We entered the Caverns from the "Natural Entrance". This is from where the thousands of bats fly out at night, during the summer. It is a 1.25 mile walk down the paved walkways, descending 800 feet to the "Big Room". The walk is ALL down a steep walkway, with handrails, through huge caverns. It is dim, but the formations and many entrance ways into side caves are nicely lit. The entire caverns span 30 miles, with over a hundred caves. I couldn't believe how huge the cavern rooms were, how deep they were. We kept walking down, and down, ooh and ah at the formations, turn the corner of the switchbacks, and ogle some more.
The Big Room was just phenomenal. It kept going on and on. Each area was different and spectacular. We saw stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, draperies, flowstone, columns, lily pads in a cave pool, cave pearls, and popcorn formations. Words just can't describe the beauty, nor does my many photos. And the silence, the power of the caves, the feel of the air. We just sat and "breathed" it all in on some of the many stone benches along the way. The loop around the Big Room was 1.25 miles. All told, we spent around 3 hours walking the caves.
I am SO impressed with the National Park System. They did an impressive job of creating so many of the national parks, and this was no exception. We ate lunch at their very healthy cafeteria. We felt very safe, walking the cave pathways, with handrails--even when it was very steep and high, and in the dim light. There are a huge number of people that go to this park each year, and yet they have maintained the very natural state of the caverns. I am SO glad we included this stop on our trip.
This one has LOTS of photos. Enjoy!
Carlsbad Caverns Natural Entrance photos:
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