Distance: 3.2 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 3599' (at the surface)
Elevation Gain: 750' loss
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.6 loss
Round trip time: 2 hours
Recommended water: 16 oz.
Parking/Fees: $10 National Park Fee per adult (good for 3 days)
Difficulty: Easy
As first time visitors to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, our goal was to see the Big Room, the largest single cave chamber by volume in North America. There are ranger guided tours to other parts of the caverns, and other nearby caves and routes that offer advanced caving adventures. That wasn't in the cards for a family visit. We did the standard unguided tour descending from the natural entrance and doing a loop around the Big Room. There were a lot of visitors this time of year so starting early was a good strategy. It was actually colder outside than inside the caverns and I ended up taking off my jacket about half way through. The cave system maintains a temperature in the mid 50s. We descended 750' down a smooth asphalt trail. The trail has texture to give you extra traction. I had no problems in my regular running shoes. The entire cavern system is dimly lit. Well placed lighting drew attention to most of the attractions. At the bottom of the descent was a rest area, restroom, and a snack bar. From there, we started the 1.5 mile loop around the big room. There were crowds around the start of the loop, but it thinned out as we got deeper. It's astounding how large the cavern system is and how almost every imaginable cave formation is on display, at small and large scales. Reading up on how the caverns formed, it was a combination of perfect geology and chemical action (H2SO4). Individual caverens were carved out, then joined into the larger system. I wondered at one point how the tons of earth and rock above us didn't crash down on our heads. I don't really understand the mechanics of cave systems and what makes them stable or unstable. After finishing the loop, we rode the elevator back to the surface. The standard unguided hike should be easy for anyone without physical ailments. The entrance fee is going up to $12 in 2018 and food is not allowed.
The natural entrance to the caverns
The Hall of Giants
Heading deeper into the Big Room
Fairyland
Lion's tail
Old ladder used to access the lower cave
Bottomless Pit, it's actually 140' to the bottom
Rock of Ages
Painted Grotto
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