Carlsbad Caverns National Park

On our five day trip through Arizona, Texas and New Mexico we stopped at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

 

If you would like to see more photos of where we stopped go to http://teresazuehls.blogspot.com/2013/02/hello-im-back-finally-had-computer.html 

You can view the photos better if you click on them and view them larger. Since there are quite a few pictures I'm not going to comment on all of them.

I believe this part was called Room of Giants.

This is called Fairyland it is full of Popcorn covered Stalagmites.

This formation is called Temple of the Sun and is Columns, Stalagmites and Stalactites.

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I thought this looks like a big dome or white tent.

This rickety old ladder was in earlier times. Most of the rungs towards the bottom are missing. When I looked down into the hole my stomach was queasy. I could never climb a ladder like that even when it was new.

This feature is called Crystal Spring Dome. You can read more about it in the photo below.

Here is a close up of Crystal Spring Dome. It looks like it is covered in snow it is so white.

They call this Column Rock of Ages.

This area is called Doll Theater and is made up of Soda Straws and small Columns.

This is called Chinese Theater and is filled with Columns, Stalactites, and Stalagmites.

This picture shows how the first visitors toured the cave. It took them five hours to take the tour using the wooden stairs.

Now you can see we had a paved path and it only took us 21/2 hours and we took our time.

This photo shows a crystal that formed on this piece. You might have to click on the photo to see the crystal better.

This formation is called Whales Mouth and is made up of what they called draperies and flowstone.

This lovely formation surrounded by a pool of water is called Devils Spring. The photo below explains about the water.

This is so much prettier in real life. You can see a bit of the columns reflection in the water.

After walking up about 30 switchbacks we finally saw the opening to the cave.

It has like a double opening. You can just see a part of the second opening down below. If you would like in the evening you can watch the thousands of bats fly out of the entrance. There is a sign that says please sit still and be quiet. Well I would not be able to do that. I would be screaming and running to the truck as fast as I could. :}.

This show what the surrounding area around the entrance of the cave. I would recommend taking the elevator down to the cave. It takes you 800 feet down and only takes a few minutes. I would not recommend walking out unless you want a good workout ;)
If you have been to the Cavern before let me know about your visit and if you were brave enough to watch the bats come out.
Teresa