Carlsbad Caverns – Too Impressive for Words (I’ll Try)

From our campground at Barksdale Air Force Base in Shreveport, LA, we drove into Texas. When we are driving to the West Coast, we usually take either I-40 or I-10 across this huge state, and that was our plan for this trip. In mid-route, we decided to change things up. We had never been to Carlsbad Caverns, so we took I-20 and headed for New Mexico.

We still had to cross Texas and make a few new reservations. After looking up campgrounds along I-20. We decided on two that were adjacent to the Interstate, with very sexy names, I might add. The first was Cowtown RV Park near Fort Worth. It was a nice campground; well-run and well-maintained. The second, Whip In RV Park in Big Spring, TX, was just a dirt-and-gravel parking lot. We gave it one night and moved on.

Helen and I were unable to make a reservation in the town of Carlsbad—probably because of Memorial Day travelers —but one very helpful campground manager suggested we try White City RV Park at the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Space was available, and we booked it for three nights. It was another dirt-and-gravel parking lot next to a souvenir shop, grocery store, and a laundry room that was as affordable as any we’ve encountered. We would go exploring the next day and make a reservation for an 11:30 entry.

The National Park was short on Park Rangers, and no tour guide was available; we decided to go it alone and walked to the entrance—a massive opening. The journey to the bottom of the Cavern is a hike along a steep trail that descends 750 feet, the equivalent of 75 stories. There are innumerable switchbacks on the path that winds around the various formations. It wasn’t long before I became immeasurably impressed with Carlsbad Caverns.

The dummy that I am failed to bring a flash attachment for my Canon camera, so I put it in Auto ISO mode and snapped away. I was very pleased with most of the pictures. The crowd was light, and Helen and I walked slowly down the path, eventually reaching the bottom after a mile-and-a-half hike and an hour-and-a-half on the trail. My hips were screaming after all of the downhill walking. We took the elevator back to the top and decided to visit the Big Ballroom, the featured part of the Cavern, the next day.  Here are a few shots from day one.

My hips were still rebelling on day two, so we rode the elevator down to the bottom and walked to the trailhead at the Big Room entrance. It is another mile-and-a-half hike, covering an area the size of six football fields. Within the first few steps, I encountered the “WOW” factor. The enormity of the Big Room is stunning. There are beautiful and interesting structures at every turn. Stalagmites rising from the cavern floor meet up with stalagtites growing (very slowly) from the ceiling to form amazing columns of various sizes and textures. I couldn’t keep my mouth closed.

Carlsbad Caverns started as an underwater reef about 265 million years ago. Shifting tectonic plates around 15 million years ago continued the formation. About 4 million years ago, the Guadalupe Mountains uplifted, forming the cavern. The stalagtites and stalagmites began forming around 500,000 years ago. The result is a massive space filled with incredible natural art. I have often said that our National Parks are the greatest gifts we have given ourselves.

I took enough pictures to fill nearly an entire memory card, and have posted a few of the most unusual formations above. I have added a gallery of additional pictures below, and I hope readers will browse through them.

When we returned to our camper, I noticed a lone sheep at the top of the canyon overlooking our campground. About an hour later, I left the camper to take Mortimer for a walk. Across from our camper, a herd of about 50 Barbary sheep was grazing in what little green grass was there. Fearful that they would run away, Mortimer and I raced back to the camper, where I traded him for my camera. My fears were unfounded. The sheep paid little attention to me and came close enough for great shots. I love traveling through the West because the wildlife is so unique, and this experience is another example.

Up next for Helen, Mortimer, and me is White Sands National Park. We’ll be there for three days. Please join us. We’re Easin’ Along.