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Things to Do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

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Carlsbad Caverns National Park
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park Travel Guide

Things to Do in Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Which way to the Batmobile? - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Which way to the Batmobile?
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Reviews and photos of Carlsbad Caverns National Park attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Carlsbad Caverns National Park sightseeing.
Local Time 4:47 pm Wednesday, May 21, 2008
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park Things To DoTips 1 - 10 of 51  
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Lion's Tail
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  • Updated By e7forever on June 14, 2005
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  • Lions Tail - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Lions Tail
    by e7forever
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    These two "Lions Tails" are actually hanging from the cavern. This is one of the sites you will see if you take the Natural Entrance route. Hours: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 8am to 7pm. Tours available 8:30am to pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 5pm After Labor day until Memorial weekend, 8am to 5pm. Tours available 8:30am to 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 2pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 3:30pm. Carlsbad Caverns is on Mountain Time.

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  • Directions: Located 30 miles Southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico, off of US Highway 62/180.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/cave

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    Discovery
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  • Updated By e7forever on June 14, 2005
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  • Ladder - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Ladder
    by e7forever
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    A ladder leading down to a deeper part of the cave. Many parts of the cave are still being explored and discovered today. Hours: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 8am to 7pm. Tours available 8:30am to pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 5pm After Labor day until Memorial weekend, 8am to 5pm. Tours available 8:30am to 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 2pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 3:30pm. Carlsbad Caverns is on Mountain Time.

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  • Directions: Located 30 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico, off of US Highway 62/180.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/cave

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    Natural Entrance
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  • Updated By e7forever on June 14, 2005
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  • Natural Entrance - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Natural Entrance
    by e7forever
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    The Natural Entrance is a great way to get down to the bottom of the caverns. While the main attractions are in the bottom of the cave there is still plenty to see on the way down. Hours: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 8am to 7pm. Tours available 8:30am to pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 5pm After Labor day until Memorial weekend, 8am to 5pm. Tours available 8:30am to 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 2pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 3:30pm. Carlsbad Caverns is on Mountain Time.

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  • Directions: Located 30 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico, off of US Highway 62/180.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/cave

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    Whales Tail
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  • Updated By e7forever on June 14, 2005
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  • Whale Tail - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Whale Tail
    by e7forever
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    This is one of the formations that you will see if you take the natural entrance route. Hours: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 8am to 7pm. Tours available 8:30am to pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 5pm After Labor day until Memorial weekend, 8am to 5pm. Tours available 8:30am to 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 2pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 3:30pm. Carlsbad Caverns is on Mountain Time.

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  • Directions: Located 30 miles southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico, off of US Highway 62/180.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/cave

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    Whale's Mouth
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  • Updated By e7forever on June 14, 2005
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  • Whale's Mouth - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Whale's Mouth
    by e7forever
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    This is said to look like the mouth of a whale. It's kind of hard to tell from the picture but it really does. One of the things you will see in the Big Room at the bottom of the cave. Hours: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 8am to 7pm. Tours available 8:30am to pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 5pm After Labor day until Memorial weekend, 8am to 5pm. Tours available 8:30am to 3:30pm. Last entry into cave via natural entrance is 2pm. Last entry into cave via elevator is at 3:30pm. Carlsbad Caverns is on Mountain Time.

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  • Directions: Located 30 miles Southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico, off of US Highway 62/180.
  • Website: www.nps.gov/cave

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    Audio Tours - A good thing :)
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  • Updated By kymbanm on June 14, 2005
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  • A dried out pool - evaporation in the cave - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    A dried out pool - evaporation
    in the cave
    by kymbanm
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    I hightly recommend spending the extra $3.00 for the audio tour. You watch for the numbered placards along the route and when you see them, type in that number. The handheld audio device will provide very helpful information about that part of the cave. I like it because I can skip a section, or get ahead of where I am if I choose. I found these little devices much more helpful than the informational signs along the route - more informative, and I could stand to the side away from the group trying to read said small sign :)

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  • Website: http://www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm

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    Tour the caves of course!
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  • Updated By kymbanm on November 30, 2005
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  • Headin' on down .....Natural Entrance - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Headin' on down .....Natural
    Entrance
    by kymbanm
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    There are 3 well known cave tours at this location. The natural entrance self-tour is my favorite, it's about a 1-2 hour walk steeply downhill. Some portions are a bit slick from moisture. At the end of the Natural entrance tour, you can go over to the rest area, or continue around to the Big Room Tour. This portion is the same self guided tour you'd get if you took the elevator down. Every day at 0900 is another, lesser known tour known as the left hand tunnel. This is a guided tour through an essentially unimproved section of the cave. Reservations are usually needed, and the youngest visitor allowed on this tour is 6. For the more adventurous, you can make arrangements to go to the unimproved, and most recently discovered Lachuguilla caves. Another guided tour I have yet to take .....a guided tour into rooms with the most photgraphed features found in local art... I tend to hate large crowds and tours in general - so I have chosen to avoid this one as it is quite popular and usually sold to capacity.

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  • Directions: * EXPANDED HOURS: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tours available 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. LAST ENTRY INTO CAVE VIA NATURAL ENTRANCE IS 3:30. LAST ENTRY INTO CAVE VIA ELEVATOR IS AT 5:00. [from nps.gov/cave]
  • Website: http://www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm

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    Walk the Cavern Trail from start to finish
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  • Updated By TropicGirl77 on August 18, 2003
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  • Carlsbad Cavern trail begins here - Carlsbad Caverns National Park
    Carlsbad Cavern trail
    begins here
    by TropicGirl77
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    You've come all this way to see the Caverns, so don't cheat yourself out of the complete tour. Don't take the elevator down unless you really have to. Free for young children and Golden Pass holders. If you're not taking the guided tour, I suggest paying a mere $3 for the audio machine and take the self guided tour, either way, you will walk out with tons of information on the caverns. There is a certain awe about being in such a huge underground hole, and with such rewards as thousands of stalagmite, stalactite and helictite formations.

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  • Address: Carlsbad, New Mexico
  • Website: SEE MY TRAVELOGUE
  • Other Contact: Entrance fee $6US

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    Don't miss the Bats!
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  • By dpeirce on October 28, 2003
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  • Carlsbad Caverns National Park Things To Do
    by dpeirce
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    If you are spending the night near Carlsbad, you must stay to watch the nightly bat show. This is when the bats leave the cave at night to hunt for insects, and it is quite a show. Bring the video camera, but don't let it consume you. If you have kids, this will be one of the highlights of your vacation. We thought it was equally as good as the cave itself. Very memorable. No flash photography is allowed.

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  • Address: Carlsbad Cavern's National Park

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    Cave tours
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  • Updated By Sharrie on June 22, 2004
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  • Carlsbad Caverns National Park Things To Do
    by Sharrie
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    Join a ranger-guided caving tour. This is certainly a must! King's Palace (US$8): 1 1/2 hours tour. Daily: 9 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm. We started the tour descending to 830 feet below the surface. There's 4 highly decorated chambers not huge but with detailed stalactites & helictites some with formations like popcorns! Draperies are commonly found in this part of the cave as well.

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    More Carlsbad Caverns National Park Tips
    Overview
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