Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a National Park in New Mexico. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 4 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Carlsbad Caverns
We matched 4 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Carlsbad Caverns. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Waterfalls (1)
Natural Arches (1)
Caves (2)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Carlsbad Caverns the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:16 PM | 246° | 10h 16m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:11 PM | 5:45 PM | 256° | 11h 03m |
| March | 7:09 AM | 7:42 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:07 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 282° | 12h 58m |
| May | 6:01 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:49 PM | 293° | 13h 48m |
| June | 5:52 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:07 PM | 299° | 14h 15m |
| July | 6:03 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:06 PM | 296° | 14h 03m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:44 PM | 287° | 13h 20m |
| September | 6:43 AM | 7:15 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:06 PM | 274° | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:02 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:54 PM | 6:27 PM | 260° | 11h 25m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 4:24 PM | 4:59 PM | 249° | 10h 31m |
| December | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:56 PM | 243° | 10h 03m |
Computed for the park's reference point (32.1409, -104.5530); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Carlsbad Caverns, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:27 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.8 | 18° |
| March | 3:38 AM – 5:38 AM | 2.0 | 25° |
| April | 1:33 AM – 4:53 AM | 3.3 | 29° |
| May | 11:33 PM – 4:23 AM | 4.8 | 29° |
| June | 9:48 PM – 4:08 AM | 6.3 | 29° |
| July | 9:44 PM – 2:44 AM | 5.0 | 29° |
| August | 9:13 PM – 12:43 AM | 3.5 | 29° |
| September | 8:28 PM – 10:38 PM | 2.2 | 26° |
| October | 7:48 PM – 8:38 PM | 0.8 | 18° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
2 Estimated Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars.
Weather & best time to visit
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the Chihuahuan Desert in southeast New Mexico. Summers are hot with temperatures between 90°F (32°C) and low 100s °F (38°C). Windy conditions and mild temperatures are common in early spring (March-May) with frequent rain in early fall (August-September). This part of the country also sees cold temperatures in the winter with occasional snow and icy conditions. Most days, the park is enveloped by a gorgeous blue sky with very few clouds, 278 sunny days a year!
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 33% average cloud cover) and August as the cloudiest (49%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Timed Entry Reservation - Location | $1.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
To access the park's only entrance road, New Mexico Highway 7, turn north from US Hwy 62/180 at White's City, NM, which is 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Carlsbad, NM and 145 miles (233 km) northeast of El Paso, TX. The entrance road stretches a scenic seven miles (11.3 km) from the park gate at White's City to the visitor center and cavern entrance. The address for the park's visitor center is 727 Carlsbad Caverns Hwy, Carlsbad, NM, 88220, located 27 miles (43 km) from the town of Carlsbad.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Camping
- Caving
- Food
- Dining
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
Nearby parks
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