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- Carlsbad Caverns National Park contains 113 caves, formed when sulfuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone.
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NPS Photo by Peter Jones
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The Carlsbad Caverns National Park, which was first established in 1930, is home to some of the largest limestone caves in North America. The hundreds of natural and diverse rock formations of the underground cave systems that stretch for miles below the Chihuahuan Desert and extend across the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The caves were first used by the Apaches for shelter more than 1,000 years ago, and were further explored by miners in the late 1800s.
Visitors can take self-guided underground tours through the 1,800 foot-long maze of impressive rock structures. To explore Mother Nature above the ground, the Carlsbad Caverns National Park offers several family-fun amenities including camp sites and picnic areas, as well as hiking and backpacking trails where an assortment of animal species roam the grassland surroundings. Carlsbad Caverns is also a safe haven for over 16 different types of bats. You can catch a glimpse of these nocturnal creatures in their natural habitat from Memorial Day through mid-October, when nearly 400,000 Mexican free-tail bats embark on their night-flying adventures.
Facts About Carlsbad Caverns National Park United States
- Time Zone: America/North_Dakota/New_Salem
Articles on Carlsbad Caverns National Park
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Beyond Batman: Bat Caves and Other Batty Destinations
by Robin Cherry September 30, 2008View the nocturnal food flights of these furry squeakers as they swarm from caves and bridges around the world.
