We visited Carlsbad Caverns a second time, this time to do the Natural Entrance and Big Room trails.

On the way, passing the Apache Canyon Trading Post:

And White’s City:

The Carlsbad Caverns sign:

Entrance road:

Again we had a picnic lunch by the visitor center:

The visitor center sign:

The path to the natural entrance:

We were stopped for the pre-entrance instructions from the ranger:

The bat amphitheater, where people can watch the bats leaving the cave in the evenings:

Heading down into the natural entrance:

An info sign; 1.25 miles, 750 feet of elevation change:

The natural entrance:

Reaching the junction with the Rest Stop and Big Room:

The Big Room trail:

Back to the Underground Rest Stop:

We bought a snack at the shop; the attendant was very chatty with info about the cave, visitors, bats, etc:

Back up the elevator:

The gift shop:

Jenn bought a bunch of postcards; she collects the WPA-style postcards, and this gift shop had an excellent collection, so she was able to get some missing and future ones:

A selfie by the sign, with a stuffed toy bat from the gift shop:

We visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico:

The road to the visitor center:

We had a reservation for a ranger-led tour, so after checking in, we had a picnic lunch:

Back to the visitor center:

Bat artwork in the foyer:

The ticketing area:

There are two ways down to the caverns: elevators, or the natural entrance. This time, we took the elevators. They lead to the underground rest stop, with food, swag, and bathrooms:

We joined the ranger for our guided tour:

He was a bit of a character, with multiple philosophy degrees. That definitely showed in his talks, with discussions of paradoxes and raising questions about the caverns.

The tour we went on was the King’s Palace tour (the only one offered currently). It gives access to caverns not open to the general public, via this gate:

Heading down:

Stalactites:

The King’s Palace room:

The ranger passed around an old photo showing the room (sorry, not a great shot of it):

Through a tunnel to the next room:

The Papoose Room:

The Queen’s Chamber:

An actively dripping column; the ranger turned out the lights and we sat by this in total darkness for a few minutes, just listening to the dripping of the water:

A fossilized bat:

Telephone:

Back to King’s Palace, on the other side:

Green Lake (a small pool):

Heading up some stairs:

The end of the tour at the exit gate:

Looking down:

Old stairs:

Swiss cheese:

New York Skyline:

Info sign:

Back at the underground rest stop:

Rest stop shop:

Restrooms:

Another map:

Exit to elevators:

Elevators:

Heading up from 750 feet underground:

The elevators debouch into the gift store, of course:

An impressive 3D map of the caverns:

Jenn just hanging around:

Another gift shop and restaurant:

Gotta have her pressed penny:

Back outside the visitor center: