THE BIG CAVE TODAY
_By JOE N. LONG_
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Visitor's Center Building--Completed in 1958]
1
From Above
When the traveler finally decides to include a visit to the Carlsbad
Caverns in his itinerary, or perhaps make a trip to the Caverns an end
in itself, he procures a map of the Southwestern United States and
searches for the little town of Carlsbad. Far down in the southeast
corner of the state of New Mexico he will find this colorful little
community, resting serenely some 40 miles north of the Texas--New
Mexico line, about a hundred and sixty miles east of El Paso, and about
a hundred miles northeast of the Mexican border.
Carlsbad is now a thriving little city of approximately 20,000 people,
situated on the banks of the Pecos River at an altitude of slightly
over 3100 feet. It is often referred to as the potash capital of
America, and the growth of the potash mines has had a direct influence
on the increase in population, which has been quite rapid in the past
few years.
Carlsbad was settled in 1888 and at that time was known as Eddy. In
1906 the Government purchased what remained of a private irrigation
system which had been destroyed by a flood of the Pecos River two
years before, and developed it into the Carlsbad Reclamation Project.
This assured adequate irrigation to the surrounding fertile lands
and reduced to a great degree the danger from subsequent floods. As
a result, agriculture flourished and has continued to be of prime
importance in and near the area. The soil is especially adapted to the
growing of alfalfa and cotton.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Air view of the entrance and surrounding area.]
The visitor can reach Carlsbad by air, rail, or automobile. Continental
Airlines provides daily airplane service to the Carlsbad Airport, and
connections can be made with nearby cities on all of the major airlines
flying through this section of the country.
The Santa Fe Railroad operates regularly scheduled trains to Carlsbad
from Clovis, connecting with transcontinental trains to Clovis from
coast to coast. The Southern Pacific connects at El Paso, as does the
Texas & Pacific, and the Rock Island.
But there is little doubt that the great majority of visitors come via
the family automobile. From U. S. Highways 60 and 380 to the north
the motorist turns south on Highway 285 through Roswell and Artesia
to Carlsbad. Here Highways 62 and 180 intersect, going from Carlsbad
to Whites City, 20 miles south of Carlsbad, where a turn-off on State
Highway 7 takes the traveler seven miles to the Caverns' entrance.
Airplane passengers and those coming by train will take the same motor
route from Carlsbad, since it is direct, and the only route from that
city. Special busses known as the Carlsbad Caverns Coaches make the
trip at frequent intervals, and also operate from El Paso, which is
about 145 miles away.
As the Caverns-bound sightseer heads toward his objective from Carlsbad
or El Paso, he will find himself in the heart of the desert. There
is hardly a tree that is more than head-high. Visitors seeing the
desert for the first time will marvel at the yucca and sotol along
with other less majestic desert vegetation. The stately yucca points
its bloom skyward and is a thing of beauty in the spring. Among its
grass-like leaves are often found mockingbirds, thrashers or cactus
wrens, who like to build their nests amid the security afforded by the
spine-tipped bunching of the limbs and branches. The uppermost point of
the sotol sometimes reaches as high as 15 feet in the air, while the
yucca, often referred to as the Spanish bayonet, occasionally looms to
25 feet. Indians used its leaves for baskets and its roots for soap,
and the sotol served the Indian as food, both cooked and raw, the crisp
rich centers tasting much like celery hearts.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Cavern Entrance]
There are several other species of cactus, and to the newcomer
these will be a new experience. Besides the Devil's Head and the
branching cane, one sees the thousand-headed cliff cactus, the large
leaf "prickly pear", various kinds of mescal, and numerous smaller
varieties. The octopus-like ocotillo, spreading its fingers outward to
the sky, is numerous, picturesque, and unforgettable.
The traveler who is fortunate enough to make the trip during the
spring months will be extra rewarded by seeing this desert flora in
bloom. Every color of the rainbow will be noticed, but primarily the
desert blooms of cacti are for the most part quite pronounced in the
lighter, soft colors, especially in the light pinks and yellows. A few
give forth edible fruit, and many are known for their ability to hold
moisture, often a lifesaver to man and beast.
What trees there are will be found mostly along the banks of, or
adjacent to, small streams or rivers which supply them with the water
their roots must have. Besides several species of oak are the black
walnut, black cherry, New Mexico maple, junipers, Mexican buckeye,
the small green ash, an occasional pine struggling for existence, and
numerous mesquites. There are also several nut and berry trees which
have long been helpful in preserving the wild life that inhabits the
area.
