Carlsbad Caverns costs $15 per person
Carlsbad Caverns National Park charges $15 per person to enter Carlsbad Cavern, plus a $1 timed entry reservation booked ahead on Recreation.gov. The fee covers going down by elevator or walking in. The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers entry.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park fees in 2026
| Per person on foot or bike | $15 |
|---|---|
| Timed entry reservation: Carlsbad Cavern | $1, booked on Recreation.gov |
| America the Beautiful annual pass (US residents) | $80, good at every national park |
| 2 adults | $30 |
|---|---|
| 4 adults | $60 |
| 2 adults with timed entry | $32 |
America the Beautiful passes are accepted here. Sources: National Park Service, Carlsbad Caverns National Park fees and passes; National Park Service Data API, fees and passes for every park (pulled September 26, 2026).
Other national parks in New Mexico
Planning more than one park? Here is what each one charges in 2026.
| White Sands National Park | $25 per car |
|---|
What this price covers
What the park says: An entrance fee is required to enter Carlsbad Cavern and provides access by elevator and hiking in. Ranger-guided tours are an additional fee and can be reserved on recreation.gov.
About the main pass: Entrance fee provides access to Carlsbad Cavern by elevator and hiking in. Ranger-guided tours are an additional fee and can be reserved on recreation.gov.
Which pass is best for you? A single visit costs $15 for each person in your group. The $80 America the Beautiful pass works at every national park for 12 months, and covers everyone in one car, or the pass holder plus 3 adults where the fee is per person. US residents 62 and older can buy a $20 annual or $80 lifetime senior pass instead. US military members can get a free pass.
The entrance fee does not cover camping, tours, lodging or shuttles run by private companies.
What changes your price
- How many people. This park charges per person, so the total grows with your group.
Ways to pay less
- Visiting 6 or more parks that charge about $15 this year? The $80 America the Beautiful pass costs less.
- Buy a digital pass on Recreation.gov before you go. Signal can be weak near park entrances.
How we got these numbers
Every fee on this page comes from the National Park Service. We pulled the fee data for every park from the official NPS Data API on September 26, 2026, and each park's own fees page shows the same numbers. Where we show a total, we only add up the park's own fees. We do not add our own guesses. Fees can change, so check the park's page before you go.
Common questions
How much does it cost to get into Carlsbad Caverns National Park?
$15 per person.
Does the America the Beautiful pass work at Carlsbad Caverns?
Yes. The $80 annual pass covers the entrance fee.
Do foreign visitors pay more at Carlsbad Caverns?
No. Carlsbad Caverns is not one of the 11 parks with the $100 non-resident fee.