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Before you go
Your trip to Carlsbad.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Carlsbad – New Mexico Destination Carlsbad Caverns and White Sands (Carlsbad; Alamogordo) about 440 km from Santa Fe
How to get there
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Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM) 8 km
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El Paso International Airport (ELP) El Paso · 260 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
Carlsbad Regional Airport (CNM) has limited regional flights. The nearest major airport is in El Paso, Texas, about a two-and-a-half-hour drive. From Albuquerque it’s about a four-and-a-half-hour drive.
How many days
One night allows for visiting the caverns during the day and seeing the bat flight at dusk during the season. With two nights, there’s time left for the Living Desert and the riverside walk.
When to go
From spring through fall, with strong heat in summer. From May to October the bat flight occurs at dusk at the cave’s natural entrance. Winters have cool days.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
Yes. The caverns are about 40 km away, with no public transport, and the town is spread out.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Carlsbad
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Morning
Carlsbad Caverns
With a timed reservation, enter on foot via the cave’s natural entrance and descend to the Big Room. Walk the chamber trail and return by elevator.
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Afternoon
Living Desert
On the return to town, visit the Living Desert State Park to see animals and plants of the Chihuahuan Desert, and rest during the hottest hours.
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Evening
Bat flight
From May to October, return to the caverns for the bat flight program at the natural entrance amphitheater at dusk.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
How far is Carlsbad from the caverns?
About 40 km, or 35 to 40 minutes by car, via US-62/180 to Whites City and then the park road.
What time zone is Carlsbad in?
Mountain Time: UTC−7 in winter and UTC−6 in daylight saving time, from March to November.
Is Carlsbad, New Mexico the same as the one in California?
No. There is a Carlsbad on the southern California coast, near San Diego. The caverns one is in southeastern New Mexico, more than 1,200 km away.
What to do in Carlsbad besides the caverns?
Visit Living Desert State Park, walk the Pecos riverside path, and about an hour away visit Guadalupe Mountains National Park, already in Texas.