Desert wild flowers accentuate the land in spring with their dots of
red, yellow and blue. In places they are so thick as to resemble a
crazy quilt of many hues and shades.
Although the area gives the impression of a barren wasteland to the
inhabitants of less arid regions, there are many forms of wild life
which for countless centuries have made the area their home. Although
the Red man's arrows and the white man's bullets have reduced the herds
of wild game which once roamed the hills and valleys, there are still a
sizeable number which may occasionally be seen.
Among these are the gray mule deer, still found in the narrow gulches
and on top of rocky ridges, jack rabbits which continue to multiply and
dart rapidly hither and thither, being most noticeable at dusk, rock
squirrels which dwell primarily in the rocky cliffs, and numerous kinds
of rats which seem to have little trouble eking out an existence.
Occasionally an antelope is seen, but the great herds of buffalo are
now almost entirely gone, as are the mountain sheep, the Merriam elk,
the bear and wild turkey. The latter two were sacred to the Red man and
were protected during his inhabitation of the Western United States,
but the coming of the white man left no bird nor beast in safety.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Statue--Green Lake Room]
Along the banks of the nearby Pecos River one may see geese and
ducks, and occasionally one can find a crane, a heron and perhaps a
soft-shelled turtle. Scaled quail are in the vicinity, as are Mearns or
fool quail. Buzzards, several varieties of owls, swifts and flickers
are a few of the many wild birds which dot the countryside.
On the ground there are several kinds of snakes and lizards. There are
several varieties of non-poisonous snakes such as the bull snake, the
Mexican black snake, the coachwhip, the ring-neck, and several species
of water snakes. Three poisonous snakes are found, the black-tailed
or "Texas" rattler, the prairie rattlesnake, and the large western
diamond-back.
Lizards are quite numerous and will be seen by any traveler who keeps
his eye peeled along the roadside from which they suddenly dart,
running swiftly to the other side of the highway. There are several
species which consist of the rough, scaly rock lizard, the smooth,
slender whip-tail, the brilliantly colored collared lizard, and the
bar-tailed lizard. There are several smaller species including the
horned lizard, often referred to as a horned toad. Scorpions and
spiders are numerous, and there are many other smaller insects that
inhabit the area and serve as a source of food for the birds, reptiles,
and small animals.
As the journey to the park continues the visitor passes by small adobe
shacks which may serve some cowboy or sheepherder as the necessary
shelter while tending his herds. Range cattle are numerous and
occasionally several goats will be seen. An old prospector or "desert
rat" who can't stand the hustle of city life may perchance be found
out on the dry, arid wasteland hoping for a find within the hills or
neighboring Guadalupe Mountains which by now are quite plainly visible
to the west.
Stretches of the land are alkaline, white as though touched by the
fingers of Jack Frost, and now and then a dry lake reveals only the
sodium given up as the water evaporated and left its soft white lining.
Beyond, the Guadalupes loom up a deep purple on the horizon, darkened
by the foliage of pine trees that populate the peaks of this mountain
range which reaches a height of almost 9,000 feet. It is the first
mountain range to be encountered by the traveler coming from the east
after having journeyed across the flat plains of Texas and the other
midwestern states.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Along the trail in the King's Palace]
For the visitor who is coming from El Paso, the Guadalupe Range must be
crossed, and the pass is located next to Guadalupe Peak, the highway
reaching an altitude of 5,288 feet at this point. Guadalupe Peak is
the highest mountain in the Guadalupe Range and it is also the highest
point in the state of Texas.
It was near this spot that the Butterfield Stage passed on its way from
St. Louis to San Francisco. The famous trail passed the southern tip of
the Guadalupes near Guadalupe Peak, coming this far south in order to
avoid the snow covered Rockies which made winter travel impossible and
summer travel difficult. In 1857 the Butterfield Stage brought mail to
the little settlements in southern New Mexico, giving the people there
a more frequent contact with the rest of the world. The Butterfield
Line was discontinued four years later, yet the history of its brief
existence lives on in the minds of New Mexico residents today.
The Guadalupe foothills are covered with shrubs and hardy vegetation,
growing above the limestone, shale and gypsum below which are harbored
numerous caves similar to the Carlsbad Caverns. There is Deep Cave,
appropriately named by Carl Livingstone, its discoverer, and Slaughter
Cave, also known as New Cave, which is one of the best known. It has
been explored and contains many beautiful and unique formations. Some
of the cavern sequences in the motion picture "King Solomon's Mines"
were filmed in New Cave. Difficult access to its entrance keeps it
closed to the public.
