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Prologue: Possibly the most famous caverns in the world. . .that is, below its crust. I, myself, never felt entirely comforting doing the spelunking kind of exploration, but I did enjoy touring the main and secondary caverns in this national park, and one or two tours crawling on my belly. For the most part, Carlsbad Caverns is an easy tour, when walking. I highly suggest visiting this locale if you're ever in this part of New Mexico. Just head for these towering heights, the Guadalupe Mountains and prepare yourself for one of the most awesome underground cavern networks on the planet. . .bar none!
Location/Geography: Southeastern New Mexico, Eddy County. Guadalupe Mountains (8,749 feet), on a plateau at the south side of Walnut Canyon. Entrance is 18 miles southwest of the closest town, Carlsbad. Area: 46,766 acres (73 square miles).
Spotlight: Bats, galore! An subterranean haven of colossal chambers called rooms. Donʼt touch anything along the way! One of the premier caves in North America; also premier for an exhilarating evening bat show (in season).
Snapshot: Carlsbad Caverns, “The Show Cave Tour,” begins rather dramatically, there in the Underground Lunchroom some 750 feet below the entrance. Approximately two-thirds of the park has been set aside as a wilderness are to preserve the fragile habitat of these subterranean environs. The interior of the caverns is illuminated (to some degree) and highlight the formations. Carlsbad includes a large cave chamber––the Big Room. This natural limestone chamber is nearly 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide and 350 feet high at the highest point. Itʼs the third largest chamber in North America and the seventh largest in the world. (The largest chamber is in Malaysia, called the Sarawak Chamber.) There are well over two dozen chambers––rooms––to explore. Most tours are guided, although there are some sectors of Carlsbad that can be self-guided. These are also the more squeeze-tighter places, such that spelunkers (commonly called "cavers") enjoy exploring, often on their bellies. The town of Carlsbad, New Mexico, which lends its name to the celebrated caverns and the national park, is in turn named after a Czech town formerly known by the German name Carlsbad (whose modern spelling is Karlsbad). In 1923, the cavern setting had become quite popular and therefore deemed important by the government to protect its sanctuary. It was soon designated a national monument. Seven years later it was proclaimed a national park. In 1978, Carlsbad Caverns Wilderness was additionally established with the National Parks and Recreation Act.
