There are places on this planet that seem to radiate their allure long before you see them. The Grand Canyon, for instance, feels omnipresent, its enormity lurking just beyond the horizon, building anticipation until it finally reveals itself in full. But not all wonders announce themselves so boldly. Some remain hidden, coaxing you along with a quiet promise that the journey will be worth the effort.
Carlsbad Caverns is one of those places. Tucked away beneath the rugged foothills of the Guadalupe Mountains in southern New Mexico, this vast underground world took me completely by surprise. Perhaps I shouldn’t have been caught off guard—a literal cave system is, by definition, concealed—but I wasn’t prepared for the degree to which this place would overwhelm and redefine my sense of wonder.
A History of Cave History
Growing up in Missouri—the self-proclaimed “Cave State”—I thought I knew a thing or two about underground wonders. The state is riddled with limestone caverns, from the famous Mark Twain Cave in my hometown of Hannibal (made famous of the Adventures of Tom Sawyer) to countless lesser-known sites used for everything from food storage to dubious experiments (Hannibal’s own cave once hosted preserved corpses for “scientific” purposes). These caves, though rich in history, never felt particularly magical. They were dark, damp, and utilitarian, often stripped of the crystalline formations I’d seen in books and magazines.
Even my visit to Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park (Read more on NickkShepard.com) —a world-famous cave system—reinforced my limited view. It was impressive in scale, sure, but lacked the intricate beauty I’d imagined caves could hold. In my encounters, caves were just holes in the ground where people stored things or told stories.
With these experiences shaping my expectations, I passed the National Park sign for Carlsbad Caverns with a mix of curiosity and doubt. I knew it was one of the world’s most famous cave systems but hadn’t done much research beforehand. I figured it would be interesting—just not life-changing. Looking back, that lack of preparation was the best decision I could have made. What awaited me underground wasn’t just interesting; it was extraordinary.
Choose the Path of Most Adventure
Having already reserved the free-yet-required reservation to enter the Caverns prior to arrival, the Ranger gave me the option of waiting to ride the elevator down or to walk down through the Natural Entrance. It felt wrong to be at a National Park and take the technology shortcut, so I chose the Natural Entrance – wow was I glad I did! Entering through the mouth of the cave, The Natural Entrance Trail takes you down a steep 1.2 mile (2 km) descent that is equivalent in depth to the Empire State Buildings height. Despite that depth being metered out over its length, many parts of the path are quite steep and often wet, unlike most caves you’ll encounter that are open to public, this cave is still very active and alive.
Down, down, down you descend. Shortly after the crossing through the cave’s entrance, the light from the sun fades and a sign tells you that without the artificial lighting, you would be in complete and total darkness going forward. Even with the artificial lighting, it is purposefully kept somewhat dim as to not further push the creatures that dwell within the cave deeper into it.
What I enjoyed most about the Natural Entrance Trail was that the wonders of these caverns are slowly but steadily presented to you as you go. Every corner you make, the world around you becomes more and more wondrous to behold. You may start out cruising along in the upper areas of the cave, but the further you go, the slower you walk as you try and take it all in.
A Taste of Things to Come
While some of the upper chambers are very cool, with more formations than I had seen in other caverns up until that point, the first point that caused a full on stop and stare was the Green Lake Room. I’m not even going to try and describe how deep into the cave you are at this point, but you’ll know it when you see it. It feels like a workshop of wonder where formations for Movie caves are crafted. While there had been stalagmites and stalactites prior to this room, this chamber featured no smooth or blank surfaces.
While I can’t say that I ever saw the Green Lake itself, I guess I also didn’t see the previous Three Little Monkeys, Baby Hippo, or Whale’s Mouth, let alone the upcoming Bashful Elephant, Iceberg, or King’s Palace – I have a theory that the people who name things inside of caves were influenced by the fumes from their lanterns they clung to as they stumbled around in the dark.
Once gathering myself and making my way out of the Green Lake Room, the path strangely began to climb and loop around, causing me to possibly wonder if that was the grand finale of the Caverns – but no, what was witnessed on my journey thus far was just a taste of the feast that my eyes and spirit were about to behold.