McKitterick Cave is located near McKitterick Springs, some 18 miles
west of Carlsbad, and holds fond memories for many of Carlsbad's
older residents. They recall how, as long ago as 1885, the gay young
blades would take their ladies fair on a trip to the cave as a form of
amusement, leaving early in the morning and packing a mid-day lunch.
Others, not as famous, are Hidden Cave and Cottonwood Cave--part of
more than thirty in the area well enough known to have names, and
only a few of more than a hundred smaller caves which perforate the
foothills in the area. Many of these are located within the park
boundaries.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Under the Guillotine--King's Palace]
At the edge of the boundary, the traveler arrives at the turn-off
point to the Caverns' entrance. If the journey is made in winter, zero
temperatures can be expected at the coldest times. In summer the desert
heat may reach 100 and often does. Winter or summer, the route is open,
for the Caverns never close, being open to the public the year 'round.
In winter the sandy soil may be buried under a blanket of freshly
fallen snow, the air with a light snap and crystal clear 'neath a warm
winter sun. In the summer months a bluish desert haze often filters
down on the surrounding countryside, but it does not stop even the
slightest breeze from whipping up a soft funnel of dust from the dry,
parched earth, or sending a tumbleweed rolling along a haphazard path
towards an undetermined destination.
But the traveler's destination by this time has almost arrived. Highway
No. 7 leads seven miles up Walnut Canyon road through rocky mesas
covered with choice examples of desert flora, and well they might be
nice, for now, inside the park boundary, park laws protect their safety
and no one is allowed to touch them. They live their normal lives
secure and aloof from man's sometimes destructive inclinations.
The visitor is now within the more than 45,000 acres that constitute
Carlsbad Caverns National Park. The paved highway that leads to the
Caverns' entrance is indeed a decided contrast to the wagon wheel trail
followed by Dr. Willis Lee and his party of explorers which first
covered the route by automobile in 1923. His engine was overheated and
steaming after taking two hours to make the trip from Carlsbad.
Now, at last, at the entrance to the famous Caverns, the visitor is
excited at the thought of what he is to see, but few anticipate the
real treat that is in store for them underground.
Here, at an altitude of 4,350 feet above sea level, is found the
natural entrance to the cave. Park regulations are studied in order
that no bounds may be overstepped. No living thing may be touched or
disturbed, thus assuring protection and perpetuation of plant and
animal life within the park. The walls of the Caverns may not be
touched, defaced, scratched or marred in any way. Canes or walking
sticks may not be carried except upon permission of a park official,
who will decide if such cane or stick is necessary for the owner to
make the Caverns trip.
No dogs are allowed in the Caverns. They may be kept in the kennels
provided for the purpose at a nominal charge. Cameras may be used
on the surface, but within the Caverns they may be used only on the
special photographic tour, full information concerning which may be
obtained from the superintendent's office.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
King's Palace]
There are no accommodations for camping or overnight lodging within
the park, but motels are available at Carlsbad and smaller communities
along the highway in either direction from the Number 7 turn-off.
Tiny children will not appreciate the beauties of the Caverns and
their lack of interest will detract from full enjoyment of the trip by
their parents and older members of the family. Accordingly, the park
service maintains a day nursery where children may stay during the trip
of their families below ground. The charge is $1.50 per day, which
includes lunch.
Before going below the visitor should make certain his clothing is
adequate. The temperature in the Caverns remains at a constant 56
degrees the year around. The winter visitor is usually well equipped
with proper clothing, but the summer visitor, dressed for the hot
summer temperatures above ground, may become quite chilled after a few
moments in the sudden change of some 30 to 40 degrees. Consequently,
warm clothing should be worn for the Caverns trip, which should include
a medium weight coat or sweater plus heavy skirt or trousers. High
heeled shoes are not recommended for the journey, and a change to the
low heeled variety is strongly suggested.
The trip through the Caverns requires approximately four hours, and
a box lunch may be taken if desired, but the added inconvenience it
imposes is hardly worth the trouble since a large lunchroom with a
capacity for serving 1,200 people per hour has been established in one
of the rooms below and each tour stops 40 minutes for lunch at this
spot.
And now, armed with all of the essential information concerning the
park, the Caverns, and the regulations concerning the forthcoming visit
to Nature's fairyland, the visitor is eager to get on his way.
