Why would anyone in his or her right mind want to go into a cave? Caves are sunless places, dark and foreboding, dirty, and dangerous. The relationship between people and caves is often a shaky one, marked with misconceptions and fear. In addition to the very real perils of cave exploring - pits and chasms, tight squeezes, incomprehensible maze-like passages, and the terrible darkness - caves were also said to house gargoyles, evil spirits, fire-breathing dragons, and other various and sundry spooks. It's no wonder that people are often reluctant to enter these mysterious realms.

In 1516, King Francois I of France was curious about a cave (Grotte de la Balme) into which a river flowed. After going in a little way, the king apparently thought better of the idea, and decided to exercise some sovereign privilege. Having options available to him that most modern cavers don't, Francois sent two prisoners from his dungeon to explore it for him. Upon their successful return, the king spared their lives.

Carlsbad Caverns features similar acts of bravery. Ben Sublette orchestrated the first recorded exploration of Carlsbad Caverns in 1883. Instead of going in himself, Ben lowered his 12-year old son Rolth on a rope into the darkness below. Yet in the present day, little more than a century later, more than 500,000 people a year venture through areas of Carlsbad Caverns.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park was established to preserve numerous caves within a Permian-age fossil reef. The park contains 86 separate caves, including the nation's deepest limestone cave - 1,597 feet - and third longest. With one of the world's largest underground chambers and countless formations, Carlsbad Caverns is also highly accessible, with a variety of tours offered year-round. Established first as a national monument on October 25, 1923, it was made a national park on May 14, 1930. Carlsbad Caverns National Park became a World Heritage Site on December 6, 1995.

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General Information

Acreage

Total: 46,766.45
Federal: 46,427.26
Nonfederal: 339.19
Wilderness: 33,125

Visitation

Park use is highest in the months of June, July, and August, and generally on weekends and holidays. January is the least busy month. From 1984 to 1994, total annual visitation ranged from 586,954 (1990) to 645,526 (1985).

Address

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
3225 National Parks Highway
Carlsbad, NM 88220

Telephone

(505) 785-2232

Operating Hours & Seasons

The park is open all year except for Christmas. During the summer season (Memorial Day to mid-August) the visitor center is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and self-guided cave tours are available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. During the rest of the year the visitor center is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and self-guiding cave tours are available from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Climate & Recommended Clothing

The cave climate is cool and varies little from the annual 56¡ F average. A light jacket or sweater and comfortable shoes with rubber soles for good traction is appropriate year-round.

In the rare event of a flood or icy conditions, roads in and around the park may be closed. Call (505) 785-2232 for information on weather-related closings or program cancellations.

Location

Carlsbad Caverns is situated less than 25 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico, in the southeast corner of the state.

Directions

Visitors arrive by way of U.S. Highway 62-180 from either Carlsbad, New Mexico (23 miles to the northeast) or El Paso, Texas (150 miles to the west). A scenic 7-mile road leads from the park gate at Whites City on U.S. Highway 62-180 to the parks visitor center and cavern entrance.

From the north: Take U.S. Highway 285 south into Carlsbad, where youll pick up U.S. Highway 62-180, then follow the above directions. U.S. Highway 285 enters New Mexico at the Colorado border south of Alamosa, Colorado. If you are traveling across New Mexico on Interstate 40, the U.S. 285 intersection is approximately 45 miles east of Albuquerque at Clines Corner.

From the south: Take U.S. Highway 285 north into Carlsbad, where you'll pick up U.S. Highway 62-180, then follow the above directions. If you are approaching New Mexico from the southern part of Texas, you'll find U.S. 285 just west of Fort Stockton on Interstate 10, or on Interstate 20 at the Pecos exit.

From the west: As you enter Texas from the west (on Interstate 10), take the U.S. 62/180 exit north in El Paso. This route will take you through the scenic Guadalupe Mountains toward Carlsbad. The exit for Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located 20 miles south of Carlsbad on U.S. 62/180 (in Whites City).

From the east: U.S. 62/180 enters New Mexico at Hobbs, from Seminole, Texas. Follow this highway into Carlsbad, continuing south toward the entrance road in Whites City. An alternate route for visitors traveling west on Interstate 20 is to take State Highway 176 west in Big Spring, Texas. This route will intersect U.S. 62/180 approximately 35 miles east of Carlsbad.

Transportation

Mesa Airlines (505-885-0245) offers passenger service between Carlsbad and Albuquerque. Major airlines serve Albuquerque, El Paso, and Midland, Texas. Rental cars and taxi services are available from the airport in Carlsbad.

Private planes may fly into the Cavern City Air Terminal (505-887-9001) in Carlsbad, where overnight tie-downs, hangers (fees), and 100 Octane and jet fuel are available.

Greyhound and TNM&O bus lines serve Carlsbad.

Fees & Costs

Self-guiding tours of the Natural Entrance and Big Room are $6.50 for adults and $3.25 for Golden Age/Golden Access Passport holders and children ages 6 through 15. Children under age 6 are free.

Golden Eagle Passports are not valid for cave entry fees.

The "Cavern Guide," a stimulating audio tour of the two self-guiding routes, is an additional $3.

Kings Palace Guided Tours (minimum age: 4 years) are an additional $8 for adults, and $4 for ages 6-15 and Golden Age Passport holders (reservations required).

Guided tours of Slaughter Canyon Cave are $15 for adults and $7.50 for ages 6-15 and Golden Age/Golden Access Passport holders.

Guided wild cave tours of Spider Cave, Lower Cave, and Hall of the White Giant are $20 for adults and $10 for ages 12-15 and Golden Age/Golden Access Passport holders.

Guided tours of Left Hand Tunnel are $7 for adults and $3.50 for ages 6-15 and Golden Age/Golden Access Passport holders.

Golden Eagle Passport

The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to:

National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Room 138
Washington, DC 20242
Attention: Golden Eagle Passport

Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boating or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only.

Golden Age Passport

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase.

