Yep, our next stop was planned for Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. But lo and behold, there was no place to stay there. We ended up in Roswell, New Mexico, home of the 1947 alleged alien crash. Despite that, this post will be all about the Caverns.
Let me start by telling you about two different hikes through the caverns you can take. One is considered an ‘easy’ hike, which we took as the two oldies we happen to be. The other is much more difficult and not recommended for people with heart problems, among other things.
These caverns are beautiful and fascinating. The temperature inside is considered a bit chilly, though I thought it perfect. I took off the sweater I had donned for the hike. It lingers in the mid-fifties ferenheit. Carlsbad Caverns contains one of the largest cave chambers in North America, referred to as the Hall of Giants. The room is around 255 feet high. This photo is in the Big Room:
The area is made of limestone formations in the Guadalupe Mountains. There is also a seasonal bat flight, where thousands of bats exit the cave at sunset. I’m happy we did not see a single bat while we walked the path!
The Cavern was discovered in the late 1890s by a cowboy named Jim White, who explored the cave using wood ladders (seen below) and other primitive items typical of the time.
He also promoted it. It became a monument in 1923 and a national park in 1930. Its formation was caused by the erosion of limestone by sulfuric acid, causing the chambers and tunnels:
I also thought the one above looked like a giant king looking over his kingdom of tiny people.
It is damp inside, and there are places where small pools of water stand.
You’ll see stunning hanging stalactites and stalagmites reaching for the top. There are draperiers formed in patterned waves:
The cave forms gypsum, which is used to make drywall in homes, and dissolves when wet. The moisture causes a number of these holes off the path of the trail:
This one was referred to as the Lion’s Tail:
For my writer friends, I swear I saw some faces and formations that would pull a sci-fi story right out of your head. Of course, it was easier to see live, and despite being sure to take a couple of photos of those, I can’t find anything that looks like what I saw to share. Regardless, we had a wonderful time and I’m sharing some random photos below:
You can see stains from the water running down this one:
This one was called Fairyland:
I recommend this wonderful trip to anyone interested in the beauty of this amazing country we live in.
Next up: Uh, yeah, it is all about Roswell. 😉
On Hummingbirds Wings 