Park rules prohibit anyone entering alone or without a guide. Trips are
conducted every day in the year, beginning hourly in the summertime
when the tourist season is at its height, and being less frequent
during the winter months.
Children under 11 years of age are admitted free when accompanied by
an adult who will be responsible for their behavior. The admission for
adults is $1.50, including tax, and with the ticket in his hand the
visitor waits for the next tour to begin.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Sheet Stalactites--Queen's Chamber]
As the guide collects the many sightseers together who will form his
party, the enthusiasm for the trip within each individual mounts to a
high tension. At his beckon the members of the party move toward the
natural entrance--ready to begin an experience not quite like anything
they have ever seen or known--an experience that will linger in their
memories as long as they shall live.
A view of the Caverns is just ahead!
A park ranger briefs the party on the early history of the Caverns,
describes its geological aspects, and reviews once again the rules
visitors must observe on their trip below. Then, as he flicks a switch,
the first section of the black hollow in the earth becomes illuminated.
With a swish of his flashlight he directs the members of his party to
follow.
The trip through the Caverns has begun!
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Elephant Ears--Queen's Chambers]
2
From Below
Of several ways to enter the Caverns, only two are permitted today by
the National Park Service. One is through the natural entrance and the
other is by elevator which takes the visitor rapidly down 754 feet to
a spot adjacent to the lunch room and the famous Big Room. The true
adventurer--the visitor who wants to really see the Big Cave from the
beginning, much as my father first saw it, will prefer to enter through
the natural opening with the regular tour. Visitors not in the best of
health will go down by elevator, but they will miss much of the fun and
excitement.
As the tour passes into the mouth of the natural opening the warm
sunshine soon gives way to the yellow incandescence of the man-made
light which illuminates all the passageways and underground chambers.
The cool cave air is soon felt, and the warm coat or sweater is already
appreciated. The guide points out the important features that should
not be missed, and answers questions from members of his party about
the cave, its history, formations and development.
Visitors today have a sloping paved trail to follow--far easier than
the rock strewn path the early explorers crawled over in their thirst
for a view of what lay below. Steep climbs have been eliminated by
sharp switchbacks which lengthen the walking time but make the descent
much easier.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Draperies--Papoose Room]
As the tour continues, the descent begins to steepen and the walls
change in both composition and texture. Solid rock predominates,
appearing much darker than around the entrance. An occasional pale
color is noticed in the illuminated areas, and a few moments later the
first stalactite is seen hanging from the ceiling.
Shortly the tunnel divides and the party will follow the trail as it
leads to the left. The guide points out that to the right is the Bat
Cave, that portion of the Caverns where the millions of bats live and
where the great guano deposits were found. It extends over a half mile
back in an easterly direction and is not a part of the tour.
At this point the trail levels somewhat and the visitor finds himself
in the Auditorium, a large room where the Ranger pauses for a brief
explanation to the group. Members of the party will be surprised at
how well the guide's low voice can be heard, a phenomenon due to the
excellent acoustics of the room.
All eyes are absorbed in the ever-changing spectacle that is unfolding
before them. Next comes a low ceilinged passageway, followed by a clear
pool of water from which rises a lone column. The formations along the
way are getting larger with each step, the coloration is more vivid,
and the variations are great indeed.
Formations at times suggest the ancient cliff dwellings found at Mesa
Verde, and one wonders if the early Indian did, by chance, ever inhabit
them. Suddenly, as the descent drops rapidly, the ceiling is some
125 feet above and the visitor finds himself at the Whale's Mouth, a
formation with slender stalactites enhanced by clever lighting which
indeed does resemble the interior of that sea-going mammal's jaws.
As the ceiling rises still more, the party enters the Main Corridor, a
tunnel almost a mile long which leads directly to the most picturesque
rooms of the Caverns. The descent is for the most part uneventful and
rapid, and the guide points out some of the unique formations along the
route such as the American Eagle, which has a wingspread of 12 feet,
the Baby Hippo, others resembling sea foam and waves, and the three
Little Monkeys perched well towards the ceiling overhead.
[Illustration: The Lunchroom ]
Along the walls of the Main Corridor one may see small openings which
reveal an inky blackness that may cover up some mysterious room or
hallway. Someone in the party asks the guide about it. He explains that
there are many such openings in other rooms of similar nature, but
since they have nothing different to offer from what is already being
seen, the Parks Department has not opened them to public view.
