You probably know that Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a breathtakingly beautiful place. It’s New Mexico’s only national park and has been designated a World Heritage Site. But did you know these 18 Carlsbad Caverns facts about the most enchanting place in the Land of Enchantment? Read on to learn some of the most unique things about Carlsbad Caverns.

1. The land that forms Carlsbad Caverns was once part of an ancient underwater reef called Capitan Reef. Marine fossils have been found in the rock.
Flickr/1sock
2. The caverns were forged by sulfuric acid – not water erosion, as is the case with most limestone caves.
Flickr/Sathish J
3. There are no flowing rivers or streams inside the caves.
Flickr/Shek Graham
4. We know, from pictographs in the area, that Native Americans lived on this land starting from 12-14,000 years ago. It is believed that they used the caves near the surface long before they were “discovered.”
Flickr/pverdicchio
(This photo shows a pictograph, not the ones in Carlsbad Caverns National Park.)
5. In the 1880s, people didn’t go into the caves to admire them. Instead, they were there to mine for bat poop! Apparently, guano is a powerful fertilizer.
Flickr/James St. John
6. Some people are under the impression that James (Jim) Larkin White was a cowboy who stumbled upon the caves by chance. He was actually a guano miner who explored the far reaches of the caves in his downtime. It is up for debate who first found the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns.
Westend61/Westend61 Via Getty Images
7. Before 1925, guests who visited the park were lowered into the caves in a big bucket. Makes you grateful for the elevator, doesn’t it? This is definitely one of the most unique things about Carlsbad Caverns.
Wikimedia Commons/Carlsbad Caverns National Park Archives
8. They used ladders like these to tour the caverns.
Flickr/Emily
9. These unusual rock formations are known as the Queen’s Draperies. They are actually in the Kings Palace portion of the park.
Flickr/jb10okie
10. The Bottomless Pit in Carlsbad Caverns definitely has a bottom…
Flickr/Glenn Marsch
…140 feet down.
11. Lechuguilla Cave is the deepest limestone cave in the United States. It is the fifth-longest cave on the planet.
Flickr/Kanijoman
12. The temperature in the caverns holds steady at 56 degrees Fahrenheit.
Flickr/J.J.
13. The bats here are Mexican free-tail bats and as many as 300,000 of them billow out of the caverns each night.
Flickr/Cathie Bird
14. In September of 1928, Amelia Earhart went to see the caverns.
Wikimedia Commons/Underwood and Underwood
15. In 1959, Carlsbad Caverns served as a location for the movie “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” Filming took place in the King's Palace and the Boneyard. Of all the neat facts about Carlsbad Caverns, this one just might take the cake!
megasquib/iStock Via Getty Images Plus
16. Anyone who has yet to visit the park is probably unaware that there is an underground lunchroom. Nowadays it mostly just sells sandwiches but, back in the days before people considered the impact on the underground ecosystem, it sold heartier meals - and cigars!
Flickr/Mike
17. If you’re seeking a low-key, one-of-a-kind experience, you can mail a postcard from the depths of Carlsbad Caverns. This has to be one of our favorite Carlsbad Caverns interesting facts - imagine getting one of these in your mailbox!
Photo by New Mexico Tourism Bureau-card by Southwest Postcard Company, Albuquerque NM, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
18. Some of the guided tours through the caverns are a real adventure, requiring participants to crawl through the caves. (Don’t worry, there are plenty of tamer options as well.)
Yelp/Courtney L.

When you visit, be sure to check out the tours given at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Have you visited Carlsbad Caverns? What was your experience like? Did you know any of these Carlsbad Caverns facts already? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

If you plan to do any hiking around Carlsbad Caverns National Park, make sure you are prepared for anything! Check out our ultimate hiking packing list, featuring 75 must-have hiking accessories.

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Carlsbad Caverns Facts

Katie Lawrence | July 18, 2022

Where can I hike to a cave in New Mexico?

Carlsbad Caverns isn't the only place where you can explore caves in the Land of Enchantment. You can actually hike to a cave in New Mexico at El Malpais National Monument! Situated about 35 minutes outside of Grants, this rugged destination features underground lava tubes created eons ago by molten lava flowing beneath the surface. There are a total of five tubes you can explore and they're all fairly beginner-friendly. Some degree of rock scrambling, climbing, and squeezing through narrow passageways is required, but you don't, by any means, have to be an expert spelunker. Just remember to bring two light sources, plenty of water, gloves, and layered clothing!

Can I hike to abandoned places in New Mexico?

If you've never taken a hike to abandoned places in New Mexico before, the Mexican Canyon Trestle Trail is sure to ignite the adventurer within you. This historic rail-to-trail conversion in charming Cloudcroft leads to a now-defunct railroad bridge known as the Mexican Canyon Trestle. Located on the National Register of Historic Places, this 323-foot-long bridge was part of the Alamogordo & Sacramento Mountain Railroad, which provided the sole means of access to the town until the 1940s. The 1.2-mile Mexican Canyon Trestle Trail is short, easy, and incredibly scenic, leading to a viewing platform that overlooks the trestle.

What are the most beautiful hikes in New Mexico?

One of the most beautiful hikes in New Mexico is, without a doubt, the Dripping Springs Trail. Located inside the Dripping Springs Natural Area near Las Cruces, this 2.7-mile trek is situated at the base of the Organ Mountains, whose towering peaks rise above you as you hike. Not only does the trail showcase stunning views, but it also leads to several unique historical landmarks, including an old resort and a camp that once serviced it. You'll also come across Dripping Springs — the trail's namesake — which is a natural spring that features a gorgeous waterfall.

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Carlsbad Cavern Natural Entrance, New Mexico 88220, USA