Carlsbad Page

Carlsbad Caverns

On Sunday, March 11th in the year 2001, The Adventure Group visited Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. The following is their pictorial account and written report of that experience.

Our Trip Report

The road into Carlsbad is one that will forever be in our memories. Never have we been on a road that seemed so limitless. Now let it be known that it was more than 24 hours since we left Cleveland and our worn, tired bodies needed sleep. With the Texas border now behind us, elation filled our hearts for we knew sleep was oh so close. Off in the distance, the city lights of Carlsbad guided our way. Faster and faster we drove yet those darned lights stayed the same distance away. We couldn’t understand. There we were going over 80 mph and we seemed to be going nowhere! We stopped the car and got out. Thoughts of nearby Roswell soon filled our minds as we stood in the middle of Nowhere, NM at 2:30AM. Not a soul was to be seen in either direction. After the much needed break we jumped back in the car and continued our journey. Finally, just after 3AM, we arrived into Carlsbad. Originally we planned to find somewhere to camp but at our current state of mind we didn’t feel like looking. Then, like a mirage, the Stagecoach Inn appeared. Now it was time for sleep....... We woke up nice and early and made our way to the caverns. With it being such a beautiful day it almost seemed a shame to spend a good couple of hours underground. But that’s the price we pay for being the Adventure Group. The road to the visitors center gave a great view of the local landscape. Many species of cacti graced the land. Twice we stopped for pictures and to take advantage of some great lookouts. We definitely weren’t the only ones there. By 10AM the parking lot was already more than half full. Since we hadn’t eaten yet we stopped at the restaurant to get a quick bite. Now the crowds seemed overwhelming. There’s a ticket counter where 2 long lines formed. A worker then informed us that if we weren’t choosing a guided tour we could use one of the ticket machines to purchase our pass. That sped things up a lot. We opted for the Natural Entrance route which leads to the Big Room. That is pretty much the standard route. The first stop was a 10 minute film about the history of the caves. Soon after we all shuffled outside to the Natural Entrance. A large amphitheater setting surrounds the entrance. The Mexican free-tailed bats that live there from early spring to October make nightly mass exoduses to feed on local insects. Unfortunately for us it was still too early in the season to view this. From what we have heard its truly spectacular to watch. Quickly we continued to the entrance. Our first views of the cave were astounding. We watched people vanish into darkness as they followed the paved pathway into the heart of the cave. As our eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness the views started to become indescribable. The steep path led us into some of the most amazing views we’ve ever witnessed. We attempted to take pictures but were disappointed when we realized they weren’t coming out very well. There is only minimal, indirect lighting and with the vast size of the cave the small flash from Chris’ camera couldn’t help. Every corner we turned we were amazed at the beauty before us. Often looking behind us, we just stopped and stared. A mile into the cave we came to a rest area. This is where the tour starts if we had chosen to take the quicker, Big Room route. The Big Room was just that, a big room. 14-acres of gigantic stalactites and stalagmites. The 1-mile round-trip tour of the Big Room took us past some of the most famous caving relics: Giant Dome, Temple of the Sun, Top of the Cross, Mirror Lake, Bottomless Pit, Totem Pole, Caveman Junction, Rock of Ages, Painted Grotto. Just over an hour we finished this leg of the tour. Our journey ended as we came to the elevator which took us back to the Visitor Center. A few things to remember if you plan a visit. Cameras are allowed only on self-guided tours. A few people thought they weren’t allowed and surely let us know their feelings about it. Another thing is not to touch anything. More than once we wanted to touch some of the formations but we knew how we would have felt had someone ruined them before us. Eating, drinking and smoking are not allowed in the cave except in certain areas.

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