75 Stories Down: Exploring the Depths of Carlsbad Caverns

There’s something surreal about stepping into an elevator, pressing a button, and sinking 75 stories straight into the Earth. We weren’t descending into a skyscraper, but into one of the largest underground chambers in North America—Carlsbad Caverns.

The doors opened into a world shaped over millions of years. What was once a thriving coral reef in a shallow sea 250 million years ago was forced upward ~50 million years ago, only to be hollowed out by sulfuric acid, carving massive caverns and decorating them with slow-growing mineral formations. Walking through the main chamber, we traced more than two miles of pathways, never needing to duck, because this massive space was once the water level of an underground lake six million years ago. That lake has now receded nearly a thousand feet lower, forming new, undiscovered caverns beneath us—still being shaped by time.

Creatures of the Cavern

Although we visited too early in the season to see the famed Brazilian free-tailed bats, we did learn about the research underway to monitor their daily movements. Scientists are using AI-enabled video technology—capturing over 1,000 frames per second—to study how millions of bats move together through the caverns each evening. This research is helping unlock insights into one of nature’s most elusive species, revealing how they navigate and work together in flight.

Meanwhile, Poky had to sit this adventure out. The National Park Service prohibits dogs from staying in cars due to the heat, so he was checked into the kennels at the visitor center, where he had the comfort of air conditioning. Still, he was unimpressed with the arrangement—protesting in silent defiance by refusing to eat his treat until we returned.

Walking the Caverns

The kids took it all in with their usual mix of curiosity and unshakable energy. James, ever the adventurer, alternated between walking, being carried, and riding on my shoulders. Of course, when we approached the Bottomless Pit—a 140-foot drop into darkness—he suddenly had all the energy in the world to walk.

Thankfully, the path was safely fenced off, but that didn’t stop James from choosing this exact moment to abandon walking altogether. Instead, he plopped down and began bum-shuffling his way along the cave floor, completely unphased by the gaping chasm just beyond the railing. Of all the places to test out an alternate mode of transport, he picked the one spot where a little natural fear might have been useful.

Jack, on the other hand, was fascinated by the sheer challenge of early cave exploration. He studied the old ropes and wooden ladders still wedged into the cave walls, trying to picture the first explorers descending into the darkness with nothing but lanterns. The most captivating story was how explorers first reached the Chamber of the Spirits—a hidden section high above the cavern floor. Lacking a clear way up, they filled a helium balloon with a rope attached, floating it into the darkness until it wrapped around a stalactite. With the rope secured, they were able to climb up and pull themselves into a chamber no one had seen before.

Above and Beyond

After surfacing, we drove to the Texas side of this ancient reef, where the Guadalupe Mountains rise into the sky, home to Texas’ highest peak. Unlike the caverns, Poky could actually join us here, trotting along a short nature trail with us. James, in his usual way, made his own entertainment—plopping down in the dirt to bang rocks together as if he were uncovering the next great fossil discovery.

As we left, I looked at the desert stretching endlessly beyond the caverns, hiding more secrets beneath the surface. Someday, those new chambers forming below will open up, and someone else will take an elevator ride down to marvel at what water, time, and a little chemistry can create.

And maybe, just maybe, Jack and James will be the leading that expedition—helium balloons and all.