Carlsbad Caverns

Having not left Las Cruces since our trip to Lake Valley, and not going any further than that since November, we really needed to get away for a few days. We had been wanting to go to Carlsbad Caverns since we moved to New Mexico, and we finally took the time to do it over the weekend of February 19-20. We took the southern route to Carlsbad, stopping at Guadalupe Mountains National Park in west Texas along the way. Friday night we stayed in Carlsbad (not impressed with the town) and Saturday went to the Caverns (very impressive). We headed home Saturday night, going back through the Sacramento Mountains, enjoying the pines and the snow, especially around Cloudcroft.



I remember seeing pictures as well as shows on TV about Carlsbad Caverns as a kid and always thought it would be very cool to go there. I was right. I finally got the chance, and I was not disappointed. What an amazing place, the pictures certainly don't do this place justice. It was amazing to be 75 stories below the surface of the earth; a kind of spiritual reverence can be felt down there. People speak in hushed tones; it has the feel of being in a religious building where voices are kept low out of respect. Our fast-paced, electronically connected world is left behind, if only for a few hours. What an incredible experience.

Someday I'd like to spend more time in the Guadalupe Mountains, I think the true way to appreciate them is to hike into the backcountry. It's the fifth least visited park in the United States. I can see why; it's very isolated. But that means less people, which is fine with me. Carlsbad Caverns is a place everyone should see at least once. It's like a completely different world. Another great trip.