RV Rentals for Carlsbad Caverns National Park
With "rooms" with such interesting names as "the Chocolate High Room", "the Bellcord Room" and "the Bat Cave", Carlsbad Caverns holds the record for the second largest cave chamber in the World - the Big Room. The Big Room is a natural limestone chamber which is almost 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 350 feet high at the highest point.
RV Vacations to Carlsbad Caverns National Park
An RV vacation to Carlsbad Caverns is an adventure, offering wonders that go above and beyond the imagination. The beauty of the treasures hidden deep underground is breathtaking. Above ground you can admire the rocky slopes and cactus plants growing, never dreaming what awaits you under your feet.
RV Camping Nearby
Although within Carlsbad Caverns National Park there is only backcountry camping, you can find plenty of RV campgrounds close by so you can have the comforts of home while experiencing the superb limestone caves and all that goes with a visit here.
In Whites City, just outside of the park, you will find RV camping available at:
- Whites City RV Park – Electrical, water and sewer hookups, 50 amp, pull-through sites, pets allowed, WiFi available
In Carlsbad, a short drive from the park, there are a number of RV Parks where you will find plenty of amenities.
- Carlsbad RV Park and Campground – RV sites have 30 or 50 amp electrical, pull-through spaces with most having cable TV, sewage disposal, onsite laundry, heated indoor pool, game room, pet friendly with two large pet areas where pets can roam freely.
- Carlsbad KOA – large pull-through spaces, 30 and 50 amp available, cable TV and free wireless Internet, patio sites and extra-large spaces for families where tenting is permitted next to the RV, laundry facilities, year-round hot tub.
First Trip to Carlsbad Caverns?
Between twelve to fourteen thousand years ago, Native Americans lived within the boundaries of the park. Evidence includes cooking rings and pictographs. In fact, life in this area goes far back to the Ice Age; known because in 2003 a stone tool of Indian hunters of this age was discovered at the entrance to the caves. The limestone cave itself was laid in by an inland sea about 280 million years ago.
In the 1980s, an inscription was found within the caverns which showed that someone had explored this magnificent place early on. The inscription read: “J White 1898.” It turned out that Jim White, a sixteen-year-old cowboy, was rounding up cattle when he came upon a huge black hole in the ground from which clouds of bats descended. He began to return to this black hole with wire and rope and explored it, discovering the beauty that visitors can see today.
Located in the Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns is only one aspect (although admittedly the best) of the park. The Chihuahuan Desert here in New Mexico is one of the largest of North American deserts, and one of the wettest. Mild winters make this area a great place to go on winter vacations.
The park supports a widely diverse ecosystem. You may catch glimpses of cougars which make this area their home. Birding is amazing, with 357 species living in this region. Many come to see the cave swallows that live and breed at the natural entrance to the cave. This is likely the largest colony of cave swallows in this hemisphere.
Things to Do at Carlsbad Caverns
Self-guided cave tours: Families can take one of two self-guided tours and visit the caverns on their own. The Big Room Route and the Natural Entrance Route are the two self-guided tours available.
- The Big Room Route is one mile and takes about one and a half hours to complete. There is an audio guide which makes it even more memorable.
- The Natural Entrance route is one for visitors in good physical condition. It is one and a quarter of a mile long and follows a route deep into the earth – 750 feet down – on steep and narrow trails.
Guided tours: Various guided tours take explorers on adventures within the caverns. Some that you can take are: “Left Hand Tunnel,” “Hall of the White Giant” and “Kings Palace.” Reservations in advance are recommended.
Bat flights: Watch bats leave to feed or return to the caves to roost. Although cameras or video cameras are not allowed, you will certainly leave with some incredible mental pictures of this amazing exodus in the evening or the incredible pre-dawn return of the bats.
Where to Find More Information
Carlsbad Caverns National Park website has many pages describing tours, activities and the sights around the park so you can have as much information as possible before your arrival. Information specifically for kids can be found on the Carlsbad Caverns “for kids” page.
To find more information on what to do around Carlsbad, New Mexico, visit the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce website.
El Monte RV Locations near Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Find an RV motorhome ideal for your getaway at the Phoenix, Arizona El Monte RV location. Simply fly into Phoenix International Airport (Sky Harbor International Airport) and travel north for 48 miles on the Piestewa Freeway to find us. We’ll be happy to help you plan your entire vacation. Call us today at (888) 337-2214.