The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents.

The Golden Age Pass grants a 50 percent discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.

Golden Access Passport

The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase.

The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50 percent discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions.

All passes described above are non-transferable.

The golden Eagle Passport is not valid for entrance fees into caves.

Accessibility

The visitor center and a large section of the self-guided Big Room tour are wheelchair-accessible. A nature trail and picnic sites near the visitor center and at Rattlesnake Springs are also accessible.

Facilities & Opportunities

Visitor Center & Exhibits

Information center, exhibits on bats, geology, history, and Lechuguilla Cave, limited picnic facilities, and an information center is located here. Picnicking and excellent bird-watching opportunities are available at Rattlesnake Springs.

Programs & Activities

Self-guiding cave tours with the Official Cavern Guide, ranger-guided cave tours, audio-visual programs, talks, hikes, and demonstrations are among the activities held regularly at the park. Evening bat flight programs are held May through October.

Lodging & Camping Facilities

There are no lodging or camping facilities available in the park. Whites City near the park entrance and Carlsbad, 23 miles to the northeast, have a variety of facilities.

Food & Supplies

The Cavern Supply Company (505-785-2281) provides food service, pet kennels, and a gift shop at the visitor center. Restaurants, groceries, and fuel are available at nearby Whites City and Carlsbad.

Other Concessions, NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities, & Opportunities

The Carlsbad Caverns-Guadalupe Mountains Association operates a large bookstore in the visitor center, with books about caves, bats, and the natural history of the Chihuahuan Desert.

Recommended Activities & Park Use

Participate in various cave tours that match interests and physical abilities. Bat flight viewing, ranger programs, and wildlife observations are recommended activities. The basic self-guiding cave tour of the Big Room takes 1 to 2 hours. For a more complete visit of the park, including several guided cave tours and surface ranger programs, plan on visiting for 1 to 3 days.

Reservation Information

Reservations are recommended for all guided cave tours, but are unnecessary for the basic self-guiding tours of the Natural Entrance and Big Room. To make reservations call (800) 967-CAVE (2283).

Special Events & Programs

August: Bat Flight Breakfast
September: International Bat Festival

Nearby Attractions

Guadalupe Mountains National Park (915) 828-3251
Living Desert State Park (505) 887-5516
Brantley Lake State Park (505) 457-2384
Lake Carlsbad Municipal Park (505) 887-6516
Carlsbad Museum & Art Center (505) 887-0276

Additional Information

Carlsbad Caverns National Park
3225 National Parks Highway
Carlsbad, NM 88220
(505) 785-2232

Geology

Carlsbad Caverns National Park preserves a portion of the Capitan Reef, one of the best preserved, exposed Permian-age fossil reefs in the world. Water, geologic forces, climate changes, and vast time has changed the fossil reef producing spectacular caves, a process that continues to the present day.

Cavern Tours

You can explore the vast underground world of Carlsbad Caverns along two tour routes. The routes both follow paved, well-lighted trails. Exhibits are located along the trails, and park rangers are there to answer questions and give you assistance. Underground facilities are limited to restrooms and the Underground Lunchroom, where you can buy sandwiches, box lunches, and drinks. You begin your tour at the visitor center. At the center, cave entrance fees are collected and an audio tour guide and up-to-date information on the cave are available. The cave is open every day of the year except for Christmas Day.

Ranger Programs

In addition to cave tours, rangers provide a variety of talks, walks, demonstrations, and slide programs daily at the visitor center. Program titles and times change daily and are displayed at the visitor center. Anecdotes, historical accounts, and lectures about bats, mines, caves, deserts, and other interesting subjects are just some of the subjects. Demonstrations on rope climbing and cave exploration, as well as anecdotes and lectures about bats, mines, caves, and other interesting subjects are just some of the typical programs.

Official Cavern Guide

Visitors taking the self-guiding Natural Entrance and Big Room routes will be able to listen to the Official Cavern Guide, a CD-ROM audio guide. The hands-free audio tour is automatically triggered by electronic signals along the trail, noticeably enhancing a visit. As visitors focus on the cavern's grand rooms and magnificent decorations, they enjoy the commentary of park rangers and geologists, complete with interviews, music, and sound effects.

Basic Cavern Entry

The basic cavern entry is by way of two self-guiding routes, the Big Room Route and the Natural Entrance Route. Tickets are sold at the visitor center which opens each day at 8:30 a.m. Basic cavern entry tickets are good for three days but do not include guided or other special tours. Summer hours are from the Saturday before Memorial Day through the third Sunday in August.

Natural Entrance Route

The Natural Entrance route is a self-guiding tour available to visitors with plenty of time who are in good physical condition. On the 1-mile tour visitors see all the chambers of Carlsbad Caverns that are open to the public. The tour takes 2 to 3 hours. The route is strenuous and is not recommended for persons with walking, breathing, or heart problems.

This tour follows the traditional explorer's route, entering the cavern through the large historic natural entrance. Once you leave behind the area illuminated by sunlight, you begin your descent into the Main Corridor. This steeply descending passageway is not greatly decorated with cave formations, but its size - more than .25 mile long with ceiling heights of more than 200 feet - is impressive. Equally impressive is the depth to which it takes you - 829 feet below the Earth's surface. The scattered decorations in the Main Corridor include stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone. At the end of the Main Corridor lies Iceberg Rock, a 200,000-ton boulder that fell from the ceiling thousands of years ago.

From the Main Corridor, the trail then ascends to the Boneyard, an undecorated area that may resemble what Carlsbad Caverns looked like during its early years of formation. Nearby is the Underground Lunchroom, where you can rest and have a light meal. The cave's only restrooms are located here also.

When you resume your tour you will continue into the Big Room, the grand finale.

