See Carlsbad Caverns for free Aug. 25-28
Events, programs mark NPS’ 100th anniversary
CARLSBAD — Carlsbad Caverns National Park is celebrating the National Park Service’s 100th anniversary with a series of events in coming days, including free admission Aug. 25 to 28.
“We are very excited to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service,” said Doug Neighbor, superintendent of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. “We are looking forward to sharing this exciting time with visitors ... to commemorate this special occasion.”
In addition, the park will offer a variety of programs:
Today to Aug. 27 — Throughout the week of the centennial, visitors will have the opportunity to share morning coffee with rangers to learn more about the caverns and the park, local wildlife, how the park is managed and more.
Aug. 24 and 26 — At 6 p.m., a vertical ropes demonstration will take place. It will showcase cave climbing and rope techniques by expert climbers.
Aug. 25 — Cave specialist Rod Horrocks will talk about Lechuguilla Cave, a cave open only for scientific research. More than 136 miles of passages have been mapped in Lechuguilla Cave, making it among the longest caves in the world. An afternoon program about how parks are funded will feature Paul Cox, Carlsbad Caverns’ fee manager.
Experience the Bat Flight at the outdoor amphitheater nightly at 7 p.m. Reservations are not required and the program is free. For information on the Bat Flight Program, call 575-785-3012.
The visitor center’s summer hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Memorial Day through Labor Day) and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year. For information about Centennial events, park regulations, visitation or park tours, call 575-785-2232 or visit www.nps.gov/cave.