Natural Entrance

From the mouth of the cave near the visitor center, the paved trail begins its long series of switchbacks, dropping steeply into the opening. As you descend, the light fades, the air cools, and the sounds of the surface give way to the hush of the cave, passing formations and the twilight zone where cave swallows nest near the entrance.

The route is about a mile or so of steady downhill, descending roughly 750 feet, before it connects with the underground trails leading to the Big Room. It is a genuine hike, and going down is easier than it would be coming up, which is why the elevator is there for the return.

The Natural Entrance Trail is steep and can be hard on the knees, so trekking poles and non-slip shoes help, and it is not the best choice for anyone with serious mobility or heart concerns, who can instead take the elevator both ways. The cave stays around 56 degrees Fahrenheit year round, so a light jacket is comfortable.

Entry to the cave requires a park pass and a timed-entry reservation, so plan ahead. Once you reach the bottom, you can continue onto the Big Room loop, then ride the elevator back up to the visitor center when you are ready to return to the surface.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Natural Entrance is the original, historic way into Carlsbad Caverns, a steep paved trail that switchbacks down about 750 feet from the desert surface into the cave, following the route early explorers used. Beginning at the mouth of the cavern near the visitor center, it descends past towering formations and through the dim twilight zone, where cave swallows nest, before connecting to the underground trails and the Big Room. Hiking it is a dramatic, immersive way to enter Carlsbad, letting you feel the light fade and the air cool as you go deeper. Most visitors walk down the Natural Entrance and then ride the elevator back up to the surface.

The Natural Entrance Trail is moderately strenuous, mainly because of its steepness. It descends about 750 feet over roughly a mile of paved switchbacks, and while going downhill is easier than climbing, the sustained steep grade can be hard on the knees and legs, so trekking poles and sturdy, non-slip shoes are helpful. It is generally not recommended for visitors with serious heart, breathing, or mobility concerns, who can instead take the elevator down and up. The good news is that you only hike it in the downhill direction, since the elevator returns you to the surface from the bottom. Take your time, hold the handrails where present, and enjoy the immersive descent.

Yes. Carlsbad Caverns has elevators that descend about 750 feet from the visitor center directly to the underground rest area near the Big Room, reaching the cave floor in under a minute. This is a great option for visitors who prefer not to hike the steep Natural Entrance Trail, including those with limited time, mobility considerations, or young children. Many people choose to hike down the Natural Entrance for the dramatic experience and then ride the elevator back up, but you can also take the elevator both ways. Elevator availability can occasionally be affected by maintenance, so it is worth checking current park conditions, especially if you are relying on it rather than the trail.

Yes. The Natural Entrance of Carlsbad Caverns is where the famous bat flight occurs. From late spring through fall, hundreds of thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats roost in the cave and spiral out of the Natural Entrance into the dusk sky each evening to feed on insects, one of the great wildlife spectacles in North America. Visitors gather at the nearby Bat Flight Amphitheater at sunset for a ranger program to watch them emerge. During the daytime hiking hours, you will not see the bat flight, but you may notice cave swallows near the entrance. The bats migrate south for the winter, so the evening flights are seasonal, generally from around May through October.