Have the Caverns been fully explored, someone asks. No, he replies. To
date about 23 miles have been mapped and surveyed, and many openings
into large chambers are known to exist, but their size is unknown.
Perhaps even larger rooms lie close by. No one knows.
The formations continue to change in size, shape, and contour.
Stalactites hanging from the ceiling look as though some little elf
might have hung them there the night before, using a spindly stalagmite
to stand on as he did so. The visitor has been so absorbed in what he
has been seeing that he is startled to hear the guide announce that
the party is now 600 feet below the surface. That is further than the
Washington Monument is high.
The most picturesque portions are now to begin, he says, but the first
of them will require some climbing. For that reason, those not quite
up to the task may take a short cut to the lunchroom which is a brief
jaunt to the left. The rest will head on past the Iceberg, the largest
"loose" rock in the Caverns, which is estimated to weigh about 200,000
tons. It once "fell" from the ceiling, but the fall was gradual. The
delicate stalactites grew later. The ceiling at this point is some 358
feet above.
If the visitor thinks he has seen something up to now, he is due for
a surprise, for a few moments later the winding pathway leads to the
first of the many scenic rooms for which the Carlsbad Caverns have
become so famous. Appropriately named the Green Lake Room, this first
of several similar chambers is breath-taking in its beauty. Its name is
derived from the small green pond seen to the right of the trail, which
is fed by drip water from above, a pool so clear its depth is easily
seen.
On the ceiling above are huge masses of stalactites, at times so thick
as to form curtains of stone, varying from reddish brown to a light
grey, intriguing in their staggered form and defying description by
even the most talented poet or writer. On beyond the pool the visitor
marvels at the Veiled Statue, a pillar of dripstone which resembles a
frozen waterfall and which began its existence about 100,000 years ago.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
The Painted Grotto--Big Room]
Many visitors have said at this point they have had their money's
worth. This one room alone was worth their whole trip. Actually, they
aren't yet quite half way, and there is more to come.
Continuing on past the Frozen Waterfall and the Bashful Elephant, both
named for the effect they give, the traveler enters the King's Palace
which, to some, is the most ornate of the many chambers the entire
Park has to offer. Thousands of stalactites hang from the ceiling, at
times resembling stringy mosses hanging from the limbs of trees. Some,
appearing to hang at a slight angle, give the impression the "stone
moss" might be swaying in the wind. Underneath there is a noticeable
scarcity of corresponding stalagmites, and geologists think the floor
at this point was at one time covered with water, which would prohibit
the formation of the "floor icicles."
The eye roams over ever-changing forms with no two quite alike, and the
immensity of the room alone is sufficient to remind man what a small
mortal he be, after all. At the far end of the Palace are seen two
pendants, stalactite and a stalagmite which come within a fraction of
an inch of kissing. Now dead, they will never touch; hence the name,
the Frustrated Lovers. And, as though they might have been the King
and the Queen, they are found at the small passageway that connects
the King's Palace with the Queen's Chamber, another room of similar
shapes and decoration which do indeed remind the visitor of the ornate
finery to be expected in Her Majesty's domicile. The countless rows of
stalactites look like driplets of finely woven lace, stretching over
much of the ceiling not unlike the frills of a canopy one might expect
to find adorning the Queen's bed in her castle.
One unique and different formation is known as the Queen's Draperies,
which are found at the southwest side of the room. They are a form of
massed stalactites grown together so evenly that they resemble a huge
drape from which the wrinkles haven't been ironed out. But the unusual
feature is the ability of this stone to absorb light and reflect it
moments after the light has been extinguished. These portieres are the
highest in the Caverns, being slightly over 40 feet. Throughout the
rest of the room one feels as though he must have interrupted Mother
Nature while she was busily experimenting and trying to decide what to
do next, having left behind her first efforts for the world to see.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
The Chapel or Dome Room in the Big Room]
The paved trail continues through a low, rocky passageway at the
far end of the Queen's Chamber and presently the party finds itself
in the Papoose Room and in one of the lowest spots in the Caverns,
approximately 875 feet below the surface. Here the stalactites have
grown together in such a way as to resemble huge curtains of stone
which appear much like a sheet of lava which has slipped through a
crevice and then hardened.
Here, too, are numerous needle-like points protruding down from the
ceiling as though sharp pointed pins had been pushed through from
above. Areas on the floor remind the visitor of a growing rock garden,
yet there is not a green leaf anywhere to be seen. Nevertheless, few
gardens offer any more beauty or color than these gentle formations
along the edges of the Papoose Room, smallest of the scenic chambers on
the trail.
