NEW MEXICO: CARLSBAD CAVERN

 July 1, 2021

Carlsbad Cavern (singular) is one of seventeen caves in Carlsbad Caverns (plural) National Park. About 250 years ago, an underground sea combined with sulfuric acid deep below the earth's surface to work on the limestone of the area of the Guadalupe Mountains, carving out huge caverns. Different kinds of forces created various formations, including the familiar stalactites and stalagmites, as well as formations less familiar (to me) such as straws, popcorn, flowstone, and travertine.

A fun thing happened before we went into the cave. I was wearing my "Redlands Strong" pandemic t-shirt, and someone got out of his car as we walked by and asked if we were from Redlands. He was a University of Redlands student and his girlfriend was a Redlands native! I seem to have a knack for running into people who I have a connection to.

Comedian Will Rogers once called Carlsbad Cavern "the Grand Canyon with a roof over it." When I saw this layout of the cave in the Visitor Center, I could see what he was talking about. 

It is possible to walk down the cave opening, and then walk through a section of the cave to get to the trailhead for the main cave. The 1.25 natural trail entrance is very steep and the equivalent of a 75-story building. We opted to take the elevator down instead, and we took it back up as well.

Signage notes there are at least 118 caves beneath the surface with over 180 total miles of known passages and rooms. I wasn't aware of any other options for cave walks, although I am sure there must be some.

This map reminds me of Lake Powell. It's interesting to note the similarities of caves to canyons.

The most popular trail is the 1.25-mile-long trail through what is known as "The Big Room." This is a cave with many nooks and crannies and divisions, but altogether it is the size of six football fields and could hold the entire Notre Dame Cathedral with room to spare!

This photo from the 1950s shows that the caverns have been popular for a long time.

UNESCO named Carlsbad Caverns a World Heritage Site in 1995. Signage at the site notes that Carlsbad Caverns stands amid the ranks of global gems: India's Taj Mahal, Peru's Machu Picchu, and Tanzania's Serengeti.

The cave is dimly lit, but there is a wide, well-maintained trail that is easy to navigate. In no time at all, we were seeing spectacular formations unlike anything we've ever seen in other caves.

This reminds me of the hanging mosses in Savannah, Georgia. 

To give you an idea of the immensity of the space, note the tiny people and railed pathway below left:

Windows into other worlds are everywhere.

The formation on the right looks like a frozen waterfall.

A popular formation: Lion's Tail, made up of a stalactite and what is called "popcorn."

I think this massive stalactite with what I call fringe is in the Hall of Giants.

Organ pipes? Squid? Roots? What does it look like to you?

The torture chamber:

The next section is appropriately named "Fairyland."

Fairyland's ceiling looks a bit ominous.

Temple of the Sun? I'm not sure.

This tall formation is perfectly named: Totem Pole.

The ceiling looks like it covered with wilting, sagging flowers.

I loved wandering without having to be led by a tour guide. We could stand in front of this scaly, petrified monster as long as we liked.

A ladder of fence wire and sticks was made by one of the cave's earliest explorers, Jim White, who first entered this cave in1898 when he was just age 15 or 16. Five days after his first descent into the cave and exploration of a few hours, he returned with a 15-year-old Mexican boy. Together they spent three days in the cave, rolling out a spool of string behind them so that they could find their way back out. He would return many times before his death in 1946. In 1924, members of the National Geographic Society used this ladder to descend into the cave. They charted many new tunnels and rooms.

I could swear this is seaweed.

We saw several small pools of water.

I could not get over the fringe that hung off many of the obelisks.

We've seen other caves with chapels, most notably the Polish Salt Mines. Carlsbad Cavern's chapel is call "Top of the Cross" and has a large seating area. This is the highest point in the "Big Room" section of the cave we explored. 

The white stalagmites, seen as black shadows at the bottom of this photo, are said to resemble a choir of angels.

Mirror Lake . . . 

The sign is written backwards (top of photo below) so that it can be read correctly in its reflection in the water (arrow).

The types of limestone formations is seemingly endless.

The Bottomless Pit isn't really bottomless, just 140 feet deep. Yeah, to me that's pretty much bottomless.

My favorite formation name:

When Jim White first entered the cave in 1898, he had never seen a stalactite or stalagmite.  I wonder what he thought when he saw scenes like these!

Can you see the Stone Lily Pads? (That is actually what they are called.)

See the large formation on the left? Doesn't it look like the rest of the formations are facing it and bowing to it?

Another angle . . . 

. . . and another . . . 

. . . and another. (I really liked this room.)

Crystal Spring Dome is also known as "The Silent Bell." it is the largest active stalagmite in the cavern, and that flare at its base that makes it look like a bell is apparently very rare.

I mean, really! This stuff is unbelievable! Even Hollywood couldn't come up with a set like this!

The Leaning Tower of Pisa??

A Martian landscape?

The Rock of Ages is one of the better-known formations in the cavern.

It is enormous.

The Twin Domes are nearby.

I can't emphasize enough the vast space this cave. Look for the shiny curving walkway railing in the bottom right of the photo below for some perspective.

These remind me of the stupas we saw in Sri Lanka.

Cleverly-named pond: Longfellow's Bathtub.

I think this is heaven touching earth . . . 

. . . which makes this the rush of angels' wings:

This cave opening looks like a stage and is called The Doll's Theater.

Another crystal-clear, glassy pool.

And another aptly named room: The Chinese Theater.

There were a few final explosions of beauty . . .

. . . an important reminder . . . 

. . . a nice tribute and a ride up up up an elevator . . .

. . . and we were out of the magical underground kingdom and back outside under the bright sun.