On the way back to Arizona, I stopped at the Carlsbad Caverns. OMG! They are so big! The caves are as big as a high school gym or an indoor baseball stadium. The holes in the floors are bottomless. Lovely cement walkways and railings which is good because it's dark in there, and often wet or slippery! We were told not to speak loudly so everyone was quiet walking silently down, down, down equivalent to 75 stories! The descent is a flat cement trail with handrails, steep until you get to the bottom, then mostly level with only one steep incline and one set of stone stairs totalling fifteen. The volunteer tells everyone if you have foot, ankle, knee problems or other health issues, don't do it. By the time I got to the bottom, my knees ached and shook with exhaustion, but I was fine. The temperature is an even 57 degrees so they suggest bringing a coat, but I didn't need one. Even though there were a lot of people, most of the time I was alone encountering only two groups: one school group and one organized tour. They were not quiet,! LOL! They stunk of shampoo, laundry detergent and fragrances of all kinds. I hussled passed when I could.
What they don't warn you about is the smell! It smelled like dead things or moldy bat shit. My lungs felt a bit irritated, but I had no lasting effects. I can't imagine working or volunteering there for long periods of time. It's got to be toxic.
We were instructed not to take flash photos or point the flash down, but my camera doesn't really do that. Most people were videoing with their cameras which didn't produce a strong light. I did some videos, but I think they are too large to download.
It's open between 9am and 5pm. Entrance fee is $15 unless you have a national park pass then it's free. You need to reserve in advance or get there when it opens to reserve a spot. They stop selling tickets or giving reservations around 2pm. or whenever tickets are sold out. Special tours when available cost extra and require reservations.
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