Here the party must retrace a few steps, returning through the King's
Palace, leaving this time by the eastern end, entering a small
passageway which leads to a series of sharp turns and switchbacks made
necessary in order to climb the rather steep grade ahead.
It has now been an hour and 45 minutes since the visitor left the outer
world behind, and the up and down climbing has done its part towards
working up an appetite. But if that hasn't been enough, going up this
zig-zagging hill should complete the task and make anyone ready for
something to eat. Appropriately enough, it has been tagged Appetite
Hill, and uses 60 feet to accomplish its task.
A moment later the party passes by a room of rocks which looks as
though it was noon hour at a rock quarry, and the workmen had scurried
off at the abrupt blow of the whistle, not caring in what manner of
disarray they left their chores. But in this case it was Nature's
workmen who left--untold hundreds of years ago--never to return.
Labeled the Bone Yard, it features an alcove where the formation
resembles a huge sponge--rock eaten away or dissolved by the continuous
action of water which, at times, resembles bone formations.
After having seen the more colorful scenic rooms, many visitors give
this spot scarcely more than a fleeting glance, but geologists find
here exacting evidence as to the Caverns' beginning. After the Swiss
cheese effect was created the water was in some manner diverted and, in
the absence of drip water, no stalactites or stalagmites were formed.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Altar in the Chapel--Big Room]
A few steps more and the visitor finds himself in a huge room with a
massive rock formation hanging from the ceiling as though it might fall
to the floor at some prearranged signal. Huge boulders dot the sides
of the room, between which are many narrow white benches and tables.
In the center of the room are long aisles which carry the visitor past
waist-high counters on which have been placed hundreds of box lunches.
Yes, this is the famous lunchroom, 754 feet below the surface of the
earth, and just about the most popular room for those who have been
hiking for the past couple of hours.
The guide announces there will be a rest of 40 minutes--ample time to
eat a noon-day meal and rest a couple of tired feet. It seems that no
matter how many people enter the lunchroom, the line past the counters
never stops or is held up. Designed to accommodate 1200 an hour, as
many as 2000 hungry sightseers have been clocked picking up their lunch
and beverage in that time. The lunchroom is operated by the Cavern
Supply Company under the supervision of the National Park Service.
Visitors who took the easy way into the Caverns, via the elevator,
arrive at the lunchroom as their first stop. From this point they
continue their limited tour of the Caverns pretty much on one level.
With so many people in this one huge room a long way from the outside
atmosphere, someone asks the guide if the air doesn't become stale and
musty. No, he replies, the air changes naturally every 24 hours. How
much longer does our tour last, another wants to know. This is the
halfway point, says the guide, and we have about two hours more.
Here many a traveler pauses a moment to absorb what he has seen--the
beauty, the magnificence, the grace and charm. Mother Nature does her
work so well--so thoroughly. But the guide said there is more. How can
there be more--how can anything match what has already been seen? Man
is indeed a humble creature, the tiniest detail in the great heavenly
scheme. Great though man's work may be, God's work is ever greater.
The rest period is over. It is time to go on. In a moment the party is
once again assembled in the main passageway section which connects the
many rooms, and turns to the left past "hanging mosses" and honeycombed
fissures into the famous Big Room, largest underground chamber known
anywhere, and unsurpassed in length, width and height, variety and size
of formations, number of colors to be seen, and value to geologists due
to the many finds that have been made.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Temple of the Sun--Big Room]
Here the remainder of the 4-hour tour will be spent. The trail around
the perimeter of the room is one and a quarter miles and, although many
sections and alcoves are actually under one huge roof, the visitor
usually feels he is in a series of separate chambers. One reason is
that the big room is shaped roughly in the form of a cross, the length
of the "staff" measuring some 2,000 feet while the "cross-arm" is
slightly over half that length. 2,000 feet is almost 4/10 of a mile!
Two hours is not enough to see everything the big room has to offer.
Many small formations are not seen but must be discovered. Every
visitor sees something new--something no one else within the party has
noticed, for the formations are countless and the resemblances they
offer are equally as numerous.
The elaborate indirect lighting system has been designed to reveal the
largest, most beautiful and ornate of the spectacles to be seen, but
a flashlight aimed in a dark corner is likely to reveal formations
resembling a Mermaid, Frog on a Toadstool, Queen's Necklace, Weeping
Willow Trees, the Petrified Forest, and countless others, limited only
by man's imagination and his ability to seek them out.