The Big Room
As much as I had enjoyed my descent into the Caverns, what was laid out before me now was truly one of the treasures of the Earth. Had I taken the elevator straight down into this room from the Visitor’s Center some 750 feet above, I worry about what the shock of such a sight would have caused me. Over the past 1.2 miles, I was slowly introduced to stalactites, stalagmites, columns, soda straws, draperies, popcorn, and other types of cave formations (or Speleothems) – sometimes by themselves or in small patches – in a way that felt like the discordant sounds you hear during warm ups before the conductor taps their baton. The Big Room feels as though you have been thrust into the midst of a never-ending crescendo. Careening through the Earth with wondrous abandon, the Big Room stretches some 4,000 feet in length, up to 625 feet wide, and some 225 feet tall at its highest point – Big feels like an understatement.
Here, all of those “cool” formations spotted earlier in the cave in measured amounts are seemingly actively multiplying as your eyes widen and steer from wow to wow. In some parts of the room, it’s as though the ceiling has become a pincushioned spike trap from Hollywood horrors. In another, stalagmites with circumferences larger than most trees tower over you. Popcorn formations cover rocks as though they are a seafoam on a stormy day, and ribbons of rock that appear as though they are liquid dance above you. Columns that appear stronger than steel seemingly hold the roof from collapse, and blocks of gypsum sing.
Even though you mentally know that all that you see before you was formed over thousands of years, there is this creeping knowing inside of you that if you were to come back in a month’s time, that the room might look radically new. This room of rock, feels alive.
To Take the Shortcut or Not
The route around the entirety of the Big Room is relatively flat, it is 1.25 miles long (2 km), and takes on average about an hour and half to traverse. If for some reason you are in a hurry, there is a shortcut about halfway through that cuts off the second half of the trail and reduces the time to about 45 minutes. While I did hike the entirety of the Big Room Trail, know that the majority of the wonders are contained within the first half of the room and you shouldn’t feel too bad about forgoing the second half – though I highly encourage you to explore it if you have the time.
Another thing of note is that the Night Mode feature of iPhones (Night Sight on Android) is a godsend in a place like this. Perhaps I’m just not experienced enough yet in how to produce good photos in such a dimly lit location with my Sony camera, but the phone shined. All of the photos you see in this article were taken with my phone.
Once completing the Big Room Trail, I was beyond grateful to have the elevators waiting to whisk me back to the surface. I may still be in the Caverns if I were required to hike back up the steep Natural Entrance Trail like visitors of old. Speaking of visitors of old, one of the placards in the back part of the cave talked about how at one time in the early 20th century owners of the cave had begun blasting a path that would enable visitors to drive through the cave(!). Thank goodness better decision makers prevailed and that route was abandoned.
Reflecting in the Sunlight
Stepping out of the cool, damp embrace of Carlsbad Caverns and back into the sunlight, I felt a rush of exhilaration. This wasn’t just a visit to a National Park—it was a journey into the extraordinary, a reminder that the world still holds wonders that can astonish even the most skeptical traveler.
Carlsbad Caverns doesn’t just show you nature—it immerses you in its artistry. From the intricate formations that seem too perfect to be real to the sheer magnitude of the Big Room, every step is a revelation. It’s the kind of place that leaves you grinning like a kid at a magic show, eager to see what’s around the next corner.
If you’re someone who craves the thrill of discovery, put Carlsbad Caverns on your list. Go with an open mind, take the long walk down, and let the cavern’s secrets reveal themselves. You won’t just see a cave—you’ll experience one of the most astonishing spectacles this planet has to offer. And trust me, you’ll leave with a renewed sense of just how incredible our world really is.
What To Know
Location: South Central New Mexico, just across the border with Texas (Google Maps)
Best Time of Year to Visit Carlsbad Caverns? While the cave stays the same temperature year round, the summer features the opportunity to watch thousands of bats take flight each evening.
How Long Does it Take to Visit Carlsbad Caverns? 3 to 4 hours for the full hike down the Natural Entrance and exploring the entirety of the Big Room. A solid 2.5 hours if you take the elevator down and up and visit the gift store.
Where to stay near Carlsbad Caverns? The nearby town of Carlsbad is easy if you’re doing other things in the area, or if the Caverns is your only stop in the area, El Paso is fairly nearby.
How Much does it Cost to Visit Carlsbad Caverns? There is a $15 entrance fee, and reservations are required (NPS).
Is Carlsbad Caverns kid-friendly? Heck yes it is. This is a very easy Park to get around, and there is so much cool stuff to look at.
Great article and love the photos!