From Memorial Day weekend to mid-August, Natural Entrance Route tours operate from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. From mid-August to late-May, its open from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Big Room Tour

This 1.25-mile tour explores the immense subterranean chamber called, appropriately, the Big Room. The tour takes 1 to 1* hours. Most of the route is fairly level and accessible to wheelchairs. Visitors entering from the Natural Entrance route merely have to walk down from the Underground Lunchroom area into the Big Room to continue this half of their tour.

The tour begins with a minute-long elevator ride 755 feet down from the visitor center to the edge of the Big Room. A cross-shaped facility, the Big Room measures 1,800 feet at its longest, 1,100 feet at its widest, and 255 feet at its highest. It is one of the largest underground chambers in the world. The tour takes you along the perimeter of the room so you can experience every corner of this extraordinary place.

From bottom to top and from side to side, this chamber is resplendent with cave formations, including the 62-foot-high Giant Dome, Carlsbad's largest stalagmite, and the 42-foot-high Twin Domes in the Hall of Giants. Numerous other stalagmites, stalactites, columns, draperies, and flowstone formations are visible, too. Some other highlights of the tour are crystal-clear Mirror Lake and the Bottomless Pit, a black hole that's 140 feet deep. Park rangers give talks about the cave at the seating area near the Top of the Cross. After you circle the Big Room you return to the surface by elevator.

The relatively level and well-lit trails make this the ideal tour for visitors with limited time or walking difficulties. Most of the Big Room is accessible to wheelchairs, with a special map available at the visitor center information desk. From Memorial Day weekend to mid August, the tour is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. From mid-August to late May, it's open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Kings Palace Guided Tour

A 1.5-hour, ranger-guided adventure, The Kings Palace Tour takes visitors through four highly decorated chambers. Departing from the underground rest area, the Kings Palace tour descends to the deepest portion of the cavern open to the public, 830 feet beneath the desert surface.

Although not as difficult as the Natural Entrance route, this 1-mile tour does require descending and ascending an eight-story hill. Look forward to viewing a variety of speleothems (cave decorations) including helictites, draperies, columns, and soda straws. Rangers frequently conduct blackout programs during this tour, briefly turning off all artificial lights to reveal the natural state of the cave environment.

Reservations are required for the Kings Palace Tour, and may be obtained by calling 800-967-CAVE (2283). Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children and Golden Age Passport holders. Tour participants must also have purchased a basic cavern entry ticket for the tours day. Children under 4 years old are not permitted. From Memorial Day weekend to mid-August, the Kings Palace Tour begins every hour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. From mid-August to late May, it starts every two hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Slaughter Canyon Cave

Ranger-guided tours of Slaughter Canyon Cave take you into an underground wilderness without electricity, paved walkways, or modern conveniences. In this wild cave, only the flashlights and headlamps of rangers and tour members break darkness.

Highlights of the two-hour, 1.25-mile tour are the 89-foot high Monarch, one of the world's tallest columns; the sparkling, crystal-decorated Christmas Tree column; and the Chinese Wall, a delicate, ankle-high rimstone dam. Old excavations of bat-guano mining attest to the human history and impact in the cave.

Reservations must be made at the visitor center or by calling the reservation office at 800-967-CAVE (2283). Tickets are $15 for adults and $7.50 for children and Golden Age Passport holders. There is a strenuous, half-mile hike to the cavern entrance, where the tour begins. Sturdy walking shoes, good flashlights with fresh batteries, and water are required. All tour participants must be age 6 or older.

Tours are held daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend to mid-August and at the same times on weekends only from mid-August to late May.

Wild Cave Tours

If you are looking for something to do that is a little different - something off the beaten path - then you may wish to participate in one of the ranger-guided wild caving trips at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. These tours cover a broad spectrum of difficulties; from the easy level walking passages of Left Hand Tunnel, to the twisting belly-crawls of Spider Cave and Hall of the White Giant.

Every tour requires participants to be in good physical and mental condition to ensure group safety and protection of the fragile cave resources. Some tours have special requirements such as 4 AA batteries for the helmet and headlamp that is provided. These tours offer particular challenges such as ladder climbs, pool crossings, tight crawls, and free climbing. The rewards - breathtaking cave formations amidst the utter darkness and quiet - are worth the extra trouble. Wild cave tours at Carlsbad Caverns will add a whole different dimension to your caverns visit.

Reservations are required for all wild cave tours, and can be made by calling 800- 967-CAVE (2283). A basic cavern entry ticket is required in addition to the wild cave tour fee for Left Hand Tunnel, Lower Cave, and Hall of the White Giant.

Left Hand Tunnel

With a candle lantern as your only source of light, experience Carlsbad Caverns much as the early explorers saw the cave. Highlights of this tour include a wide variety of formations, clear cavern pools, and fossils from the Permian age. This one- to two-hour tour requires good walking shoes. Participation is limited to children 6 years and older.

Lower Cave

National Geographic expedition members in 1924 wrote about the wonders to be seen in Lower Cave. Visitors today can see the evidence left behind from these and other explorers. Highlights of this tour include The Rookery, with countless nests of cave pearls, the Colonel Boles Formation, and an incredible diversity of speleothems (cave formations) that compete for your attention almost everywhere you look along the trail. Ladders at the entrance to Lower Cave sometimes cause participants to back out. If you have a fear of heights or difficulties with ladders, you may wish to consider visiting Left Hand Tunnel instead.

This two- to three-hour tour is limited to children 12 years and over. Participants must be physically and mentally able to safely negotiate cave passages containing fragile formations without harm to the cave or others. Good sneakers or hiking boots and 4 AA batteries are required. Cotton or leather gloves are recommended.

Hall of the White Giant

If you don't mind getting dirty, crawling through tight passageways, and climbing some slippery flowstone and ladders, you might want to try the Hall of the White Giant. Highlights of this tour include tight, narrow passages including Matlock's Pinch and the White Giant formation. The prolonged amount of time spent in narrow cave passages requires a special attention to group communication and safety. This three- to four-hour trip is not recommended for anyone afraid of tight spaces or heights.