But the larger formations which have contributed to the fame of the Big
Room include Giant Dome, Hall of Giants, Rock of Ages, and the Temple
of the Sun.
No two people see quite the same thing when they enter the Big Room.
It is so huge and there is so much to greet the eye that at first
everything is taken in but no one thing is seen. Then the eye begins
to settle on one formation at a time. One of the first is the Hall of
Giants, so named for the size of its principal formations; the huge
Giant Dome, a massive, light grey stalagmite flecked with tinges of
orange, stretching upward some 62 feet above the ground, making it the
largest upward growth in the Caverns, and behind it the Twin Domes,
similar in structure and formation, though not as high and therefore
not as old.
As the party continues one listens to the whispered observations of the
members. Looks like the inside of a great Cathedral, says one. Oh, no,
answers his companion, too eerie and spooky for that!
The beauty continues to defy all description. The color in the Big
Room, too, is appealing to the eye, no doubt enhanced by the deft use
of colored lighting. No, says the guide. Only plain light bulbs are
used in the thousands of feet of wire strung throughout the Caverns.
Any color you see was put there by Mother Nature herself.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Temple of the Sun--Big Room]
Creeping along the north side of the Big Room the party passes by
Fairyland, a group of fantastically shaped stalagmites recalling the
fairies from childhood tales as they go about their sprightly tasks.
Next to be seen is the Temple of the Sun, named for the many colors
found shimmering on its sides and base. It is a huge stalagmite from
which hang many stone icicles from a dozen or more layers, the curtains
of icicles pink in color mounted upon a stone base of blue.
Thousands of inverted spires rain down from above, and on the ground
the crinkly rock formations resemble pop-corn in color and appearance
although not hardly in flavor! This same pop-corn formation is seen in
other parts of the Caverns and geologists say this condition resulted
after stalagmites had grown to a considerable height, following which
the cave was flooded for thousands of years with water, the excess
lime from which accumulated in the tiny globules which give the bubbly
appearance.
Further on is the Totem Pole, a tall, slender stalagmite whose parent
stalactite never had time to form due to the rapid rate of the dripping
water. Standing pretty much alone, it sticks out like a large suhuaro
cactus stalk against a cloudless sky. The outside "skin" is about as
rough, but the spines are missing. To others it resembles a group of
men's hats thrown carelessly into a pile, one on top of the next. What
it lacks in color, it makes up for in its unique appearance.
The floor of the Big Room is a reddish brown color, and at this point
the visitor sees numerous rounded mounds of stones, looking much as
though a stalagmite might have gotten a good start only to be engulfed
in water and be polished down to this semi-globular formation. That is
probably just what happened, leaving these half-buried basketballs to
remain in exactly that fashion for eternity.
A sudden right turn brings the party to the famous Jumping Off Place,
which in reality is one of the entrances to the Lower Cave. The trail
passes midway between floor and ceiling, approximately 150 feet in each
perpendicular direction. Here the floor of the Lower Cave approximates
900 feet below the surface.
An easier entrance provides access to the cave which may be entered by
those who care to do so, although it is not a part of the regular tour.
Lower Cave shares honors with the Papoose Room as being the two lowest
points on the underground tour. Also, they are the furthest west. Here,
with the limit reached, the pathway begins its return trip.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Giant Column and Twin Domes--Big Room]
On once more, lily pads, huge boulders, and clusters of flowstone along
the walls greet the visitor as he heads for Mirror Lake, a small,
crystal-clear pool that is well named. On beyond is the Bottomless Pit,
a dark hole with mysterious implications that received its name from
the first explorers who thought the title would intrigue all who saw
it. From the trail the light of a spotlight has trouble in penetrating
the depths of the pit, adding to its ghostliness. Actually, the pit
has a bottom some 140 feet below the rim where the visitors pass,
but unlike many other attractions of the Caverns which were named by
those who first saw them, the name of the Bottomless Pit has remained
unchanged. Other of the Caverns' features have been renamed two or
three times within the past few decades.
As the column of silent visitors marches silently along the return
trail the Big Room takes on a new look. Indeed it does not appear to be
the same room where the party entered slightly over an hour ago. All
sense of time and direction are lost in the myriad of decoration, light
and shadow, gigantic, often grotesque formations, and the serenity of
this underground heaven.
