Carlsbad Caverns National Park News

Park rangers have presented summertime bat flight programs since 1929, making Carlsbad Caverns National Park one of the best-known bat colonies in the world.

Willy Jung and his fiancee Tiger Lily are part of a group working on a model of Old Carlsbad.

Historian David Barton will discuss the next part of "Evidence of America's Spiritual Heritage" as part of the American Heritage Series at 6:30 p.m. today in the Conference Center at First Baptist Church, 112 N. Alameda St.

Stalactites, stalagmites, an 89-foot column known as the Monarch and 400,000 bats.

Sixteen years after the last increase from $5 to $6, Carlsbad Caverns National Park will raise its entrance fee beginning this summer to $10 per person .

Park officials say a pipeline that stretches more than a mile to provide Carlsbad Caverns National Park with drinking water needs to be replaced.

There are some places in the National Park System we just can't walk through in person, such as the remains of the Civil War gunboat Now, thanks to some high-tech wizardry, anyone can take an animated "fly-through" and explore the interior of the ship-or five other historic locations around the country.

It's a good weekend to visit Carlsbad Caverns. The bats are starting to return from their winter playgrounds, the weather forecast is calling for temperatures in the mid-80s, and Saturday's schedule includes a full day of Junior Ranger activities.

April 20 to 28 is National Park Week, and to celebrate, all national parks are offering free admission through Sunday.