Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, located around 18 miles from Carlsbad, features more than 119 caves spread throughout a 46,000-acre section of southern New Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert and Guadalupe Mountains. The park's major attraction is Carlsbad Cavern, which is accessible year-round via self-guided and ranger-led tours and features highlights such as the 4,000-foot-long Big Room limestone chamber, the fifth largest of its kind in North America.

Visitors can enter the cavern through its natural entrance or through an elevator from the park's visitor center, which also has educational exhibits and documentary screenings.The park is also noted for its bat flight viewing program, hiking paths, and Rattlesnake Springs Picnic Area, which has been identified by the National Audubon Society as an Important Bird Area.