Brantley Lake State Park and Carlsbad Caverns

We are staying at Brantley Lake S.P. just north of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Yesterday we took a ride to the National Park and walked through Carlsbad Caverns. I never cease to wonder at the beautiful formations in the cave here. The cavern is huge, and the Big Room eight hundred feet below the surface is bigger than two football fields.
We walked down the trail into the depths of the cavern and since the elevator has been out of commission for the past four months (government red tape and bureaucracy hinders getting it fixed), we walked the path back out to the top.
We were once again mesmerized by the huge stalagmites and stalactites and all of the beautiful formations on the floor, walls and ceilings of the cave.
Today the sky is threatening rain, if we get it it will be the first rain we have had since we were in San Antonio at the beginning of January (other than Maui, but it rains there all the time).

White Winged Dove at camp. This is the fourth species of dove we've seen this winter.

A jackrabbit at camp. Look at how long the legs are!

The gate at the Caverns

The big room eight hundred feet below the surface.

The formation s hanging here are called lions tails. Can you see why?

Hall of giants.

Huge stalagmite columns standing sixty feet tall!

Rock of ages

This calcified column was one of the biggest in the cavern.

 

Draperies

 

These were curtains of calcium that looked like drapes hanging from the ceiling and wall.

I could have taken pictures down here all day, but to truly appreciate this place you have to see it in person. Just like most of the amazing places we are seeing this winter.