 | Carlsbad Caverns National Park Warnings or Dangers | Tips 1 - 7 of 7 |  |
Popular Warnings or Dangers | Other Warnings or Dangers Tips | All Tips (7) Before you enter the caves from the natural entrance, rangers pull you aside, take your ticket, and give you verbal instructions .....
Don't touch.
Don't go off the path.
Don't take anything into the caves you can't take back out with you.
Don't take food, or fluids other that water with you into the cave.
Don't litter.
Don't throw coins into undergroud water supplies.
Etc.
The rangers are very clear: as long as you remain on the path, they will find you and help you if you are ill or injured. They will not go looking off path for you!!
The ranger who told me this story told me that in the past people have done similar things, been locked in for the night , died. They would panic, wander or run, and fall into the holes that lead to the deeper portions of the cave. Between injuries, and hypothermia, they wouldn't be found for quite a while - and very dead.
I did hear a story about a guy a few years ago who chose to go off path for photography excursion. He hid from the last ranger of the night - then decided he'd better not. He tried to get the ranger's attention, but that particular ranger was a deaf interpreter - and deaf himself. As a result, he didn't hear the guy. After this final round through the cavern, the ranger turned off the lights.
This guy, stayed calm. He was already back on the pathway, and felt his way until he found a bench. He just curled up and went to sleep. They found him in the morning - and took him off for medical treatment for hypothermia. Leave a Comment
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I am only an amateur photgrapher, so if you are more knowledgeable than I - please feel free to share. But, I thought sharing what I learned during my jaunt into the bowels of the earth might help someone else .....
Between the 6 of us, all of our cameras were no longer able to work by the end of the tour ... 2 without battery power, 4 out of film. So, charge up and stock up before you begin your walk.
The lighting is subdued, and artistic lighting has been added to aid your ability to actually see all of the wonderful formations mother earth has provided for us.
Standard flash photography doesn't work well in the caverns. It tends to wash out the the amazing colors and textures of the formations.
Going without flash doesn't work w/out a tripod. The shutter speed is too slow for handheld work - the picture blurs :(
The compromise I found was putting my little camera on an alternate flash setting ... the one for red eye reduction. Since the flash is timed to go off BEFORE the shutter mechanism opens, you get the benefit of some light, without interfering w/ the image you are trying to capture. Leave a Comment
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Carlsbad Caverns National Park has its share of desert creatures and this snake sunning itself in the 9 AM morning sunshine was the first one I came across as I began the walk from the Visitor's Center to the Natural Entrance to the cavern. It was not moving, just soaking up some rays as people gingerly passed by or stopped to take a photo of it.
I'm not 100% sure of the type of snake, but park literature says the Mottled Rock Rattlesnake inhabits this part of the state and is the most commonly seen snake in the park. They grow to about 32-inches in length but are not very aggressive. However, if they do bite it can be serious because their toxin also affects the nervous system, unlike bites from most other types of rattlesnakes. That being said, there is no record of anyone ever being killed by a bite from this type of snake. Leave a Comment
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There are restrooms before you enter the caves, and one at the rest area undergound. But during the long hike down into the cave from the natural entrance, or during your walk in the Big Room - no facilities!
So be prepared and just take a moment to 'relieve yourself' BEFORE you wander 72 stories into the depths of the earth :) Leave a Comment
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This is the desert, and therefore ... um .... HOT! Remember, no matter how uncomfortable it might be for you - it will be several times worse for a pet left in the car.
Because of this, the Caverns staff have developed an airconditioned kennel for your furred family member. For $4.00 a day, your critter will get care, attention, and a private cage. They can handle up to 30 pets at a time. Leave a Comment Other Contact: http://www.nps.gov/cave/index.ht
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It is important that you stay on the designated trails and that you supervise your children at all times, as it would be easy to get lost or fall into steep drop offs if you strayed from the trails. Another reason you are not allowed off the trails is because the fragile formations on the floors and walls would be damaged. It is also against the rules to touch the cave formations as oils on your hands were waterproof and stain the cave formations Please do not throw coins or other objects into cave pools as this will damage the pool. Remember that the cave is 56 degrees all year, so wear a jacket. Also the cave trails can be steep and slippery, so be sure to use the handrails when available and wear good walking shoes. Leave a Comment
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You will get tired. It usually takes about 2-3 hours, just taking the general self guide tour through the cave. If you have kids, make sure they get well rested beforehand, and please be sure to wear the appropriate footwear! I had two of my kids fall asleep on me, one on my back, and my middle one, Sophia Leave a Comment
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More Carlsbad Caverns National Park Tips |
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