Participants must be physically and mentally able to safely negotiate cave passages containing fragile formations without harm to the cave or others. Hiking boots or other sturdy shoes and 4 AA batteries are required. Knee pads, cotton or leather gloves, and long pants are recommended.

Spider Cave

Spider Cave is a three-dimensional maze - a caver's paradise. Even veteran cavers will enjoy the adventure of Spider. Participants will make a half-mile hike down beautiful Garden Grove Canyon to get to the cave, where excessive crawling and climbing will ensue. Highlights of this tour include the Mace Room, Medusa Room, and Cactus Spring, as well as a stunning variety of speleothems (cave formations) and dirty cave crawls.

This trip is not recommended for anyone with a fear of enclosed spaces, heights, or getting a little cave dirt in your ears. It takes three to four hours and is limited to people 12 years and older. Participants must be physically and mentally able to safely negotiate cave passages containing fragile formations without harm to the cave or others. Hiking boots or other sturdy shoes and 4 AA batteries are required. Kneepads, cotton or leather gloves, long pants, and water are recommended.

Lechuguilla Cave

Lechuguilla Cave is the deepest and third longest limestone cave in the United States, containing speleothems and microbes found nowhere else in the world. The recent exploration and scientific discoveries in Lechuguilla Cave, and other caves in the park, hold immense potential for scientific research.

Bats

Carlsbad Caverns has a world-famous colony of migratory Mexican free-tailed bats. The survival of the park's bat populations, which in some cases cross international borders, depends on our better understanding of their value, fragility, and place in the ecosystem.

Bat Flight Program

Hundreds of thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats, whirling counterclockwise, spill forth from a gigantic hole in the earth and are silhouetted against a colorful desert sky. This is the bat flight experience at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. From early May through October, Mexican free-tail bats leave Carlsbad Caverns at sunset to feed on night-flying insects in the nearby Black and Pecos River valleys. You are invited to witness this spectacular display as the bats leave the cave.

Prior to the evening flight of the bats, a talk is given at the cavern entrance by a park ranger. Since the starting time of the talk varies with sunset, it is best to call the park (505) 785-2232 or check at the visitor center desk for the exact time. Programs may be cancelled in the event of inclement weather. The bat flight talks are normally scheduled from Memorial Day weekend through the end of September. There is no charge for the bat flight program. In late October or early November the bats migrate to Mexico for the winter.

For everyone's safety, flash photography is not permitted at all bat flights. It will disturb bats exiting and re-entering an important maternity roost. Special spaces to accommodate wheelchairs are located at the entrance to the amphitheater. Restrooms are available and are accessible. Pets are not allowed in the amphitheater area.

Best Flights

The best bat flights normally occur in August and September. At these times, baby bats that were born in the early summer, join the flight along with migrating bats from colonies further north.

Return Flights

The daily pre-dawn return of the bats is different from the evening exit flights but are just as impressive. Early risers can see the bats as they re-enter Carlsbad Caverns with spectacular dives from heights of hundreds of feet. Individual bats diving in from every direction may reach speeds of 25 mph or more.

Bat Flight Breakfast

A bat flight breakfast is held annually, usually on the second Thursday in August, from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. Park employees sponsor this breakfast once each year to encourage visitors to watch the bats as they return to the cavern. A special program is given and other activities may be scheduled as staffing permits. A reasonable price is charged for the breakfast. Regular cavern fees apply for entry into the cave following the breakfast.

History

The park's cultural resources represent a long and varied continuum of human use starting in prehistoric times, and illustrating many adaptations to this desert environment. Human activities, including prehistoric and historic Native American occupations, European exploration and settlement, industrial exploitation, commercial development, and tourism have each left reminders of their presence, and each has contributed to the rich history of the area.

Park Research & Management

Proper stewardship of the natural resources of Carlsbad Caverns National Park requires the knowledge of environmental trends such as water quality, status of wildlife populations, and human impacts upon the cave and surface environments. Scientific research projects in the park assist managers in making informed decisions for the protection of park resources.

The parks management ensures the preservation of cave resources, the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem, and other natural resources. It also provides opportunities for public use, enjoyment, and understanding while minimizing impacts on park resources and natural processes.

Park Wildlife

The park's surface includes approximately 750 plant species, 331 species of birds, 64 species of mammals, and 44 reptiles and amphibians. Many species of plants and animals in the park are at the limits of their geographic distribution, including the northernmost colony of migratory cave swallows in the United States.

Wilderness

The park contains 33,125 acres of rugged wilderness backcountry terrain with jagged limestone outcrops, sharp pointy plants, and no water. The challenging desert wilderness of Carlsbad Caverns National Park offers outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation.

Chihuahuan Desert

Carlsbad Caverns National Park contains one of the few protected portions of the northern Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem. The Chihuahuan Desert reveals, upon close examination, complex natural processes that yield an astounding abundance and diversity of plant and animal life.

Backcountry

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is best known for its spectacular underground resources. A less popular destination for park visitors is the rugged backcountry. Elevations within the park backcountry rise from 3,596 feet in the lowlands to 6,368 feet on the escarpment. The backcountry at Carlsbad Caverns is part of the northern Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem, with desert shrub and grassland vegetation predominant. Small pockets of juniper woodland are found at the highest elevations in the southwestern third of the park. Several primitive hiking trails traverse washes and steep canyon walls in the Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness Area, 33,125 acres of generally inhospitable terrain.

Rattlesnake Springs

Water is the lifeblood of the Southwest, especially in the arid desert lands surrounding Carlsbad Caverns. The National Park Service acquired Rattlesnake Springs, a detached unit of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, in 1934 for the primary purpose of ensuring a reliable domestic water supply for cavern area development. A water supply pipeline from the spring to the cavern area, which is still in use, was completed in 1935. The water supply for the cavern is from a well that taps the same aquifer as the springs. The springs also provide water for irrigating park service lands and for water uses on private lands such as the adjacent Washington Ranch.

