"People come from all over the world to watch nature at its finest in the form of the Brazilian free-tailed bats leaving the cave each evening in the summer. The size of the colony fluctuates from night to night and season to season. Between 200,000 and 500,000 bats call the cave home over the summer, swelling to over one million during migration."
According to the National Park Service, since 1984, explorers have mapped over 145 miles (233 km) of passages and have pushed the depth of the cave to 1,604 feet (489 m). As of July 2019, Lechuguilla is one of the ten longest caves in the world (one of the four longest in the United States) and the second deepest limestone cave in the country. Researchers, drawn by unexplored passage and never-before-seen beauty, come from around the world to explore and map the cave. It is not open to the public.
There are several cave-centric park units within the National Park System. Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico could be considered the “Grande Dame” of these cave parks, even though it was not the first park established to protect a cave, nor is it the largest or longest cave. Carlsbad Cavern is, however, one of the most accessible and best-preserved cave complexes in the United States, and possibly in the world.
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Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs.
Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.
You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks, tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer, and useful planning suggestions.
