I can't say much about the caverns. I'm not great at beautiful, lengthy descriptions. It is most definitely a beauty to behold. Breathtaking to decend into.
It's amazing to think, and this is always how I like to imagine it, someone long ago walking in the middle of no where and happening upon this massive cave. Having no idea their discovery is so large, they try to enter it.
This was my second trip to the Caverns. I took my son and went with my father and his family. It is a looong walk down.
I can't imagine walking back up. I'm not that brave. Especially lugging a three year old on my back in the ergo. 😓
No, no. We took the easy way out. The elevator back up. I think the elevator down would be cheating yourself out of more than half the beauty though.
The decent is a steep 1.25 nils long. The temperature remains a constant 56F.
These Caverns form one of the world's oldest cave systems, and according to National Park Service statistics, receive around 300,000 visitors per year. They are about 27 miles from Carlsbad NM and conceal 117 known caves, including massive underground chambers.
From USA today:
Creation of Carlsbad Caverns
The Guadalupe Mountains were formed around 20 million years ago when tectonic activity forced a gigantic limestone reef to rise from an inland sea. Over time, sulfuric acid ate away at the rocks, creating caves and underground passageways. Later, rainwater trickled into the caverns, leaving mineral deposits on the walls, floors and ceilings. These deposits eventually built up into rock formations such as stalactites and stalagmites.
History
Although Indian settlers almost certainly discovered the caverns, local cowboy Jim White is credited with exploring them. He first descended underground as a teenager in 1898, using a home-made wire ladder, but it was over 10 years before he could interest anyone else in his discovery. Early visitors descended to the caves via an old mining bucket. In 1923, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed Carlsbad Caverns a National Monument and, in 1930, the Carlsbad Caverns National Park was established.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Carlsbad Caverns National Park contains a section of an ancient fossil reef from the Permian age, and also includes one of the only protected areas of the Chihuahuan Desert eco-system. Although the park has no official campground, backcountry camping is allowed with a permit from the Visitor Center. Other activities in the park include hiking, wildlife-watching and stargazing.....|
We had a lot of fun going through the caves. My son of course got very sleepy and tired less than half way doe, so we carried him most of the way. Exhausting, but fun. I can't wait to take him again when he is older and finds it 'so cool!'. Lol
Afterword we took him to go see Despicable Me 2 at the last remaining drive-in in NM. THAT was fun. :)
The view leaving the park. Magnificent!