Passing quietly ahead the traveler pauses at the largest "living"
stalagmite within the known part of the Caverns, the Crystal Spring
Dome. Generally dry, this part of the Big Cave is moist, and water,
dripping slowly from the ceiling above, is still depositing its minute
quantities of calcium on the mighty Crystal Spring Dome as it has been
doing for countless centuries.
The Crystal Spring is perhaps 20 feet high and resembles a bushy
Christmas tree laden with snow, its branches drooping under the massive
white blanket. The dripping water is depositing its lime at the rate of
about 2½ cubic inches a year, although this rate varies depending upon
the amount of moisture descending from the ceiling above, and also upon
the amount of lime contained in the water.
This constant application of moisture keeps the white, plump stalagmite
glistening all the time, and the excess moisture, unable to evaporate,
forms into a small pool at the base of the dome, known as Crystal
Spring.
[Illustration: © BY ROBERT NYMEYER
Rock of Ages--Big Room]
In an adjoining area is the celebrated Rock of Ages, a gigantic
stalagmite, stately in position and dramatic in location, thought to
be one of the oldest forms in the Caverns, although its exact age is
not known. For years it marked the end of the Caverns Tour, and an
impressive ceremony conducted by the guides consisted of a short talk
followed by the singing of the old favorite, "Rock of Ages." No visitor
could ever forget this inspirational ending to a breath-taking tour of
God's underground handiwork. The Rock of Ages became almost a symbol of
the Caverns tour in the minds of those who had taken it. But, as the
crowds of visitors increased, the park officers found they could not
continue this service.
Its discontinuance brought protests from former Caverns visitors who
had remembered this final closing gesture as the high point of the
tour. Rippled layers give the Rock of Ages a shape all its own, and it
marks the end of the journey through the mighty Carlsbad Caverns of
today.
It is now nearly four hours since the traveler entered the big natural
opening to the cave some 700 feet above him. His sweater feels good,
though he isn't as cold as he had first supposed he might be, for the
constant walking during the 2¾ miles which the full trip requires has
kept him relatively warm.
Before saying good-bye to the Caverns he likes to pause a moment at the
entrance to the Big Room and look back, for one last glimpse of this
largest known room in the world, man-made or otherwise. Above him some
285 feet is the bedecked ceiling, the highest point in the Caverns, and
suspended by the longest unsupported arch known in the world!
The human mind can't quite believe it, yet there it is. And as the
visitor slowly turns to thoughts of the return trip he revolves in his
mind the beauties he has seen.
He will find the elevator takes him quickly and safely 750 feet upward
to the surface where the warm sunlight appears exceedingly bright to
human eyes, which, in the intervening hours, have become accustomed to
the gentle illumination found in the Caverns' otherwise inky blackness.
Within his own mind the visitor knows he will never forget the
indescribable sights he has seen, but how can he tell others of the
size, the intricate design, the scope and beauty that he has witnessed?
Pictures help, and these may be purchased at the souvenir stand near
the entrance. Views of all the better known formations in color are
obtainable, as well as booklets telling about the history of the
mammoth Caverns and how they were formed millions of years ago.
Man enters the great underground fairyland a bit apprehensive and
sometimes skeptical as to what he will see, finding it hard to believe
all he has heard of the Great Carlsbad Caverns of New Mexico. But
some four hours later, as he once again greets the light of day, he
recollects how Man has been responsible for some pretty remarkable
shows, it is true, but now he is convinced that Mother Nature herself
puts on the biggest, the most colorful, and the most spectacular show
of all!
BIBLIOGRAPHY
National Parks Folder on Carlsbad Caverns
New Mexico, The American Guide Series
Animal Life of the Carlsbad Cavern, by Vernon Bailey
National Geographic Magazine, January, 1924; September, 1925;
October, 1953
Science American, October, 1900; December, 1923
Science, December, 1923; November, 1924
Sunset, May, 1924
Mentor, August, 1925
Literary Digest, November, 1924
The New York Times, October, 1923
Natural History Magazine, December, 1947
Bulletins of the U. S. Geological Survey
[Illustration: The famous bat flight--a nightly occurrence at the
Caverns.]
* * * * *
Transcriber Note
Some text was moved to avoid paragraphs being split by illustrations.
Transcriptions of the text for images of printed documents are
provided to assist the reader. As a handwritten and typeset version of
Amended Notice of "Big Cave" Mining Claim were presented and labelled
the same, "(Handwritten)" was added to the caption of the first image
to distinguish them. Several transcribed copies contain typos as given
in the original.