Take Kings Palace Tour, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

Add to My List Check Off

The Kings Palace tour, a 1.5-hour ranger-guided tour through four highly decorated chambers, departs from the underground rest area. You will descend to the deepest portion of the cavern open to the public, 830 feet beneath the desert surface. Although not as difficult as the Natural Entrance route, this 1-mile tour does require descending, and later climbing, an 8-story hill. Look forward to viewing a variety of cave formations including helictites, draperies, columns, and soda straws. Rangers frequently conduct black-outs during this tour, briefly turning off all artificial lights to reveal the natural darkness of the cave. Duration: 1½ hours When: 10 a.m. & 1 p.m.; Labor Day weekend (8/30/13 - 9/2/13) offered 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., & 3 p.m. Where: Tour departs from the underground rest area. Cost: $8 for adults and $4 for children, Senior and Access Pass holders. Tour participants must also purchase an entrance fee ticket. Note: Children under 4 years old are not permitted on the Kings Palace Tour. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Reservations are recommended for all guided cave tours. Availability is limited for some tours. Plan ahead and reserve early. Make tour reservations by calling 1.877.444.6777 or by visiting www.recreation.gov. A general admission ticket ($10 per adult) is required in addition to tour fees for King's Palace, Left Hand Tunnel, Lower Cave, and Hall of the White Giant tours. The cave climate is cool and varies little from the annual 56°F (13°C) average temperature. A light jacket or sweater, and comfortable shoes with rubber soles for good traction are appropriate year-round. In an effort to prevent White-Nose Syndrome at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, tour participants will NOT be allowed to enter cave areas with shoes, clothing, and/or equipment until they have been screened and decontaminated. Source: NPS

Write a Review

No Ratings Yet

Flag as inappropriate ›