By Michele Robertson
New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment for its breathtaking beauty in all corners of the state. Yes, even here in Carlsbad and along the eastern plains, vast openness is a sight to behold.
The topography changes one sees traveling an hour or more in any direction give evidence of the geological marvel that makes up our state. Once covered by the shallow Permian Sea, New Mexico offers an outdoor playground to explore and discover not only above ground but below as well.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park is the closest National Park to us at 27 miles away. It is followed by Guadalupe Mountains National Park at 55 miles away (just over the Texas border), then White Sands National Park in Alamogordo at 161 miles away. Big Bend National Park in west Texas along the border with Mexico is about 264 from Carlsbad. The proximity to this many National Parks makes Carlsbad a highly visited area.
Morgan Bissell, Lead Park Guide at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, shared why National Parks exist. “I believe the National Park Service mission says it most succinctly as to why we exist:
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
“We seek to meet a balance between education, conservation, and recreation, where visitors from all across the globe can come and experience these sites firsthand and see their value, hopefully gaining an appreciation for why these places are protected the way they are, ensuring that future generations are able to get these same experiences.”
February is the slowest month, like the calm before the storm for the busiest month, which is March, when New Mexico and Texas schools are on spring break. As of July 31, 2024, approximately 290,000 visitors have come through the Caverns, with an annual average of about 400,000 after the implementation of the reservation system.
“Aside from the health benefits that come from recreation, parks—whether they be National, State, City, or County—often hold wonderful and diverse stories. These stories are able to be preserved by these sites where we can gain insight into our past and the decisions made there, hopefully learning from the choices and sometimes mistakes made by our ancestors,” Bissell said.
With unparalleled beauty and being readily accessible, one would think the Caverns was one of the Wonders of the World. “Early actor and comedian Will Rogers once dubbed Carlsbad Caverns’ The Grand Canyon with a roof over it.’ In 1995, UNESCO designated Carlsbad Caverns as a World Heritage Site meaning that the UN has identified it as a site ‘considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.’ While it is not officially designated as one of the seven Natural Wonders of the World, it is seen in the same categories as those sites,” explained Bissell.
“One of my favorite stories from CAVE is a story of innovation and exploration. Within the Big Room, the largest chamber in the United States with a ceiling up to 250 feet above in some places, there are many fissures in the ceiling that lead to places that we have not yet explored. These passages may lead to new rooms in our cave as well as other openings to the surface that we may have not yet uncovered. One such opening lies just off from where the self-guided trail is in the Big Room. In 1985, a team of cavers led by our Chief of Resources mounted an endeavor to reach this fissure at one of the highest points of the cave chamber. To reach this spot, they fashioned a rope to a balsa wood hoop and attached balloons to the contraption to float it up to the ceiling. Latching the hoop to a stalagmite in the fissure, the team used the guide rope to thread a climbing rope up around the formation. Once it was secured, they climbed up and discovered a large chamber that they dubbed ‘Spirit World’ as well as a secondary chamber named ‘Halloween Hall.’ While they weren’t able to find a new opening of the cave, this was a feat of creativity to reach a space that would have otherwise been unreachable,” Bissell said.
To start your National Park adventure, visit the Carlsbad Caverns website to plan your visit and get reservations into the cave. https://www.nps.gov/cave/planyourvisit/index.htm
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