Carlsbad, NM

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

I drove from the city of Carlsbad to the park. It’s not too much to look at on the drive to the visitor center. I guess all the good stuff is under the surface.

The geology and formation of the caverns is pretty interesting. I used my National Park Pass to gain entrance into the main cavern. I took the Natural Trail to the Big Room. You can take the elevator down, but I walked.

There are hundreds of benches near the entrance into the cavern. Large crowds watch millions of bats that leave the cave at dusk during the summer. It seems like it would be a pretty spectacular thing to see. I’d like to come back one day and see it.

As you start hiking down into the ground the smell of bat guano becomes pretty strong. I don’t know if you get used to the smell or most of the bats poop near the entrance but, I stopped noticing it after a while.

There are man-made walkways and lights all the way down, with educational stops along the way. It was really pretty how some of the massive stalactites and stalagmites were lit up. Now, I wish I would have signed up for a guided tour or did the self guided tour with the audio. It was cool to look at (I guess), but I didn’t really learn anything. It was hard to take pictures in the low light. Especially since the long exposures were constantly getting ruined with other tourists camera flash bulbs.

The great room was a massive loop that seemed to go on forever. They say that you can fit the entire US Capitol Building inside. After taking the elevator up to the top, I had my fill of the caverns.

I would have enjoyed it much more to explore the non touristy caverns. Where the only formations you see are lit up by your flashlight. It might be a bit sketchy to squeeze your body in between small cracks and crevasses. But, I think some of the most fun to be had is when your life is in potential danger.

San Antonio, Texas was my next pit stop about 6.5 hours away.