Over the years the 4,000-foot-long stream and wetland system at Rattlesnake Springs has been sustained by the remaining spring flow. Originally a treeless marsh, this area has been planted with cottonwood and other trees. Today this green oasis provides habitat for a wide variety of species. This stream-wetland complex constitutes an extraordinary natural resource of state and regional significance.

The area's most prominent architectural features include the small adobe ranch house and concrete pump house typical of park service rustic design using regional styles (both Pueblo and Territorial Revival). The irrigation system with its gravity flow and concrete-lined ditch and pond, sluice gates, and berms is also an important feature of the landscape.

The gently rolling Chihuahuan Desert plains that are dotted with scrub, such as creosote bush, yucca, mesquite, and snakewood, bound the oasis. The magnificent backdrop of the Guadalupe escarpment frames these plains. The spatial arrangement and organization of the spring area, the continuing land use, and the wetlands are some of the prominent features of this landscape that are reminders of the past.

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History

Lure of the Unknown

More than 1,000 years ago prehistoric Indians ventured into Carlsbad Caverns seeking shelter. They left behind no record of what their impressions of the cave were, but they did leave some mysterious drawings on cave walls near the natural entrance. Much later, in the 1800s, settlers discovered the cavern, drawn to it by the spectacle of hundreds of thousands of bats rising up out of the natural entrance in the evening. Some stayed to mine the huge deposits of bat guano in the cave and sell it as a natural fertilizer.

One of the cave's pioneers was a cowboy named Jim White. He became fascinated by the cave and spent hour after hour exploring it. White was eager to show the natural wonders of this extraordinary place to others, but few believed his improbable tales of a huge underground wilderness full of unusual cave formations. It took photographs to convince skeptics that Carlsbad Caverns was everything it was said to be - and more.

Black and white pictures taken by Ray V. Davis, who accompanied White on a cave trip, were displayed in the town of Carlsbad in 1915. They created a sensation. People suddenly clamored to see the marvelous cave for themselves. White took them on tours that began with an unceremonious 170-foot descent in a bucket once used to haul bat guano from the cave.

Word of the cave spread, finally reaching Washington, D.C. Again, there were nonbelievers, but in 1923 the U.S. Department of the Interior sent inspector Robert Holly to investigate and see whether Carlsbad Caverns was truly an outstanding natural wonder. Originally a skeptic, Holly wrote in his final report: "I am wholly conscious of the feebleness of my efforts to convey in words the deep conflicting emotions, the feeling of fear and awe, and the desire for an inspired understanding of the Divine Creator's work which presents to the human eye such a complex aggregate of natural wonders."

Later that year Carlsbad Caverns was proclaimed a national monument. White, who was to continue his cave explorations for most of his lifetime, became its first chief ranger. Seven years later Carlsbad Caverns National Park was created to protect the cave. Through illustrated articles published in magazines such as National Geographic and by word of mouth, Carlsbad Caverns became one of the worlds most celebrated caves. Since its establishment, the park has been expanded and today includes 56,755 acres and more than 80 other smaller caves.

The exploration of Carlsbad Caverns continues. Experienced underground explorers, or cavers, and cave scientists are the Christopher Columbuses of today, journeying beyond the boundaries of what is known into the realm of the unknown. Carlsbad Caverns attracts many men and women who are eager to shed light on some of its mysteries. Teams of cavers, well versed in safe exploration techniques, continue to discover new portions of the cave. Their finds in recent years include the Guadalupe Room, Carlsbad Caverns second largest room, in 1966; the exceptionally colorful and much-decorated Bifrost Room in 1982; and the Chocolate High in 1993.

Scientific discoveries by speleologists, or cave scientists, are expanding our knowledge of Carlsbad Caverns in other ways. Research is answering some of the questions about the complex creation of Carlsbad Caverns, about the unfamiliar world of bats and other members of the cave community, and about the effects of mans activities on the cave.

Timeline

Historical dates in the history of Carlsbad Caverns National Park and southeast New Mexico.

1400 - Mescalero Apaches come to the Guadalupe Mountains area.

1536 - Cabeza de Vaca is the first of the Spanish explorers to cross southeastern New Mexico.

1583 - Antonio de Espejo leaves Acoma and travels south along the Pecos River into Texas. He calls the river Rio Salado.

1610 - Spanish colonists establish La Villa Real de Santa Fe de San Francisco, now known as Santa Fe.

1724 - Pedro de Rivera inspects the province of New Spain. His engineer, Francisco Alvarez y Barriero, is one of the first to map the Guadalupe Mountains.

1745 - Padre Juan Miguel Menchero maps the area of present day Carlsbad. He indicates herds of cattle along the Pecos River.

1849 - Captain Randolph B. Marcy explores the Guadalupe Mountains area. Numerous expeditions cross this area recently acquired by the United States.

1850 - September 9, New Mexico becomes a territory.

1854 - Captain John Pope of the Army Topographical Corps crosses the Guadalupe Mountains surveying possible routes for the railroad.

1855 - The U. S. Army begins scouting the Guadalupes for Mescalero Apache raiders. Major John S. Simonson of Fort Davis and Captain James Longstreet of Fort Bliss mount patrols of infantry and mounted riflemen.

1858 - The route of the Butterfield Overland Mail runs through the Guadalupe Mountains. A stage station is established at Pine Springs.

1866 - Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving begin driving cattle north along the Pecos River on the route that becomes known as the Goodnight-Loving Trail. Loving is severely wounded in an Indian fight at Loving Bend on the Pecos River (later depicted in the novel Lonesome Dove).

1867 - John Simpson Chisum drives his first herd of cattle along the trail from Texas into New Mexico. He begins a ranch that soon extends from near Fort Sumner to the Black River.

1869 - Lieutenant Howard B. Cushing mounts a punitive expedition from Fort Stanton against Mescalero raiders in the Guadalupes. In less than two months, his troopers destroy three major Apache encampments (within the future site of Guadalupe Mountains National Park).

