Frommer's National Parks of the American West - Don Laine [103]
Underground development at the park has been confined to the famous Big Room, one of the largest and most easily accessible of the caverns, with a ceiling 25 stories high and a floor large enough to hold more than 6 football fields. Visitors can tour parts of it on their own, aided by an excellent portable audio guide, and explore other sections and several other caves on guided tours. The cave is also a summer home to about 250,000 Mexican free-tailed bats, which hang from the ceiling of Bat Cave during the day. They put on a spectacular show each evening as they leave the cave in search of food, and again in the morning when they return.
In addition to the fascinating underground world, the national park has a scenic drive, an interpretive nature trail, and backcountry hiking trails through the Chihuahuan Desert.
Avoiding the Crowds. The park is open year-round. Crowds are thickest in summer and on weekends and holidays year-round; visiting on weekdays between Labor Day and Memorial Day is the best way to avoid them. January is the quietest month.
Visiting during the park's off season is especially attractive because the climate in the caves stays the same regardless of the weather above. The only downside to an off-peak visit is that you won't be able to see the bat flights. The bats head to Mexico when the weather starts to get chilly, usually by late October, and don't
return until May. There are also fewer guided cave tours off season. The best time to see the park might well be September, when you can still see the bat flights but there are fewer visitors than during the peak summer season.
Just the Facts
GETTING THERE & GATEWAYS
The main section of the national park, with the visitor center and entrance to Carlsbad Cavern, is about 30 miles southwest of the city of Carlsbad by way of U.S. 62/180 and N. Mex. 7. From Albuquerque, drive east on I-40 for 59 miles to Clines Corners, then turn south on U.S. 285 for 216 miles to the city of Carlsbad. For the caverns, continue southwest 23 miles on U.S. 62/180 to White's City, and go about 7 miles on N. Mex. 7, the park access road, to the visitor center. From El Paso, drive east 150 miles on U.S. 62/180 to White's City, then 7 miles on N. Mex. 7 to the visitor center.
The Nearest Airport. Air travelers can fly to Cavern City Air Terminal (☎ 505/ 887-1500), at the south edge of the city of Carlsbad, which has commercial service from Albuquerque on Mesa Airlines, plus Enterprise car rentals.
The nearest major airport is El Paso International (☎ 915/772-4271; www.elpasointernationalairport.com), in central El Paso just north of I-10. It serves American, America West, Continental, Delta, Southwest, United, Frontier, and Aerolitoral (☎ 800/800-2376); most major car-rental companies have outlets. Toll-free numbers are given in the appendix (p. 660).
INFORMATION
Contact Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 3225 National Parks Hwy., Carlsbad, NM 88220 (☎ 505/785-2232; www.nps.gov/cave). Those arriving in the city of Carlsbad before going to the park can get brochures, maps, and other information at the National Park Service's Administrative Office and Bookstore, 3225 National Parks Hwy., at West Pecan Street (☎ 505/885-8884, ext. 0). In summer it's open daily from 8am to 5pm; at other times, Monday through Friday from 8am to 4:30pm.
Because the park's backcountry trails may be hard to follow, rangers strongly recommend that those planning any serious aboveground hiking obtain topographical maps. An excellent book for hikers is Hiking Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks by Bill Schneider, published in partnership with the Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association and keyed to the Trails Illustrated topographical map of the park. Contact the visitor center's bookstore or the Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountains Association (see "Visitor Center," below).
For additional information on area lodging, dining, and other attractions, contact the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 910, Carlsbad,