Carlsbad Cavern is one of over 300 limestone caves in a fossil reef laid down by an inland sea about 265 million years ago. Twelve-to-fourteen thousand years ago, American Indians lived in the Guadalupe Mountains. Some of their cooking ring sites and pictographs have been found within the present-day boundaries of the park.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is celebrating its centennial as a National Park Service site in 2023! As part of our year-long festivities, we have sent our resident bat mascot, Carl S. Bat, on a worldwide tour to visit other public lands and UNESCO World Heritage sites.