1870 - Seven Rivers (originally called Dogtown because of the prairie dog colonies there) is settled by the Herskill Jones family of Virginia. Situated where seven arroyos lead into the Pecos River, it became an important trading post on the cattle trail from Texas. Outlaw Billy the Kid frequently visited Seven Rivers.

1875 - John Chisum moves his cattle north from Black River. He continues to graze as far south as Seven Rivers.

1878 - Dogtown is renamed Seven Rivers for the seven arroyos flowing into the Pecos at that point. The 10th Cavalry, nicknamed the Buffalo Soldiers, establishes a permanent camp at the old Pine Springs stage station in the Guadalupe Mountains. In October, Colonel Benjamin Grierson visits the camp and explores the Black River canyon.

1880 - The 10th Cavalry under Colonel Grierson crosses the Guadalupes and camps near the mouth of Black River en route to the Fort Stanton reservation. There are several skirmishes with Apache parties supporting Victorio. Dan Lucas begins ranching along the Black River on the property that is now Washington Ranch.

1881 - Henry Harrison arrives from Indiana and homesteads at Rattlesnake Springs. Cavalry patrols use his farm as a point of supply during the 1880s. Colonel Nelson Miles and the 9th Cavalry use Rattlesnake Springs as a rendezvous and supply camp from 1881 to 1883.

1882 - William C. Sublett finds gold nuggets in the Guadalupe Mountains 8 to 12 miles from Pine Springs. Speculation is that the nuggets came either from a lost mine or from a cache of gold stolen from the Butterfield stage. July 11, Jim White, future explorer of Carlsbad Caverns, is born in Mason County, Texas.

1884 - Charles B. and John Eddy form a livestock company with Amos Bissell to operate in southeastern New Mexico. One of their first ventures is the Halagueno Ranch, which covers the area from Seven Rivers to La Huerta, New Mexico. (Halagueno is Spanish for "promising and attractive.")

1885 - The Valley Land Company owned by Dan Harroun holds the first water rights on the Pecos River.

1886 - This was known as the year of the "big die." Drought causes the loss of about 35 percent of area cattle.

1887 - Charles B. Eddy builds the Halagueno diversion ditch on the Pecos River 3 miles above the later site of Avalon Dam and incorporates the venture as the Pecos Valley Land and Ditch Company.

1888 - Former sheriff Pat Garrett and promoter Charles Greene join with Charles Eddy to create a system of canals and flumes for diversion of water to their properties. Greene secures potential investors from the east, including Robert W. Tansill, manufacturer of the Punch five-cent cigar. Eddy and his partners lay out plans for a new town on the Pecos River. September 15, the town of Eddy is christened in champagne on the south bank of the Pecos River.

1889 - February 25, Eddy County is created. The first county seat is at Seven Rivers.

James John Hagerman, miner and railroad builder, becomes a partner in the Pecos Irrigation Company. October 6, the first school in Eddy opens on South Main with 35 pupils.

Future cavern guano miner John B. Forehand establishes a ranch on the Black River.

1890 - March, The Witt brothers complete construction of a wooden flume near Eddy for irrigation.

The county seat changes from Seven Rivers to Eddy by a vote of 331 to 83.

The bridge over the Pecos River at Greene Street in Eddy is completed.

Avalon Dam and many of the canals leading from it are completed, financed by James J. Hagerman.

1891 - January 10, the first railroad train arrives in Eddy on the newly completed line from Pecos, Texas. Swiss farmers settle Kirkwell, a station on the Pecos Valley Railway. Its name is changed to Malaga after a type of grape grown there.

1892 - In April and May the first businesses open in Phenix. Located just south of Eddy, it consists of saloons, gambling halls, and houses of prostitution. One visitor to Phenixs establishments was John Wesley Hardin. In1895, the saloons and gambling centers of the Phenix move on with the end of prohibition in Eddy. Jim White's family settles at Lone Tree, a ranching community 8 miles east of Eddy.

1893 - Heavy rains in July and August cause floods that wash away Avalon Dam, the wooden flume, and the Greene Street bridge. A school building is completed in Eddy at the present site of Edison School.

1894 - By October, the railroad is complete from Eddy to Roswell, New Mexico.

1898 - The first hospital and library are started in Eddy. Rock in main corridor inscribed "J White" and "1898" suggests that White probably entered the cavern for the first time in 1898.

1899 - May 23, Robert W. Tansill proposes changing the name of Eddy to Carlsbad after the mineral water spa in Czechoslovakia. This is approved by general city election.

1900 - The Carlsbad Irrigation Project is reorganized and refinanced under the direction of Francis Tracy.

1903 - A cement flume, replacing the wooden one that washed away, is completed at Carlsbad.

June 16, Abijah Long establishes placer mining claim, 20 acres around natural entrance to cavern.

1903 -1923 - This is the main period of guano mining at the cavern.

1906 - June 8, the Antiquities Act gives the president power to proclaim national monuments and also prohibits excavation or appropriation of antiquities on federal lands.

1911 - Jim White's sister Rosa scratches her name on wall in the Appetite Hill area of the cavern.

1912 - January 6, New Mexico becomes a state, 62 years after becoming a territory.

1916 - August 25, Congress establishes the National Park Service.

1918 - First photographs in the cavern's Scenic Rooms and Big Room are taken by Ray V. Davis. His photographs stimulate interest in the cavern. Davis' photos appear in the New York Times in 1923.

1923 - April 6 through May 8, Robert Holley, General Land Office, surveys and maps cave, guided by Jim White and photographed by Ray Davis of Carlsbad. Recommends establishment as a national monument. August 6, Major Richard Burgess, prominent El Paso lawyer, begins campaign to make the cavern a national monument. Proposes construction of a tunnel from the plains into the cavern to reduce difficulty of access. Tunnel supported by NPS Director Mather until huge cost makes it impractical. September 19 - October 3, Dr. Willis T. Lee first explores the cavern and recommends National Park status. Lee's article appears in February 1924 "National Geographic" magazine. October 25, President Calvin "Silent Cal" Coolidge speaks up and proclaims Carlsbad Cave National Monument.

