August 10, 2021 —
In March of 2020, the Purdue bois and I drove from Joshua Tree to visit Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad Caverns. The two national parks are neighbors, so it’s almost a crime for visitors to see one park and not the other. We spent a fun day and night in Guadalupe Mountains, then trekked to Carlsbad Caverns the next morning. The day was March 21st, eight days after Trump declared a national emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the National Park Service continued offering tours of the caverns for about a week after the declaration, the morning of our arrival was the morning when they decided “no more.” It was heartbreaking.
While I had technically set foot on the national park’s property, I refused to check it off the list. I had to return to visit the cave. But, I had no idea when I’d venture out to remote New Mexico again. It wasn’t a trip I could justify, at least not then.
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The Return to Carlsbad
In August of 2021, Maria and I planned a road trip to Colorado. Unfortunately, California’s wildfire smoke had decided to settle over Colorado during the week of our visit. So, our trip nearly ended as quickly as it began. To salvage our fun, we hurried to the south to escape the smoke and visit as many national parks as possible. Carlsbad Caverns National Park was our second major stop after we paid a visit to White Sands near Las Cruces.
Within the boundaries of Carlsbad Caverns, the approach to the visitor center is quite bland. If you are driving to the park from the west, you will likely drive by Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which treats drivers to some truly spectacular views. Those views only highlight the uninteresting nature of the landscape within Carlsbad Caverns once you reach the park’s entrance. Rocky ground, sparse vegetation, and short hills extend for miles in every direction. The views stand in stark contrast to the grand, dramatic peaks and valleys that you may pass on the way in. While the park’s curvy road makes the drive itself fun, the drive’s surroundings are nothing to write home about.
Perhaps it’s this quality – the unassuming surface – that makes Carlsbad Caverns that much more impressive. Keep reading for more…
Upon our arrival, Maria took a proper photo of me with the park’s sign. The sunny day provided a noticeable aesthetic contrast with the dreary, cloudy atmosphere of my attempted visit the year before. My spirits were high, and I was excited to jump into the famous cave on another adventure with Maria.
After we checked in for our self-guided tour of Carlsbad Caverns, we excitedly began making our way to the cave’s natural entrance. The park’s namesake cavern is the most famous and easily-accessible of the park’s 119 caves. To reach the entrance, we exited the visitor center and followed a short trail on the surface that took us to a park ranger. The ranger explained the precautions and guidance we were required to follow, then let us through. A few minutes later, we approached a drop-off, and a massive hole suddenly appeared. My jaw dropped.
Descent into Darkness
We began the 750-foot descent into the depths of the caverns through the so-called Main Corridor, a huge “trunk passage” that had historically been used by explorers to access the cave. A steep, paved trail consisting almost entirely of switchbacks guided us into the darkness. As we descended, cave swallows flew around the entrance of the cave. Electrical lights began usurping the sunlight as we walked farther away from the cave’s opening. Stalactites and stalagmites started to appear. We lost cell phone service after only a few minutes. It was all downhill from there, and it was breathtaking.
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Everywhere we looked, we saw 100-foot drop-offs, towering stalagmites, bizarre rock formations, distant cave ceilings, and clusters of stalactites. The scenery was beautiful, enhanced by dramatic shadows created by the artificial lighting in the cave. The huge scale of everything around us was impressive and even surprising, as I hadn’t expected to gaze upon cave ceilings that were hundreds of feet high. It was hard to believe that something so delicate, enormous, and pristine existed below the flat and uninteresting surface.
Our descent into darkness was riveting. We caught glimpses of countless unique cave formations as the smells and sounds of dripping water filled our senses. A couple of rangers caught our attention on the way down, providing us with interesting facts about the cave’s history, geology, and wildlife. Maria and I “ooh-ed” and “awe-ed” the entire time as we continued to discover surprises around every corner.
