Closest airports
| Airport | City | Drive to the park | Straight-line miles | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavern City Air Terminal (CNM) | Carlsbad, NM | 39 min (24 mi) | 22 | Regional |
| Roswell Air Center Airport (ROW) | Roswell, NM | 2 h 5 min (101 mi) | 80 | Regional |
| Lea County Regional Airport (HOB) | Hobbs, NM | 1 h 55 min (93 mi) | 87 | Regional |
| El Paso International Airport (ELP) | El Paso, TX | 2 h 50 min (145 mi) | 109 | Large hub |
Drive times run from the airport to Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.
Regional airports have fewer flights, so compare fares with the larger hub.
Directions from the park service
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.
Hours
Daily, 9:00AM - 2:30PM. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is open 24-hours a day. Visitor center hours and cave tour schedule vary throughout the year.
Visitor centers
- Visitor Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. The visitor center and cavern are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's days.
Last gas, groceries and EV charging
Places mapped in OpenStreetMap within 19 miles (straight line) of Visitor Center. Fill up before you head deep into the park: most parks have little or no fuel inside.
Gas stations (1 within reach)
| Place | Where | Miles | Fuel extras and hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon | 15 Carlsbad Cavern Highway, Whites City | 4.0 |
Grocery stores and supermarkets
None mapped within this distance. Stock up on food before you arrive; small camp stores may be the only option.
EV charging
None mapped within this distance. Charge fully before you arrive, and check PlugShare or your car’s app for chargers farther out.
Opening hours and fuel types are what local mappers have recorded, so call ahead in winter or off season. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License.
Getting around
Most parks are best seen by car. Fill up before you enter, since gas inside parks is limited or absent. Parking at popular trailheads fills early in summer.
Sources
- National Park Service Data API: directions, hours and visitor centers (public domain)
- OurAirports: airport list and locations (public domain)
- OSRM drive-time estimates on OpenStreetMap road data (ODbL)
- OpenStreetMap: gas stations, grocery stores and EV chargers (ODbL)
Last checked 1 November 2026.