MichelleWhen I was 8 or 9 yo, our family took a vacation to Yellowstone and on the way we stopped at Lewis & Clark Caverns in Montana. Another time we saw Shasta Caverns near Shasta Lake in California. That is really what I had to compare with Carlsbad Caverns. I did see Wind Cave NP last year but it was a very different type of cave from these others.
Carlsbad has discontinued Ranger Led Tours (I was disappointed) but now allows for Audio Guide rental. I opted for that and the Natural Entrance tour which is the longer of the two choices. Carlsbad Caverns stays around 56 degrees. I took a jacket with me as I thought I would be chilly, but I forgot that the 97% humidity in the cave was going to make it feel warmer. I was too warm with the jacket and had to take it off mid-way. The audio guide turned out to be very good and added a lot of interesting facts as I went through the cavern.
Outside of the Natural Entrance was an amphitheater where you can go in the evening to watch the colony of bats exit the cavern. I wanted to do this but somehow it got by me and I never went. I’m sure it’s quite a sight to see. You cannot see the bats within the cavern as there is a separate area where they hang out! (pun intended). However, as you start down many, many switchbacks into the cavern, you will see Cave Swallows swirling around and around as they fly up out of the cave then back down. That was also an interesting sight to see as they didn’t just fly about haphazardly. Rather, it was very symmetrical and methodical. They flew in a circle higher and higher until they were out of the cavern. Almost like a bird ‘tornado’ swirling higher and higher. Between the swallows during the day and the bats at night, they keep the insect population under control.
The first part of the tour dropped 750 feet until you reached the bottom of the cavern. 80% of this drop was in the form of switchbacks going down into the dark. There is soft lighting here and there so you can see where you’re walking but it’s still dark enough to maintain that cavern feel. A professional lighting expert was brought in to place lights in just the right places so the most spectacular formations were illuminated. It was done very well and created a spooky (but fun) experience! By the time I reached the bottom of the 750 foot drop (in 1.25 miles), I thought my legs would fall off! I was so glad when I realized the 2nd half of the tour was fairly flat. Although there were many formations to see coming down, it was nothing compared to the incredible caves at the bottom. Hardly an inch wasn’t covered with some type of deposits in hundreds of shapes and textures. There were a few ponds of water here and there but it was very difficult to get pictures of that in such a dark place. In fact, I was very happy with how my pictures turned out considering the lack of light. Unfortunately, it is also difficult to provide any perspective to how GIANT this cavern is inside. There were many people about but the darkness hides them from view. Believe me when I say this is huge inside. From floor to ceiling it must be 4-5 stories tall in the largest room, called The Big Room (ingenious!). I’m sure my audio guide told me the height somewhere along the way.
There are caves above and below the main cavern. They have been explored but aren’t open to the public to keep them in pristine condition. I was shocked to learn that volunteers are used to ‘clean’ the lint from all the formations throughout the year. All that lint comes from thousands of people walking through the caverns every year. One group of volunteers spent 4 days cleaning and had 27 pounds of lint at the end. Something so seemingly small can really have an impact over time!
Back to the tour… there are stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, flow stone, and so many more different types of formations. Most of them have been created through the dripping of water over time, depositing minerals of different types that create different textures, etc. There is much dripping still going on and continuing to form new shapes. It was hard to fathom how so much beautiful ‘natural art’ could be below the surface of a very arid, not so pretty landscape. There isn’t any way I can truly explain how magical this place is, so please look at the pictures in the Photo Gallery.
Carlsbad Caverns has become one of the biggest highlights on my travels. Stay Tuned for more adventures!
Great pictures once again. I wish I could zoom in on a lot of them. Your animal/bird pictures have been awesome too! You are a really good photographer. Keep the updates coming!