground chamber.
Location: Eddy County
Inception: May 14, 1930
Operator: National Park Service
Website: https://nps.gov/cave
GPS coordinates: 32.17528,-104.44389
Latest update: August 1, 2025 08:12
Western United States contains natural territories from canyons to North America's highest sand dunes. The region features national parks, historical sites, and geological formations. Visitors find hot springs, underground caves, petrified forests, and archaeological sites of Pueblo culture.
New Mexico combines natural formations and historical sites. The region includes caves, desert landscapes, volcanic areas, pueblo settlements, and military forts. The territory features geological structures, archaeological sites, hot springs, and museums.
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