There are no words, or pictures that can describe the awesome beauty of the Caverns. After looking around the grounds we descended down the "natural entrance" a distance of 1 mile, and then took the self gu
ided tour one more mile around the big room. The total trip took two and a half hours. We enjoyed it so much that we are going back tomorrow to do a third guided led tour tomorrow morning. Sue has never been to the caverns, and I was last there fifty years ago. I do not remember it being so big, and so amazing. After the caverns were first discovered, U.S. Department of the Interior sent Inspector Robert Holley to see whether Carlsbad Cavern was truly an outstanding natural scenic wonder . Holley was a skeptic at first wrote in his final report "I am wholly conscious of the feebleness of my efforts to convey in words the deep conflicting emotions, the feeling of fear and awe, and the desire for an inspired understanding of the Divine Creators work, which present to the human eye such a complex aggregate of natural wonders." I concur! It was a photographers dream.
ided tour one more mile around the big room. The total trip took two and a half hours. We enjoyed it so much that we are going back tomorrow to do a third guided led tour tomorrow morning. Sue has never been to the caverns, and I was last there fifty years ago. I do not remember it being so big, and so amazing. After the caverns were first discovered, U.S. Department of the Interior sent Inspector Robert Holley to see whether Carlsbad Cavern was truly an outstanding natural scenic wonder . Holley was a skeptic at first wrote in his final report "I am wholly conscious of the feebleness of my efforts to convey in words the deep conflicting emotions, the feeling of fear and awe, and the desire for an inspired understanding of the Divine Creators work, which present to the human eye such a complex aggregate of natural wonders." I concur! It was a photographers dream.Thank goodness for digital.
Next time we will pay full fare and take the regular path.
"Oh Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all your hands have made"... How Great THOU art.. will be on your lips many times in the next few months. Careful, you'll get hooked and be fulltimers too! :)
ReplyDeleteIs there still a snack bar at the bottom?
ReplyDeleteYes. Although "the bottom" is relative. It is on the fourth level down. There is one more level that is not open to the public and is used for research.
ReplyDeleteI do not remember our trip down the cave, with the exception of the bottomless pit. I saw some a staircase and what appeared to be an old more primitive path and inquired if that was the older route. I was informed that the current path has been used since 1957.
We went back this morning to the "Kings Castle" area which used to be open to self guided tours but now requires a guide. Everything that we saw yesterday was even more beautiful today.
Hi Steve & Sue- We really enjoy your Blogs. Your latest one about the Caverns bring back a lot of memories of when I was a small boy in Winslow. And your picture of the rope ladder. Your Great Grandfather entered the Cavern back around 1915 with fellow by the name of Jim White. Grandfather Eastman said he was lowered in a guano bucket into the cave. My dad and Grandfather Eastman took the family to the Caverns in about 1930 in his open air touring Car with running boards and spare tire on the back , I was about 7 years old. What I remember most was the thousands of Bats that came out of the Cavern at dusk (evening). It looked like smoke coming out of the entrance. Enloy your trip and marvel at all of Gods work. Mom and Dad
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