A recap of events (Feb 2018): Carlsbad Caverns NP
My plan for visiting Guadalupe Mountains and Carlsbad was to find a site at Pine Springs campground near the visitor center for Guadalupe. I wasn't concerned about getting a site because it wasn't a busy time of year for the park and all the sites are first come first served. Arriving just after sunset but with a full moon that night, I didn't have an issue checking out the sites and deciding on one. After a quick dinner (quesadillas are wonderful for car camping), I settled in for the night. I soon realized that the mentions of wind in the campground were not exaggerated. For most of the first night, the gusts must have hit 40-50 mph and my tent was continually rattling. Ear plugs didn't seem to help, so I decided to spend that night in the car for the quiet. Luckily, this would be the windiest night during my stay.
The next morning I had my first glimpse of the Guadalupe Mountains in daylight and it was more impressive than I expected. It was also very comfortable during the day, with temps hovering around 70F. I had planned to visit Carlsbad this day (about a 45 minute drive away), having reserved tickets for the only cave tours being offered this time of year: Left Hand Tunnel and King's Palace. While booking these tickets a few days prior, I had realized that I will need to re-visit the park sometime in May-October to see the bat exodus (1.5 million or so bats) from the cave. In the winter, the bats relocate to warmer climates in Mexico. There are also some more adventurous cave tours only offered during the summer time. I had no issues with a reason to come back.
After grabbing a picture near the sign, I started my visit with a brief walk around the main chamber in the cave, taking the elevator 740ft down into the earth. My first glimpse of the cave was extraordinary.
What this photo doesn't capture is the quiet and solitude having been one of very few visitors that morning. It was incredibly peaceful to have an enormous and beautiful space like this to myself, only hearing a few drops of water and an occasional echo from someone else. I don't remember ever having a moment like that, so it won't be something I forget.
Shortly after seeing the main room, I joined the King's Palace tour group to make our way to a part of the cave that can only be seen with a ranger. I had learned from the ranger that it had been unguided originally, but due to theft and destruction of cave features, they had to have ranger supervision. Unfortunate to hear, but happy that measures were taken to preserve and care for the delicate features. The King's Palace itself is also regarded as one of the most astounding rooms in any cave:
The picture doesn't really do justice. There are essentially no bare spots on the walls or ceiling, being completely covered in formations of all sizes. As we entered the room, everyone let out a "WOW" or gasp in astonishment. I spoke to a few people who had visited many other caves, and each of them said the King's Palace and Carlsbad were the most beautiful they had seen.
We saw several more rooms during the hour tour, each breathtaking in their own way. I stopped taking pictures after the King's Palace because I didn't want to break away from just enjoying the cave. After a lunch break, I joined the Left Hand Tunnel tour, which navigates a part of the cave without any lights and unpaved (natural) trails. It's meant to share the experience of the first visitors, using candle lanterns to navigate. It was also limited to only 10 people, making for a more intimate and natural exploration of the cave. It was very interesting to experience the difference between only having a candle lantern to illuminate the cave compared to thousands of electric lights.
Needless to say, my first experience at Carlsbad Caverns exceeded expectations. I'd imagine having so few visitors made it a more enjoyable experience. I came back a few days later to walk through the natural entrance instead of the elevator and to walk the unguided parts of the cave. My favorite spot overlooked this chandelier, making me feel like I was on another world:
I'm looking forward to a return trip in the future for some more intense caving tours and to see the bat exodus from the natural entrance!
The next morning I had my first glimpse of the Guadalupe Mountains in daylight and it was more impressive than I expected. It was also very comfortable during the day, with temps hovering around 70F. I had planned to visit Carlsbad this day (about a 45 minute drive away), having reserved tickets for the only cave tours being offered this time of year: Left Hand Tunnel and King's Palace. While booking these tickets a few days prior, I had realized that I will need to re-visit the park sometime in May-October to see the bat exodus (1.5 million or so bats) from the cave. In the winter, the bats relocate to warmer climates in Mexico. There are also some more adventurous cave tours only offered during the summer time. I had no issues with a reason to come back.
After grabbing a picture near the sign, I started my visit with a brief walk around the main chamber in the cave, taking the elevator 740ft down into the earth. My first glimpse of the cave was extraordinary.
What this photo doesn't capture is the quiet and solitude having been one of very few visitors that morning. It was incredibly peaceful to have an enormous and beautiful space like this to myself, only hearing a few drops of water and an occasional echo from someone else. I don't remember ever having a moment like that, so it won't be something I forget.
Shortly after seeing the main room, I joined the King's Palace tour group to make our way to a part of the cave that can only be seen with a ranger. I had learned from the ranger that it had been unguided originally, but due to theft and destruction of cave features, they had to have ranger supervision. Unfortunate to hear, but happy that measures were taken to preserve and care for the delicate features. The King's Palace itself is also regarded as one of the most astounding rooms in any cave:
The picture doesn't really do justice. There are essentially no bare spots on the walls or ceiling, being completely covered in formations of all sizes. As we entered the room, everyone let out a "WOW" or gasp in astonishment. I spoke to a few people who had visited many other caves, and each of them said the King's Palace and Carlsbad were the most beautiful they had seen.
We saw several more rooms during the hour tour, each breathtaking in their own way. I stopped taking pictures after the King's Palace because I didn't want to break away from just enjoying the cave. After a lunch break, I joined the Left Hand Tunnel tour, which navigates a part of the cave without any lights and unpaved (natural) trails. It's meant to share the experience of the first visitors, using candle lanterns to navigate. It was also limited to only 10 people, making for a more intimate and natural exploration of the cave. It was very interesting to experience the difference between only having a candle lantern to illuminate the cave compared to thousands of electric lights.
Needless to say, my first experience at Carlsbad Caverns exceeded expectations. I'd imagine having so few visitors made it a more enjoyable experience. I came back a few days later to walk through the natural entrance instead of the elevator and to walk the unguided parts of the cave. My favorite spot overlooked this chandelier, making me feel like I was on another world:
I'm looking forward to a return trip in the future for some more intense caving tours and to see the bat exodus from the natural entrance!
Right on mannnnn
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