That is how Will Rogers aptly described Carlsbad Caverns, an immense and jaw-dropping expanse underground which is nothing short of spectacular. We drove a few hours out of our way, (although there’s really no out of our way, because we are doing whatever we want…) to hit this national park. And we are both very glad we did. We were in the cavern for almost 2 hours and about 40 minutes in I realized my mouth had been hanging open the entire time! It really is awe-inspiring…..The imagination runs wild in those depths and everywhere I turned I saw creepy sci-fi monsters or fantastical villages. It was both a peaceful and terrifying space and so very full of magic! The pictures really don’t do it justice, but here are a few:
Unfortunately we missed the bats here as well since they were still in Mexico, but I hear the flight of the bats at dusk is spectacular. I wasn’t sure what to expect with the caverns, but I wholeheartedly recommend a visit. You can’t believe what’s underground and I am stunned by the audacity and courage of Jim White and the other early explorers that kept tunneling to find this beauty. They are still adventuring down there and discovering new places. For one exploration in 1985 cavers tied a climbing rope to helium balloons and patiently worked to get it snagged on a stalagmite. Once snagged, they ascended up into an entirely new and undiscovered passage which they named the Spirit World…and then in 2014 they climbed even higher into a new space they named Halloween Hall. I can’t imagine doing something that uncertain and HIGH!!! Crazy…..
Please support our National Parks….the tours here have been cancelled due to Trump’s unnecessary and misguided firings and they need our support now more than ever. They are treasures.
We were only in Carlsbad two nights primarily to visit the park (and I’m not sure there’s much else to do there anyway) and when we left for El Paso we did so in the midst of an incredible dust storm. The highway was literally invisible due to the dust and winds and the drifts of sand covering the stretches were wild. I happened to be driving that day, and it was NOT FUN. High winds, high fire danger, high dust…..couldn’t get out of west Texas fast enough.
I headed to SLC for a SLCC event and Tim went on to Tucson for a long stay and to take in the Tucson Festival of Books. More from there….
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