The natural beauty of New Mexico is something to behold. There are mountains, canyons, and pristine nature. It’s also home to some truly glorious caverns. Caverns are located throughout the state in places like Carlsbad and

Los Alamos

, and they’ve been around for thousands of years. Even if their walls aren’t painted with images, they tell the story of the region in so many ways.

If you’re ready to dig into the caverns of New Mexico, then let

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guide you through everything that makes caverns cool and also save you money on

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. Here are the caves and caverns in New Mexico that will inspire your next adventure.

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Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano

Address: 12000 Ice Caves Rd, Grants, NM 87020, United States

Phone: 505-783-4303

Also known as the Zuni Cave, the

Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano

has been around for over 3,000 years. Locals call it the “Land of Fire and Ice” and if you walk around the cave, you will spot scars and marks of its past.

Visitors can descend into the ice cave. You will notice an almost instant drop in temperature. You can see the stunning icy lake that is insulated by the cave’s volcanic rock. Once in the cave, it’s silent and serene.

This cave is privately owned. Admission is $12 for adults and $6 for children. Your ticket will also let you visit the volcano crater and the museum. Make sure you have water, sunscreen, and closed-toed shoes.

El Salto del Agua Waterfall

Address: 50-2 Paw-A-Suki Rd, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514, United States

Phone: 505-398-0090

El Salto del Agua

is a cave located behind a waterfall. It’s also part of literary history as it was the inspiration behind D.H. Lawrence's 1924 short story “The Woman Who Rode Away”. If you visit this waterfall in the summer, you will spot the cave behind a trickle of water. If you visit in the winter, the cave will be covered by an ice wall.

El Salto is on private property but it does welcome visitors. You should call in advance to ask about the admission fee and please note that you will have to sign a liability waiver. Also, if caves aren’t your thing, you can hike a nearby trail through a forested canyon. It’s about four miles south.

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Bandelier National Monument

Address: 15 Entrance Rd, Los Alamos, NM 87544, United States

Phone: 505-672-3861

Near Los Alamos,

Bandelier National Monument

preserves the territory—including the homes—of the Puebloans that once inhabited the area. The small homes are carved right into the soft rock,and there are structures on the ground and built into the cliffs, making for what was once an impressive community.

Visitors can enter the caves to experience what it would feel like to live in one of them. There is also a museum where you can view tools and models of what the village looked like in its heyday. Remember, Bandelier gets hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, so you’ll be touring with other people and it might take some time to find a parking spot.

You want to make sure you set aside a full day to explore Bandelier National Monument.

Ra Paulette's Hand-Carved Caves

Address: The sandstone hills near Ojo Caliente, New Mexico

For more than two decades, renowned artist Ra Paulette has been chisellings and carving crevasses in 14 caves with painstaking precision. Paulette has fashioned an underground world with his own hands. He uses some pre-existing crevasses and tunnels in the cliffs. The coolest thing is that no two caves are alike.

Unfortunately, most of the caves are currently closed to the public. This is due to some trespassing instances that have happened in the past. Before you go, make sure you confirm which are open for public visits and viewings.

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Lechuguilla Cave

Address: Eddy County, New Mexico, U.S.

Until 1986, the

Lechuguilla Cave

was a historical site used mostly for bat guano mining. In the 1950s, people recognized its potential when cave enthusiasts realized they could hear the wind from underneath the cave’s floor. This led to the discovery of passages under the rubble of the cave.

Then in 1986, cavers discovered walking passages that stretched for 120 miles. This discovery led to Lechuguilla becoming the deepest limestone cave in the United States. Cavers were drawn to this area for its natural and exquisite beauty. BBC’s Planet Earth featured Lechuguilla’s Chandelier Ballroom in an episode dedicated to caves.

Before making the trip, you should know that access to the cave is limited to approved scientific researchers, explorers, and NPS management-related trips. Essentially, you need special permission to visit.

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Carlsbad Caverns

Address: Carlsbad, New Mexico

Carlsbad Caverns is the foremost cave system in New Mexico, or possibly even the country. It’s famous, historic, and a popular tourist destination.

Its history is a slice of unique mythmaking. In 1898, a teenager named Jim White climbed down into what would eventually be called Carlsbad Caverns with only a bit of food, water, torches, string, and a friend to map the cave system. They ran into thousands of bats, dangerous ledges, and a host of intriguing geological features. Somehow, they safely made their way out.

Carlsbad has the Green Lake Room with its stunning mineral lake that shimmers green. There is also the Mystery Room, where a mysterious sound can be heard. There is also a 140-foot-deep “bottomless pit.” It has soft sand so when something drops in, it will land without a sound.

Carlsbad was once an impressive source of guano, which was vital to fertilizing the many fruit orchards in California. It was also part of the country’s nuclear testing. The military would detonate atomic weapons and monitor for ripples in the Green Lake Room. It was also visited by iconic figures like Ty Cobb and Amelia Earhart.

Millions of visitors have come to Carlsbad to experience its grandeur. If you want to see the bats (it’s creepy but cool), you should go between May and October. Be prepared to turn off your phone as they can bother the bat population. Once the bats appear in flight, you can watch them for up to three hours.

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Tips to stay safe while exploring caves

Caves might be safe for the public, but they are still natural environments that could pose certain dangers. If you’re exploring a cave on your own, here are some tips that can keep you safe:

Dress warmly because caves can be cold regardless of the weather outside.

Bring the right safety gear. Research the cave you’ll be visiting to see if you need any safety gear. It’s never a bad idea to always bring a helmet, headlamps, gloves, and knee and elbow pads.

Be equipped with lighting. You should alwaysbring a minimum oftwo lightsources per person—and no, your phone does not count.

Keep an eye on the weather. Some caves feature an underground water system and are prone to floods. If it’s rained recently or is about to, it’s recommended to postpone your excursion.

Know your limits and don’t exceed them. Always be prepared with food, water, and first aid supplies, and never go beyond your limits. It’s okay to call it a day if you’re tired or have a minor injury.

Tell someone about your plans. Let a few people know where you’re headed and when you plan to be home in case you encounter any unexpected challenges.

How to help preserve subterranean habitats

Exploring caves and other environments are a lot of fun but human exploration can have a toll on animal habitats. We must all do our part to explore without disturbing nature.

Bats might look icky but they serve an important function. They are pollinators and seed dispersers, and they help control populations of destructive insects. That said, we need to preserve cave ecosystems and protect wildlife.

If you are off on a cave adventure that is open to visitors, here are a few ways you can help protect its inhabitants:

Clean your gear and shoes before you step foot in any cave

Never disturb bats

Never visit caves in the fall and winter, as this is when bats are hibernating and any type of disturbance could be lethal

Obey all signs and directions indicating that caves (or parts of caves) are closed to visitors.

How to find the best car insurance before hitting the road

Whatever amazing cave in New Mexico you want to visit (maybe all of them?), you want to have the best car insurance so you can safely drive through the state. Keep in mind that New Mexico has some unique driving challenges. This is why you should team up with car insurance comparison super app

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