Carlsbad Caverns — Carlsbad, NM
We visited Carlsbad Caverns in April 2023 with my brother Fred and his wife, Gina. Our timing happened to coincide with the park’s centennial year — Carlsbad Cave was first protected as a national monument in 1923 and became Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1930. The caves themselves are far older, formed in limestone that began as a reef along an inland sea about 265 million years ago.
People had known about the cavern long before it became a park, but cowboy Jim White is credited with beginning its modern exploration around 1898. Early visitors descended under considerably rougher conditions than we did; permanent trails, lighting and eventually elevators came later as the cavern became a major attraction. The park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995.
What photographs really don’t convey is the scale. Walking through the enormous rooms and formations underground was one of those experiences where we were glad we had taken the time to see it together.
