The Cave Of Wonders

Caves have always fascinated me. From small, shallow apertures set in rock, to great rooms and tunnels riven beneath the soil, there is something mysteriously inviting about a cave. So, when Dad asked his children still at home, to write about one place they would like to visit, I chose Carlsbad Caverns National Park. Not only would it have spectacular rooms filled with formations typical of an underground aperture, but Carlsbad is also famous for its bats which are a breathtaking display of wonder at night. It sounded like a grand venture.

Surprisingly, many of the places each of us had chosen to visit, were located in the southwestern states. So, it was with great anticipation that we prepared for this fall’s vacation. The itinerary was filled with so many sensational stops to discover and explore, many of which were destinations on our travel wish list. Day four of our journey was especially exciting for me. It was the day we would get to explore Carlsbad Caverns!

That particular morning found us off to a later start than anticipated, so instead of stopping near Pecos, Texas to attend a church there as planned, we made our layover at Fort Stockton, Texas, worshipping with the congregation at the Church of Christ. Then, it was time to be back on the road, headed for Carlsbad, New Mexico. As we neared our destination, the foothills of the Guadalupe mountains rose around us. The shutter buttons of our two Canon cameras were constantly clicking as they were passed around the car, back and forth, to one side and then the other. Trying to capture the beauty of the landscape.

The time set on our timed entry tickets, which Mama had previously purchased, was drawing to a close. We raced inside to purchase the actual entrance tickets needed to explore the caverns. We were just in time. Tickets bought, we were ready to enter the depths below us. Mamaw decided to take the elevator down while the rest of us trekked down the one and a quarter mile trail through the natural entrance. It was a steep path, equivalent to walking up or down seventy-five flights of stairs! It was well worth it though, for it winds past historic landmarks and famous formations in the caves like Whale’s rock, Devil’s spring, and The Iceberg.

I was in awe of all the underground beauty we saw while at Carlsbad. It was even more spectacular than I had imagined. And we were only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Hidden beneath the soil of the Guadalupe Mountains and Chihuahuan desert are more than three-hundred rooms carved out of the rock. The national park only contains one hundred and thirteen of these, while only three are open to public touring, and we explored only one of them. When we reached the bottom, the Big Room, we found Mamaw who had been waiting for us, and then started on the mile and a half loop around that popular section of the caves. A ranger, after answering a few questions, kindly showed a trilobite encased in the limestone wall. There happen to be several entombed creatures, like bats, trilobites, and others, throughout the many hollows of Carlsbad.

Once we finished touring the Big Room, the last elevator to ascend back to the surface was nearing its departure time. We were, with another family, the last tourists to leave the underground portion of the park. Though the plan had originally been to tour around the caverns for a while and then go and set up camp, coming back in the evening for the Bat Flight program, we spent so much time down in the cave, that by the time we came up, the program was about to begin! It was the icing on the cake.

Earlier, the same ranger who showed us the trilobite, told us that tonight’s Bat flight program was the last of the season, and that though there were a few bats the night before, she could only hope there would be some tonight. So, not knowing what to expect, we settled into our seats in the amphitheater. Before the bats emerged, we were able to view the return of the swallows into their night dwelling. They twittered, circled, and then dived into the black opening. We also enjoyed the ranger who spoke on the features, habits, and history of both the Mexican free-tailed bats and Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Suddenly, the ranger grew quiet, and a solemn stillness fell over the entire crowd, the bats were departing. First a whisper and then a rushing sound of wings as a few and then a river a bats came forth. They swirled around the natural entrance, a column of black, and then in groups flew off into the evening sky. To say it was a breathtaking experience, would be a gross understatement. Words cannot depict the magnitude of the picturesque display of one piece of God’s amazing creation!

As the bats had come, they left, the last few trickling out of the cavern just as it began to get to get dark. Alas, we had no pictures of the bats, as any electronic devices were not allowed during their exit. We slowly and silently filed out of the theatre, awestruck by our grand encounter, and headed back to the parking lot. It had been a day of wonder and adventure that far surpassed my expectations. I am so glad that Carlsbad Caverns became one of the numerous stopping points on our trip.

~Halayah