Carlsbad Caverns is the reason we have come to this part of New Mexico. We headed into the National Park today to make our third descent into the wonderland of Carlsbad Cavern. In 2015 we passed this way and made two forays into the gigantic underground void. We rode the 750′ down in the elevator the first time and walked the steeply descending trail the second time. The trail is rough on the knees because it is steep and relentless.
Today we rode the elevator down and took the pathway around the Great Room which is truly great. The trail around the periphery of the giant room is a couple miles long and, fortunately, the lights didn’t go out because getting out of a pitch-black hole could be problematic. Most of the pathway is pretty level but there are some sections where steep up- and downgrades challenge old people, like me.
The cave formations, however, are spectacular and highly varied; stalactites, stalagmites, columns and weird curtains of limestone and calcite abound and textures of the surfaces seem to run the gamut between absolutely smooth to gigantic clumps of stone that look like popcorn stuck to a stick. Ponds of absolutely clear water dot the floor of the cave but the exits for the water cannot be determined since some flows sideways and other ponds drain out the black bottom. The National Park Service has done a commendable job lighting the formations considering the sheer volume of the place. This Cavern is one of my favorite places in the U.S. and I would never miss an opportunity to descend into this fantasy world if I was anywhere near.
During summer, there is a mass exodus of bats out the cavern entrance every night. An amphitheater for bat watchers is built just above the cave entrance for those wishing to ogle the fuzzy little critters as they emerge to save us from nasty insects. There are lots of bats – a count by the NPS indicated 18,000 bats per minute exiting the opening out of the cavern. Of course, we are here in January and all the bats are lounging in the warm weather down in Mexico so we settled for the magnificent view from the visitor center over West Texas to the south.
On the way home, we spotted not less than seven big, healthy-looking mule deer scattered across the park landscape. We also noted numerous hawks that looked quite large and robust. The limestone cliffs alongside the entrance road to the park are very colorful and riddled with small caves where it looks like former inhabitants found shelter. This park is pretty spectacular both above and below ground.
To see some pix we took in and under the park, click here