Journey Into the Underworld Pt. 1

Monday, April 25th – Carlsbad Caverns National Park – Day 74

Finally, we had internet reception again. We booked a 10:30am time slot to go see Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I had heard of Carlsbad Caverns but I was unaware of what was to come. We arrived and received our Junior Ranger booklets. The kids started working on them in the visitor centre while Mom and Dad got organized. We had two options, walk down to the cavern, or take an elevator. No question, we were walking.

After stern lectures about the need to take a bathroom break before entering the canyons (there was only a bathroom at the bottom, 1.25 miles walk downwards) and the need to be quiet (the cavern is an echo chamber), we went through the amphitheatre at the entrance to the cavern and started our journey of switch backs.

The cavern entrance was massive. We descended into the mouth and within minutes we were in darkness. The staff had placed lights to maximize the visual effect of the rock formations and provide enough light to make out the path. Each of the kids had flashlights so they could lead us. The caverns were huge. The ceiling of the cavern was arched above us to hold the weight of the stone above. The stone that wasn’t needed under the arch had fallen to the floor and was strewn everywhere.

We continued down switch backs with the occasional need to climb up a bit to proceed downwards. The caverns narrowed so that I had to duck at points but for the most part the view down and the view up provided spectacular views through the massive open space in the cavern.

Pretending to be zombies