1923 to 1927 - W.F. McIlvain serves as first custodian (superintendent), overseeing first trails, stairs, lights. He supervises Jim White, works with Willis T. Lee, coordinates with city officials, including the chamber of commerce, and makes $12 a year.

1924 - March 20 through September 15, Dr. Willis T. Lee, sponsored by National Geographic Society and assisted by Jim White, extensively explores Cavern. NPS Director Mather visits in April.

1925 - Staircase from natural entrance to Bat Cave installed, eliminating use of guano bucket to enter cave. Donated by Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce. In September, Willis T. Lee's second National Geographic article, detailing his second visit, is published.

1926 - First trail by NPS, dirt path and wooden stairways through Main Corridor, King's Palace, Queen's Chamber, and three-quarters of Big Room. Installation of first electric lighting system via Main Corridor and King's Palace.

1927 - May 16, Col. Thomas Boles (an honorary title) enters on duty as first superintendent. He serves until 1946. At retirement Boles notes that he administered approximately $3 million in appropriated park funds during his tenure and collected in fees about $3.5 million during the same period. Trail past Bottomless Pit opened. School for employees' children established in park. The Cavern Supply Company is established as the park concessionaire. Fees to enter caves: $2 per person. June 23, first wedding ceremony is held in cave, performed at Rock of Ages.

1928 - February, Charlie White (no relation to Jim) homesteads 120 acres at Walnut Canyon, the future Whites City. May 16, Cavern Supply Company begins serving lunches in cave.

In June, trail from top of Appetite Hill to Lunchroom opens. In November, electric lighting in Big Room completed. Guides carry lanterns for emergencies only.

1929 - March, tunnel through Devil's Den completed and opened. In May, first stone quarters completed and occupied. June 26, Jim White resigns due to failing health. In June, Green Lake Room and King's Palace connected by tunnel and trail constructed. July 27, First Rock of Ages ceremony held. In August, park personnel wear uniforms for first time. In September, first Bat Flight Program is presented. In November, Nature Trail opens to public.

1930 - March, trail from Lower Cave to Top of the Cross opens, eliminating need to double back to the Totem Pole during tours. February 18, Lake of the Clouds is discovered. February 20, writer Frank Ernest Nicholson with 14 assistants arrives to explore the cavern. According to Superintendent Boles, Nicholson's expedition stories written for 55 newspapers "seem elaborate and unreal" and his activities "lacked anything of scientific value," but the park welcomed the associated publicity of his visit. April 16, tunnel at entrance completed, staircase to Bat Cave area abandoned. May 14, Congress designates Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

1931 - In August, elevator shaft is completed. In November, first elevator is installed.

1932 - Lights installed in Green Lake and Papoose Rooms, completing original electric lighting system. In June, first female guides employed. July 3, tunnel between Papoose Room and King's Palace completed and opened, thereby completing entire cave trail system.

1934 - April 7, 2,871 people accompany the 10:30 a.m. guided tour, making this the largest single guided tour through the cavern to date.

1935 - June 24, Rattlesnake Springs replaces Oak Springs as park water source.

1937 - February 9, Jim White begins selling his book (ghostwritten by Frank Ernest Nicholson) in the cave. His wife, Fanny, continues to sell it until her death in 1964. In July, Tom Tucker discovers Slaughter Canyon Cave (New Cave). September 28, park receives the 1 millionth visitor.

1938 - February 16, discovery of Slaughter Canyon Cave announced to public. July 1, Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp established at Rattlesnake Springs. In operation until April 1942. First major renovation and improvement of the lighting begins.

1939 - Second group of employee housing under construction (triplexes) by CCC workers. Constructed of adobe and stucco, completed in 1942. January 25, Park Ranger Leslie Thompson falls down elevator shaft and manages to grab hold of cables at 125 feet into shaft. Suffers minor blistering to hands and returns to work two days later. February 10, President Franklin Roosevelt signed legislation adding approximately 39,000 acres to the park, including Slaughter Canyon. This occurred while F.D.R. faced huge problems of poverty and unemployment at home and the rising specter of Hilter's aggression in Europe. June 2, Robert Ripley of "Ripley's Believe It or Not," makes radio broadcast from Rock of Ages hill. Broadcast is carried by telephone cables to surface and carried nationwide on CBS radio. Boles, White, and the New Mexico Governor John Miles took part.

1940 - May 10, Sewage system and first flush toilets go into service in the Underground Lunchroom area. Replaces privy system installed in 1926.

1943 - April, shortcut under Iceberg Rock constructed.

1944 - May, superintendent's office moves from town of Carlsbad into park. In September, CCC buildings at Rattlesnake Spring are removed. December 5, Rock of Ages ceremony discontinued.

1945 - September 8, visitor fee for elevator use is eliminated.

1946 - April 26, Jim White dies.

1948 - January, first park ranger permanently stationed at Rattlesnake Springs.

September, sloth bones found at Devil's Den.

1949 - June 8, commercial electric power begins at park, replacing the park generator. Powerhouse is converted to vehicle garage.

1950 - March, motion picture "King Solomon's Mine" is filmed at Slaughter Canyon Cave.

1951 - Paving of cavern trail begins. In January, seating area at Rock of Ages hill removed. Stairs from Whales Mouth to Devil's Den removed, replaced by inclined trail. March 14, construction employee killed by dynamite blast during construction in cave.

1952 - August 19, Tex Helm takes the "Big Shot" photo of the Big Room using 2,400 flashbulbs.

1953 - Paving of existing trails completed.

1954 - January, Bat Cave seating area completed. March, Iceberg Rock seating area completed. Lighting system improvements and repairs, begun in 1952, completed. July 8, second elevator shaft is completed. Construction begun in January 1954.

