The world is full of truly particular places, especially places created by the mastery of Mother Nature and which man, despite his creativity and the evolution of technologies, could never have even conceived. The wonderful ones are an example of this Carlsbad Cavesa natural complex that contains the largest cave in North America and an infinity of caves and underground rock formations, which make room for them along paths that climb between the walls of the canyons.
Carlsbad Caves, useful information
To explore the Carlsbad Caves, under certain circumstances defined as “Grand Canyon with a roof“, you need to fly to the national park of the same name which is located in the south-eastern corner of New Mexico, between the Guadalupe mountains and Eddy County. Once landed and reached this magnificent place of interest, the visitor will find himself faced with a truly astonishing creation of nature which dates back so many years that it is even difficult to pronounce them.
The experience, as you can imagine, can be truly unforgettable because the Carlsbad Caverns National Park offers one of the most spectacular underground activities in the entire United States: here there are over 120 caves connected to each other, embellished with a great variety of rock formations that make each room unique.
The Carlsbad Caves have been studied and explored by experts from all over the world for years, so much so that some of the rooms present were found quite recently. In 1993, for example, a series of small passages extending about 1.5 kilometers were discovered on the ceiling of the New Mexico Room. It was called “Chocolate High,” and represented the largest discovery of these caves since the discovery of the Guadalupe Room in 1966.
Lechuguilla Cave is a cave discovered in 1986 and which is currently the focus of geological research in the park, so much so that its exact location is kept secret in an attempt to preserve its natural state.
How the visit works
The Carlsbad Caves can be visited throughout the year, with the exception of some holidays such as New Year’s Eve. What you need to know is that you need to pay attention to the timetables, as you can only access until early afternoon.
Travelers have two choices: enter the caves through the natural entrance, or by taking an elevator, which takes you directly to the center of these incredible “cracks” of nature.
Also, know that it is mandatory book in advance the entry time because only a specific number of people can enter each hour.
Finally, it is important to keep in mind that the paths are often wet and slippery and therefore it is necessary to wear shoes that do not have a smooth sole: trekking shoes or boots with knobby soles are better.
What to see at Carlsbad Caverns National Park
The largest and most fascinating room in this extraordinary park is the Big Roomwhich we can truly define as an enormity: it boasts 78 meters of height, 190 meters of width and 1.2 kilometers of length, so much so that it is the largest (but not the longest) cave in the North America.
When you enter it, therefore, it is practically impossible not to be amazed because it is also the cradle of some of the most spectacular rock formations that have formed in this area over thousands of years, thanks to the passage of acidic underground waters that have impacted the rocks and created impressive stalactites and stalagmites.
Worthy of note is the formation that is called Sword of Damocles, as are the Temple of the Sun, the Lion’s Tail, the Rock of Ages. A little curiosity: this room even contains a stalagmite which reminds many of the Statue of Liberty.
Then again what is called the bottomless pita chasm that represents the scariest part of this fascinating cave.
Other absolutely exciting rooms (not all of which can be visited in person) are:
- Bat Cave: which stands out for being a large rocky passage where many bats live;
- Bell Cord Room: where there is a tall, narrow stalactite that disappears through a hole in the ceiling;
- Bifrost Room: with a very particular color given by oxidation;
- Chocolate High: a sort of labyrinth that extends for 1.5 km in length;
- Green Lake Room: which owes its color to the presence of malachite;
- Guadalupe Room: the second largest room in Carlsbad Caverns and full of stalactites;
- Hall of the White Giant: a large room dominated by an immense white stalagmite;
- King’s Palace: with a geological formation resembling a castle;
- Lake of the Clouds: the deepest point of the caves and with cloud-like rock formations;
- Left Hand Tunnel: a narrow passage with deep cracks in the ground;
- New Mexico Room: accessible via a short slope;
- New Section: where studies are still underway, to the point that new discoveries are the order of the day;
- Queen’s Chamber: one of the most evocative rooms of the entire cave system;
- Spirit World: full of white stalagmites that look like angels;
- Talcum Passage: with the ground sprinkled with chalk;
- The Rookery: where numerous cave pearls were found.
The bats and the paths
The Carlsbad Caves are populated by an almost infinite number of bats: sixteen species of these birds live in the park. Very curious is the presence of a large colony of Mexican tailless bats, even if their number has drastically reduced compared to the past for reasons that are not yet fully known.
Finally, it is good to know that the park offers a series of surface routes that can be done both by car admiring exciting views, and on foot thanks to the presence of several perfectly signposted paths.
