Caving in Carlsbad Caverns
In SouthEastern New Mexico is Carlsbad Cavern National Park, a series of natural limestone caves formed over 250 million years ago. We first took an elevator down 750 feet into the earth! Freaky!
The “Big Room” was very impressive in size measuring about 4000 ft long and 225 ft high!
We took a ranger-guided tour of The Kings Palace and the Queens Chamber.
The Kings Palace, which is 830 ft below the earth’s surface, has formations that look like a king’s entourage. (have to use your imagination)
The Queens Chamber had some drapery formations which you could see light through but were solid limestone. To the left is mine and the one on the right is a better photo of drapery that I didn’t take.
We were able to see a stalagmite and stalactite connected, formed after thousands of years of constant dripping
If you ever get to Carlsbad Cavern National Park, we recommend taking the elevator (not walking down into the cavern) and taking a ranger-guided tour. There is also an evening “Bat Flight Program” where you can come and watch a mass exodus of bats without going into the cave. More information can be found in the links below:
https://www.nps.gov/cave/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/bat_flight_program.htm
https://www.nps.gov/cave/learn/nature/geologicformations.htm