Please join us in welcoming guest author Joel Frey, one of the Travelocity Roaming Gnome’s most trusted publicists.
As my wife, Heather, and I entered Carlsbad Caverns, my mind immediately hearkened back to elementary school.
“What’s the difference between a stalactite and a stalagmite?” I asked with my inside voice to prevent any echoes from revealing my lack of knowledge in the geosciences.
“Stalactites hang tight from the ceiling and stalagmites grow mighty from the ground,” Heather said. I paused for a moment, waiting to see if she’d follow up with a “duh,” but she resisted. I think.
Nonetheless, I was proud of her for having paid attention during third grade science class and we continued our stroll through the 8.2 acre Big Room, a one mile self-guided journey through the largest room in the cave. Over the next 90 minutes we learned about the geological significance of other formations like soda straws, draperies and popcorn as we passed by jaw-dropping wonders known as the “Giant Dome,” “Temple of the Sun,” and the “Bottomless Pit.”
There are few tours I’ve taken that have captured my imagination like Carlsbad Caverns. As we became acclimated to our cool, dimly lit surroundings upon entering the Big Room, we quickly embraced the sensation of a new dimension. Just minutes earlier, 700 feet above us, we felt the harshness of the desert landscape charred by recent wild fires, turkey vultures hovering nearby. Then, almost suddenly, we found ourselves in a moonlike setting with strict instructions from the park rangers not to touch any of the delicate cave formations and/or to throw any coins into the small pools.
Regrettably, the day trip we took from El Paso to Southeastern New Mexico only afforded us time enough to see the Big Room. Had we invested more energy into our Carlsbad experience we could have taken another self-guided tour into the Big Room from the surface rather than riding the elevator from the visitor’s center. There is also the Kings Palace Guided Tour led by rangers that descends to the deepest part of the cavern – 830 feet. Here, the rangers briefly turn out all of the lights to let you experience the “inky blackness of the natural cave environment.” If that sparks your interest, be sure to make reservations.
And for you bat lovers, from early spring through October, Carlsbad offers the chance to witness a nightly bat flight. At dusk, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats swirl out of the cave as they head out to forage on insects.
The notion of discovery is also an essential element when visiting Carlsbad Caverns. We definitely sensed this while we were below the earth, but likewise as we drove the 150 miles through the middle of nowhere on US Highway 62/180 in getting there. Once we were beyond the outer limits of El Paso, we didn’t see much but the gorgeous desert landscape, the Guadalupe Mountains and one state sponsored rest area. It was a relaxing and enjoyable drive, but make sure your gas tank is full from whatever direction you are coming.
The town of Carlsbad is 20 minutes from the caverns and there are a number of hotels available. The closest airport with commercial service is in Roswell, 76 miles to the north.
I have one final tip – especially for any of you who might trek to Carlsbad Caverns from El Paso. There is an eight mile stretch of highway through Guadalupe National Park where the speed limit unsuspectingly decreases from 75 mph to 55 mph. Unfortunately, I learned that lesson the hard way from the Texas State trooper who pulled us over and handed me a speeding ticket on the way home! Defensive driving here I come!
Joel is also the author of Two Sides of a Cypress Wall, a coming-of-age tale about transitioning from college life to the real world. You can download it on your Kindle for less than a buck.
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