Carlsbad Caverns
Carlsbad Caverns is a vast underground limestone cave system in New Mexico, famed for its large cathedral-sized chambers, stalactite and stalagmite formations, and seasonal bat migrations. Visitors descend via a historic elevator orprising guided and self-guided hikes and emerge to a stark desert landscape.
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Geography
| Address | Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM, USAN Padre Blvd |
|---|---|
| Continent | North America |
| Region | southwest United States |
| Subregion | American Southwest |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Mexico |
| County | Eddy County |
| District | Carlsbad Caverns National Park |
| City | Carlsbad |
| Postal Code | 88220 |
| Timezone | AmericaDenver |
| Latitude | 32.1774 |
| Longitude | -104.4426 |
| Maps |
12:56 PM LOCAL TIMENestled within the Chihuahuan Desert and protected as a National Park, Carlsbad Caverns is a world-renowned underground destination carved from rapidly-soluble limestone by millennia of water flow. The highlight is the massive Big Room, a soaring chamber with prominent speleothems and smooth floors; but beneath the surface are thousands of passage miles, hidden chambers, and active bat roosts. Visitors arrive via a historic elevator or a series of developed trail routes from the surface park entrance, and can combine short walks with longer cave tours reserved in advance. Seasonal bat flights—typically dusk and dawn—are a major draw, with thousands of Chiropttera mammals emerging to hunt insects. Nearby surface trails reveal desert flora and fauna, and interpretive exhibits help contextualize the cavern's geology and ecology.
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