Touring the Big Room
About an hour after beginning our downhill journey, we reached the main attraction of Carlsbad Caverns: the Big Room. The room is the largest chamber in the caverns, measuring about 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 225 feet high at its highest point. It is accessible via an elevator that transports park-goers straight from the visitor center, but can also be reached using the Natural Entrance Trail, which is what we opted for. The chamber features thousands of beautiful cave formations, deep dark pits, high ceilings, relics of cave exploration like ropes hanging from above, and a walking trail that guides visitors through it all.
During the 1.25-mile loop around the Big Room, we saw plenty of impressive sights. Massive stalagmites dotted the cave floor, including the Giant Dome and Twin Domes. We passed views of the cavern’s “lower cave,” only accessible via guided ranger tours. Mirror Lake created crystal-clear reflections of its surroundings, a quality for which is is named. The Bottomless Pit – a deep opening in the floor whose bottom is only visible with a strong light source – sent shivers down my spine.
As we peered at the cavern walls around us, my mind wandered to the early days of the cave’s exploration. In two spots in the Big Room, old ropes dangling from smaller caverns above reach down to the cave floor. Their presence help remind visitors like Maria and me of the efforts it took to make underground mazes – like Carlsbad Caverns – accessible to everyday tourists like us. Much braver people came to the caverns long before us with far more rudimentary equipment. The most notable person in this case is Jim White, who first came to the cave in 1898.
The thought of doing something like that terrifies me. While I love climbing massive rock faces and hiking into the wilderness, nothing I do is “uncharted.” Smarter and more skilled people have come before me everywhere I go. The thought of exploring a deep, dark cavern – not knowing where I am or where I’m going – is scary. Thinking about this gave me an appreciation for the stunning gallery of rock around us. I admire all those who have mapped caves in the past, and all those who do so in the present.
Much of that modern-day mapping, in fact, still occurs within the boundaries of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. While most people – me included – only visit the park knowing about its namesake cave, there are dozens more in the park. This includes Lechuguilla Cave, one of the longest and deepest caves in the world. Mapping and research still occurs in this cave, the park’s namesake cave, and others. Some of these lesser-visited caves even offer ranger-guided adventure tours, which I didn’t realize during our visit. Check out some of these other caves at this NPS link.
Throughout our loop around the Big Room, we noticed a collection of fascinating cave decorations. Our favorite was easily the so-called “popcorn,” followed closely by “soda straws.” If you’re curious to know more about the creation of these and other cave formations, check out this NPS article.
There’s not much more to say or show about the Big Room, other than to – as always – encourage those reading this to see it for themselves. Everywhere we went, the high ceiling captured our gaze. Bizarre-looking limestone features around the trail highlighted our pleasant walk. The cave’s constant 56-degree temperature provided an escape from the intense heat on the surface. Signs along the trail offered historical and geological context for the things we saw. The experience gave us the chance to reflect on the insignificance of our lifespans in comparison to the millions of years it took for the cave to form. Nothing like thinking about your own mortality, right? Overall, the experience instilled awe in us and allowed some “chill time” on an otherwise crazy road trip.
Upon concluding the loop around the Big Room, we opted to take the elevator back to the visitor center. I never thought an elevator would impress me, but appreciating the effort it took to carve a 750-foot-high shaft below the surface of the earth was rather cool. We joined a couple of families in the elevator and rode back to the surface. The elevator deposited us straight into the park’s gift shop, where I – of course – bought a souvenir. After that, we returned to the car and began our journey to Big Bend National Park. Before that journey could get underway, however, we owed Guadalupe Mountains a quick stop…
In Conclusion…
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is – in a word – SPECTACULAR. While its surface doesn’t suggest an exciting adventure, the wonders below are sure to prove any potential doubters – like me – grossly incorrect. If you’re a caving enthusiast, you’ll find lots to love within the park. Everyone else can expect an unexpected yet memorable trek through the park’s hauntingly beautiful namesake cavern. If you’re ever visiting New Mexico or western Texas, try to stop by the park for at least an afternoon.
— Paul
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