2209 W Main Street
Artesia, New Mexico
88210-3721, United States
The easiest guided tour is of Left Hand Tunnel, where a mild, unpaved walk by lantern light leads visitors past a plethora of cave pools and rock formations to ancient, Permian-era fossils. Reservationsare highly recommended for ranger-led tours, especially for popular excursions to the magnificent Hall of the White Giant and the rigorous, cramped Spider Cave.
Slaughter Canyon tour starts with a drive from the visitor’s center to the trailhead where a 30-45 minute strenuous uphill hike to the entrance awaits. The winding, narrow and slippery path through the cave is only lit by headlamp, lending a wild air to the adventure. A highlight is sitting on the floor in total darkness and turning flashlights on in unison to witness the sparkling of the Christmas Tree, a crystal-decorated column. Plan 5.5 hours for the tour including estimates for the drive and hike in.
The Slaughter Canyon Cave tour, at the other extreme, requires a steep half-mile hike to the cave entrance and the tour of this backcountry cave is muddy.
Kings Palace
- four separate chambers accessed from a cave near the elevator. This is the deepest part of Carlsbad Cavern currently open to the public, 830 feet in one section, and may be visited as part of a ranger-led tour that lasts 90 minutes and is provided five times each day, between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Highlights include the Queens Draperies, a particularly large series of rippled sheet formations.Left Hand Tunnel
- lantern-lit passageways featuring fossils, cave pools and delicate speleotherms. The tour is held once each day and lasts about 2 hours.Lower Cave
- a vast lower level, branching off the Big Room about half way along the loop, filled with equally spectacular features as the main chamber. Accessed by metal ladders, and visited on a 3 hour tour starting 1 pm, Monday through Friday.Hall of the White Giant
- a more remote section of the cavern, containing a huge white stalagmite. The tour requires crawling through narrow passages and climbing metal ladders, costs $20 per person, lasts 4 hours, and is scheduled only once a week (on Saturdays).
the start of the bat show so head to the amphitheater and grab a seat. The bats are wild animals so they fly on their own schedule but I suggest getting there about an hour before sunset
The bats do not emerge from the cave in a single massive swarm, but there is usually a relatively well-defined peak period some tens of minutes after sundown
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