Carlsbad Caverns National Park guide · 1 min read
Timed Entry Reservations and Cavern Fees
Carlsbad Caverns requires a timed entry reservation before you can go underground. A reservation only fixes the time you go in, so you will still need an entrance ticket once you arrive.
You can book online at recreation.gov or by phone. Booking ahead also helps protect the cave formations and makes the visit more enjoyable.
Entrance tickets are bought at the ticket counter in the visitor center. Adults 16 and older pay a $15 entrance fee, while children 15 and under enter free. Pass holders get their admission ticket at no charge at that same counter. Each entrance ticket is good for three days.
The entrance fee covers two ways into the cave. You can go down by elevator, or you can hike in. The fee covers both options, so you do not pay extra to choose the elevator or the hike.
Audio guides can be rented at the Western National Parks Association bookstore. As you walk through the cave, the guide narrates each stop along the way, and it is offered in several languages, including Spanish, English, German, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese.
Ranger-guided tours carry an added charge on top of the entrance fee. Book them through recreation.gov, and plan ahead, because reservations are highly recommended for every guided cave tour.
