Electric Vehicle Road Trip to Carlsbad Caverns National Park (2023 Guide)
A Late May EV Adventure to Carlsbad Caverns
Carlsbad Caverns National Park always felt like a place I’d eventually visit, a legendary landmark tucked in southern New Mexico, surrounded by desert landscapes, alien folklore, nuclear history, and tales of Billy the Kid.
That “someday” happened in May 2023 when Cheryl and I made the electric drive from Alamosa, Colorado, through Santa Fe and Albuquerque, before skirting past Roswell (and its aliens) to spend the night in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Our reward for the day’s miles? Watching thousands of bats erupt from the cavern at sundown as they launched into their nightly hunt; assuming the local raptors didn’t claim a quick dinner first.
Francis Energy kept our EV charged from Clines Corners on Route 66 to Roswell and Artesia, where a 100% top‑off set us up perfectly to explore Carlsbad Caverns National Park for the final push toward the next charge in Van Horne, Texas.
Join us as we explore bats above ground and remarkable rock formations hundreds of feet below it.
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Watching the Famous Bat Flight at Carlsbad Caverns
Bats Leaving the Main Entrance to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
After settling into our Carlsbad hotel, we drove roughly 20 miles down U.S. Highway 62 to the park headquarters.
We parked in the ample lot and walked about 10 minutes along a paved trail to the outdoor amphitheater, where two park rangers hosted the nightly Bat Flight Program. One of Carlsbad Caverns’ most iconic experiences.
The presentation explained how thousands of bats roost in the upper chambers of the cave and fly out each evening to feed along nearby rivers and lowlands. These little fliers can cover miles each night searching for insects.
As sunset gave way to dusk, the first few dozen bats appeared. Moments later, thousands streamed upward into the darkening sky, weaving around hawks and kestrels circling overhead (well… not all of them succeeded in the avoiding part).
Twenty minutes later, the spectacle was done. Equal parts awe‑struck and mildly freaked out (in a good way), we walked back to our EV for the short drive to the Carlsbad Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites.
Amp’d Advice: Give yourself about 45 minutes to park, stretch, use the facilities, and stroll to the amphitheater. The rangers kick things off with a lively intro to the bats and the park before the nightly exodus. And don’t worry - bats aren’t coming for your hair. Unless you’re buzzing with insects, they’re not interested.
Descending Into the Big Room
Exploring the Depths of Carlsbad Caverns
Carlsbad Caverns became a national monument in 1923, and early visitors entered via wooden stairs at the natural entrance.
Electric lights arrived in 1927, and elevator access followed in the 1930s. By the 1950s, growing visitation led to a second elevator shaft, with all four elevators later modernized in the 1970s.
Cut-A-Way Map of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Free Map Photo Courtesy of NPMaps.com
Today, you can reach the Big Room, the largest single cave chamber in North America, in one of two ways:
Walk the Natural Entrance Trail, a steep one‑mile descent where the bats make their nightly exit
Ride the elevator roughly 750 feet underground in less than a minute
Due to high visitation, both options require scheduled entry times. A few months before arrival Cheryl scheduled our reservation and we purchased our elevator tickets at the visitor center before descending into the earth at our designated time.
Inside, a wide paved path loops through a landscape of spectacular stalactites and stalagmites of every size, shape, and texture.
Expect to spend an hour or more wandering, marveling, and taking plenty of photos before lining up for the elevator back to the surface.
By early afternoon, we were back on the road, crossing into Texas for a quick visit to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, then recharging at the Electrify America station in Van Horn.
From watching bats emerge from one hole to entering another ourselves, Carlsbad Caverns delivered a spectacular experience.
Amp’d Advice: Timed entry tickets are required to enter Carlsbad Caverns.
Secure your timed entry reservation at recreation.gov
Bring your park pass or pay the entrance fee and show your ID
EV Charging in New Mexico and Beyond
Over two days and 194 miles, we enjoyed easy EV travel through New Mexico and Texas
Broccoli Stalactites Hanging from the Ceiling in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Because we couldn’t use Tesla Superchargers during our May 2023 trip, we relied on Francis Energy fast chargers in Clines Corners, Roswell, and Artesia.
A full 100% charge in Artesia gave us plenty of range to explore:
And the drive into Texas for our next fast charge
From Van Horn, we continued south toward Big Bend National Park -another can’t‑miss landscape worth reading about.
Every EV trip starts with PlugShare to research destinations and charging options
Our mantra is simple: we design our route - never blindly following a GPS.
Once we pick a destination, I hop onto PlugShare to check which charging providers are available along the way. I read through the reviews for reliability, tips on the best pedestals, nearby amenities, and hard to find charger locations.
Meanwhile, Cheryl adds her own nostalgic twist by marking each station on a paper atlas, giving us a colorful, big‑picture snapshot of the journey.
Blending digital tools with old‑school mapping keeps planning quick, stress‑free, and just a little adventurous. Check out the full article to see how this combo keeps our road trips smooth and fun!
Birds Eye Review: Is Carlsbad Caverns Worth the EV Drive?
Absolutely
If you’re planning a journey anywhere near Interstate 40 or Interstate 10, adding Carlsbad Caverns National Park to your itinerary is a decision you won’t regret.
This corner of southern New Mexico offers a blend of natural wonder, quiet desert roads, and uniquely memorable experiences.
For us, the late‑May weather delivered warm afternoons, clear skies, and far‑reaching views across rugged desert mountains.
And thanks to consistent EV infrastructure across northern and central New Mexico, the drive was smooth and stress‑free.
But what truly makes Carlsbad Caverns worth the drive is the combination of surface‑level wonder and underground magic.
The nightly bat flight is unlike anything else in the National Park System, thousands of bats spiraling into the twilight sky, while the underground Big Room reveals an alien landscape carved over millions of years. It’s rare that a single park gives you two entirely different worlds to explore in the same visit.
Pairing Carlsbad Caverns with a quick stop at Guadalupe Mountains National Park, just across the Texas border, easily adds another national park stamp without adding mileage headaches. And if your travels continue south toward Big Bend, this route naturally builds into a spectacular multi‑day EV road‑trip loop across New Mexico and Texas.
In the end, our time in Carlsbad felt both energizing and grounding; the perfect reminder of why we love EV road trips. The quiet electric miles, the open desert, the unexpected wildlife encounters, and the excitement of descending deep into the earth all created a journey we’ll never forget.
If you’re looking for a national park experience that blends accessibility, wonder, and wide‑open roads, Carlsbad Caverns National Park deserves a place on your travel list.
This is one of those rare spots where the journey, the destination, and even the drive home all feel equally rewarding.
An avid runner, John’s fascination with electric vehicles began the day he left a 1970s Citicar in the dust.
Since then, he’s worked to educate readers that EVs are simply cars powered by an alternative energy source.
His favorite way to experience it? Road-tripping along the Great American Electric Highway, where the miles turn into opportunities to visit family, reconnect with friends, and soak in the country’s scenic beauty.
When John isn’t writing about EV adventures, running in new places, or exploring new destinations, you’ll probably find him catching a well-earned nap before the next journey begins.
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My electric car surprised me. I thought it would be a compromise, but instead it became the car I look forward to driving every day—more responsive, calmer, and more enjoyable than my old gas vehicles.