Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Hiking deep down into the amazing world of Carlsbad Caverns National Park
USA
We wanted to spend a day exploring Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It is located in southeastern New Mexico, famous for its stunning limestone caves and unique geological formations.
The park features over 119 caves formed by sulfuric acid dissolution, with the most famous being the Big Room, one of the largest cave chambers in North America.
Inside the cave we were excited to explore the breathtaking formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, and other mineral deposits, while also enjoying the diverse wildlife that inhabits the park.
The park is not only a geological marvel but also a sanctuary for various species.
We started at the visitor center where Aliya got her Junior ranger badge. As well they had a 3D model of the cave showcasing its size and various chambers. To enter the cave we had pre-purchased a timed entry ticket online.
As there is a large elevation drop as you go down into the cave the park rangers recommend to enter from the upper opening. This allows you to walk down into the cave as there is an elevator to bring you back up to the surface after you have climbed down.
Soon our entry time approached and we were allowed to walk towards the cave opening.
The caves were formed over millions of years by the dissolution of limestone by sulfuric acid. This process led to the formation of the cavern’s impressive features.
The caverns are filled with impressive stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and draperies.
We continued through and were amazed at the unique and stunning formations around every corner of this cave system.
This is a self guided tour and the cave opening is called the Natural Entrance. Taking this entrance allows you to explore about 4 km of the cave. The path was paved but sloped downhill all the way to the bottom of the cavern, which was equivalent to 75 stories.
As we walked, water occasionally dripped from the ceiling. While we didn’t see any birds inside, the cave had a strong odor of bird droppings. It was very dark inside even with the built in lights so we had to use or cell phone's flashlight to illuminate the path for some of the steps.
The Big Room, one of the largest underground chambers in North America. It measures 8.2 acres and is 255 feet high at its highest point.
Carlsbad Cavern is one of more than 300 limestone caves within a fossil reef that was deposited by an inland sea about 265 million years ago. The cavern’s formation occurred over millions of years through the dissolution of limestone by sulfuric acid.
Between four and six million years ago, hydrogen sulfide-rich (H2S) waters began to flow through fractures in the Capitan limestone. These waters mixed with rainwater filtering down from the surface. The reaction between the hydrogen sulfide and the oxygen in the rainwater produced sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which then dissolved the limestone along fractures and folds, forming the cavern.
This process also left behind large gypsum deposits, along with clay and silt, as remnants of the cave’s creation. Over time, the active water level dropped, creating deeper passages. In older, abandoned sections of the cave, blocks fell from the ceiling, and speleothems (cave formations) began to develop.
About four million years ago, the process of speleogenesis stopped, and Carlsbad Cavern began to take on the appearance it has today.
The cave features were absolutely massive. After our experience in Mammoth cave national park we found it to be refreshing to be able to take our time and admire nature's handywork.
Janet made a video of our visit and you can view it below here:
If you are someone who enjoys seeing naturally formed sights but don't like the small size of some caves and the claustrophobic feeling you can get from being underground Carlsbad Caverns National park is the perfect stop. It allows you to see a wide variety of cave features while being in large open spaces.
We were very impressed by this National Park and definitely recommend to stop and experience this natural wonder.
Happy exploring!
