Whites City Campground
Whites City, New Mexico - July 2009

When you’re visiting Carlsbad Caverns, the closest place to spend the night is in Whites City, a campy, western-themed tourist trap right outside the park entrance. There is a hotel, restaurant, a pool, adobe cabins, a campground, a small water park, and more than a couple little shops selling souvenirs. I remember staying in one of those adobe cabins as a kid, walking through the little shops, and exploring all the fun things to do. These are good memories, which is why I made a point of reserving a spot at the Whites City campground for Lewis’ first visit to Carlsbad Caverns. Unfortunately, things were no longer as I had remembered them.

The first sign of trouble was along the highway north of Carlsbad. There is a series of billboards promoting the many wonders that await visitors at Whites City. The signs were faded and barely legible. Some were half missing. This turned out to be a harbinger of things to come. When we arrived, the adobe cabins were closed. There was an eight foot fence around them to keep visitors away. The pool was closed; it had been condemned by the State of New Mexico. The campground was open but completely dilapidated and dirty. The Boy didn’t know any better but I was disappointed. The only thing Whites City has going for it now is location. It looks like that is what they’re counting on to stay in business.

Down We Go
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Carlsbad Caverns was my very first national park and it remains one of my favorites. It is a truly unique experience. I’ve been in other caves since – more active caves – but none compare to these caverns in terms of both sheer size and beauty.

Watch Out for the Mud Swallows
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

One of my favorite parts of the Carlsbad Caverns experience is descending through the natural entrance and into the cool darkness of the caverns. Just a few more steps and the oppressive heat of summer in the Chihuahuan Desert seems a world away.

If this descent strikes you as more disturbing than refreshing, there are always the mud swallows circling overhead to take your mind off of things. In a scenario worthy of a Far Side cartoon, these birds spend their day dropping poop bombs on visitors heading into the caves. My sister and I still laugh uncontrollably at the memory of Dad getting struck head on (literally). I don’t know if he was more annoyed by the poop bomb or the hysterical laughter he was hearing from his children. Years later, as I lingered for the sake of these images, I experienced three very close calls myself.

Into the Darkness
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Stalactites
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

The Natural Entrance
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Looking back toward the natural entrance – or exit, from this perspective – it is hard not to imagine what this space must be like every summer evening at dusk when over a million Mexican free-tail bats fly through it on their way out of the caves. This is the only area where the trail crosses the flight path of the bats. Visitors aren’t allowed in the areas where the bats roost.

We’d arrived the previous evening just in time to watch the bats fly out. It’s an amazing sight but, since camera use isn’t allowed during the exodus, you’ll have to use your imagination.

Lewis and Darla Pause Along the Path
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

The colors you see here are the result of different kinds of light being used to illuminate the cavern walls and various natural features. People don’t see the colors; just camera sensors and film.

Hold Still, Little Man
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

The only way to get decent images inside the caverns is by bringing a tripod. I expected to see other photographers using them but it was just me and one other guy. That’s probably a good thing. Most people were trying to use flash but this is not a very effective alternative.

I was a little concerned that the sheer number of people moving down the trail would make the use of a tripod difficult. I’ve used one down here before and it got kicked more than a few times. This day turned out to be relatively uncrowded. The people I did encounter were almost always very courteous. My biggest problem turned out to be getting a certain six year old Boy to hold still for, in this case, eight seconds.

Portal
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Only the shiny handrails provide any sense of scale to this image. The small portal at its center leads visitors out of this enormous space and into another, even more incredible space on the other side.

Witch’s Finger
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Cathedral
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

The ornate detail in these formations always reminds me of a European cathedral.

Every Cave Needs One
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

I’ve always found the sight of the restrooms at the bottom of the cave to be somewhat surreal.

MEN
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

It’s even better when you step inside. Does this not look like a typical 1960’s government facility – except with some cave sticking down through the ceiling...

Snack Time
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

If the idea of a restroom 750 feet below ground seems odd, then how about a cafeteria? In 1976, when I first visited the caverns, this was a full-on cafeteria serving hamburgers and hotdogs. The incongruity was made even more pronounced by the fact that the structures and furnishings all looked like they had been borrowed from the set of The Jetsons. It was great.

"Please Don't Feed the Cave Crickets"
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Now the hamburgers and hotdogs are gone and, according to one worker, the park service is in the process of removing every trace of the old cafeteria. I find this a little disappointing. These caverns are largely inactive so it’s not like this area will ever return to a pristine condition. It seems to me that destroying the cafeteria is tantamount to needlessly erasing a very interesting part of the park’s history.

Popcorn, Anyone?
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

The small formations covering parts of the cave walls and floor are collectively referred to as popcorn.

Underground Wonderland
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

We’re now entering my favorite part of the caverns, the cavern known as The Big Room. The Big Room is Carlsbad Caverns at its most magical. The biggest, most fantastical formations are all found here.

Eight Acres of Cave Fun
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

The Big Room is a massive 8.2 acres, complete with every formation a well appointed cave would be expected to have. It is here that I always create my favorite images.

The Big Room
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Darla and Lewis in The Big Room
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Light and Shadow
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Hall of Giants
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

Underground Pool
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

That’s a Wrap
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico - July 2009

The 750 foot return to the surface is accomplished by way of an elevator ride which ends inside the visitor center. Stepping out of the elevator and into the visitor center has always struck me as being a lot like beaming off some strange planet and arriving back in the transporter room of the Enterprise (to use a Star Trek analogy).

With all six feet once again firmly planted in the reality of the Chihuahuan Desert summer, we were not inclined to linger. Time to depart for our next destination…

previous image set: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico
next image set: White Sands National Monument, New Mexico