1955 - New elevators installed and put into service. First fluorescent lights installed in cavern. Walk-out tours discontinued with advent of new elevators. May, Top of the Cross seating area completed.

1956 - October, Carlsbad Caverns Natural History Association begun. (current name: Carlsbad Caverns - Guadalupe Mountains Association) In March, stairway from Iceberg Rock to Green Lake Room replaced by incline trail.

1957 - August, Camel bones found in Slaughter Canyon Cave. In September, all guano mining operations halted at Slaughter Canyon Cave (New Cave); by the end of September, all mining equipment is removed from cave.

1958 - January, jaguar bones found at Slaughter Canyon Cave. January 20, quitclaim on the 40 acres over Bat Cave filed, giving the NPS full control of the area.

1959 - March, construction of the current visitor center is complete; old stone buildings near cave entrance removed and tour operations transferred to the visitor center. Adjacent parking areas, originally constructed in 1940 as overflow, now used as primary parking, with the lower parking area designated as overflow and Bat Flight parking. In June, motion picture "Journey to the Center of the Earth," with Pat Boone and James Mason, is filmed in the King's Palace and Boneyard. July, visitor center formally dedicated.

1960 - November, television show "Route 66" films an episode in the King's Palace.

1961 - December 10, Project Gnome, a 5 kiloton nuclear weapon test, detonated underground, 34 miles southeast of the park.

1963 - Bat Flight Amphitheater at the natural entrance is constructed and placed into operation. First requested some 16 to 17 years earlier as seating area for Bat Flight viewers. April 3, Civil Defense supplies are stored in the underground lunchroom area and the cavern are designated as a shelter for Roswell, Artesia, Hobbs, Carlsbad, and adjacent areas. Plan unrealistically specifies that 25,000 people could use shelter at once.

1966 - June 26, Guadalupe Room discovered.

1967 - June, self-guiding trips through the Big Room are begun. Rangers stationed at points throughout the Big Room interpret their section as visitors pass by. Tours are still guided through Main Corridor and Scenic Rooms.

1972 - January 6, self-guiding tours of entire cavern are initiated.

1975 -1977 - Cavern's lighting system replaced.

1977 - January, current lighting and wiring system completed. Emergency light system installed, eliminating use of lanterns during power failures.

1978 - November 10, under Public Law 95-625, 33,125 acres of Carlsbad Caverns National Park are designated as wilderness.

1979 - July 10, four armed men entered the Underground Lunchroom area, take over the cave, and hold hostages. Incident ends several hours later with arrest of the terrorists.

1981 - Ten other caves in the park opened for recreational caving with permits issued subject to skills and experience of applicants. March 16, NPS group, including Jimmy Sillas and Ron Kerbo, covers guano mining shafts for safety.

1982 - October, cave specialist Ron Kerbo and geologist Mike Queen use light cord, balsa wood, and helium balloons to float cord to area 200 feet above Baby Hippo area, snagging a stalagmite. Later, both climb rope into area later named Balloon Ballroom.

1984 - June, a group of Colorado cavers received permission to dig in the already disturbed floor of Lechuguilla Cave (only 200 feet long) to investigate "blowing leads." Six trips to dig out the loose dirt occur between November 23, 1984 and May 25, 1986, when a small alcove is discovered. After taking steps to shore up the dug tunnel, the explorers hit pay dirt. By May 31, 1986, Lechuguilla Cave is surveyed at 3500 feet long and 703 feet deep.

1985 - December 15, cave specialist Ron Kerbo, BLM employee Jim Goodbar, and geologist Mike Queen again use helium balloons to float a cord to the ceiling area in the Big Room in order to climb 255 feet into the area, later named "Spirit World."

1986 - September 5, Lechuguilla Cave is 7,400 feet long and 927 feet deep.

1987 - October 14, Lechuguilla Cave is at 37,500 feet long and 1,207 feet deep.

1988 - The Caverns Historic District and the Rattlesnake Springs Historic District created.

May 30, Lechuguilla Cave now stretched to 86,000 feet and measured 1,501 feet deep.

1991 - March 31, caver Emily Davis Mobley broke her left leg about 1,000 feet down in Lechuguilla Cave. 150-plus rescuers teamed together to bring her back to the surface in four days.

1994 - April, Lechuguilla Cave surpassed 70 miles in known passageway. In December, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and U. S. Geological Survey team made its second five-day trip into Lechuguilla Cave.

1995 - December, Carlsbad Caverns National Park becomes a World Heritage Site.

1998 - Park celebrates 75th anniversary of proclamation as a National Monument.

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Reservation Information

Reservations are recommended for all guided cave tours, but are unnecessary for the basic self-guiding tours of the Natural Entrance and Big Room. To make reservations for tours call 1-800-967-CAVE (2283).

A general admission ticket is required (in addition to special tour fees) for all guided tours except Slaughter Canyon Cave and Spider Cave. An adult must accompany children under age 16.

Tours, times, and fees are subject to change.

Fees & Costs

Self-guiding tours of the Natural Entrance and Big Room are $6.50 for adults; $3.25 for Golden Age/Golden Access Passport holders and children ages 6 through 15. Children under age 6 are free.

Golden Eagle Passports are not valid for cave entry fees.

The "Cavern Guide," a stimulating audio tour of the two self-guiding routes, is an additional $3.

Kings Palace Guided Tours (minimum age: 4 years) are an additional $8 for adults, and $4 for ages 6 to 15 and Golden Age Passport holders. Reservations are required.

Guided tours of Slaughter Canyon Cave are $15 for adults, and $7.50 for ages 6 to 15 and Golden Age/Golden Access Passport holders.

Guided wild cave tours of Spider Cave, Lower Cave, and Hall of the White Giant are $20 for adults, and 10 for ages 12 to 15 and Golden Age/Golden Access Passport holders.

Guided tours of Left Hand Tunnel are $7 for adults and $3.50 for ages 6 to 15 and Golden Age/Golden Access Passport holders.

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