"Sharrie's Carlsbad Caverns 4th ..." a Carlsbad Travel Page by Sharrie

CARLSBAD CAVERNS - 750 feet below ground (!!!), referred to as "The 8th Wonder of the World" & one of the 20 World Heritage sites in U.S., is a marvel sight; not only because of its size & dimension but because of the undying human spirit of exploration! Found by a cowboy named Jim White in 1901 when electric lights were still not invented & elevators were non existent, his adventure of this amazing find lead us to a world of wonders, discovery & courage. Courage, because of the steep drop & darkness that he had to undergo before finding the jewel. Courage, because of the fear or internal turmoil he had to experience before going back up to the external world. Courage, because of the desire to venture into the unknown. Because of his courage, we are given the incredible chance of a lifetime to experience a miracle of nature!

The cave is one of the largest I've seen in the world to date. Formations of stalagmites & stalactites are massive. THE BIG ROOM as it's called is at least the size of 8 football fields. It took us more than 2 hours to walk through the entire fantasyland! It was a nice & relaxing walk with the underground temperature being a constant 56?F year-round with plenty of fresh air & oxygen. It's still a marvel to me as I think about the depth of the caverns - 750 feet below ground & the way it was discovered (found by a cowboy with lanterns & ropes)!!! Phew, that is something beyond my capacity!

Accordingly, my guide told us that this is also the 1st dimension of Carlsbad Caverns. Its History. The 2nd dimension is Geology. The 3rd dimension is Human Aspect (I think, :P). The 4th dimension is Spirituality! Yes, when all else is in total darkness, silence & abyss, what is the force behind the human spirit? Here, in the King's Palace, everyone has a chance of a lifetime to experience it for a couple of minutes. & what each of us uncovered was what is unique to every single one of us in those suspended moments & what's ours alone to keep. Thrilling?! Beyond your wildest imagination !!!