These Caverns Are Carls Bad Ass

After seeing billions of dollars produced at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (pictures are not allowed there by the way) & driving seven hours straight without much scenery to look at, we crossed the border into New Mexico.  The first item on our agenda: to see the larger than life Carlsbad Caverns.  Sadly, it is impossible to do these magnificent caves justice with just words & photos, but we have tried!

View above...from just inside the Natural Entrance
We started our day by purchasing an annual America The Beautiful Pass...this will allow us into ALL
the National Parks in the U.S.A., we then took the 1-mile self guided Natural Entrance route into the caves 

The O'Babbitt's on the King's Palace Ranger Guided Tour
After an hour trek into the caves, Park Ranger Eric took us even deeper &
showed us what complete darkness looks like

The King's Palace
Ranger Eric taught us quite a bit about the Native Americans, who discovered
the Natural Entrance & a cowboy named Jim White, who went even further 

We also learned about stalactites, stalagmites & that Jim White named many of these
formations by using just a candlelight to see and his imagination

The Big Room
We didn't think it could get much better, that is until we took the 1-mile self guided Big Room route

Park Ranger Babbitt
After a few rides up & down the impressive cave elevator, we waited around
for the Bat Flight Program (where pictures are also not allowed)
We were warned that the bats might not fly, but luckily they did not disappoint & put on quite the show