Carlsbad Caverns National Park NM

[Kevin]

This was another stop after White Sands. The funny part about this trip. We were making plane reservations, and I mis-read my daughter's school calendar. I bought the plane tickets to see the grandparents a week BEFORE the actual spring break. Oh well, I think she got a whole lot more real world education than in a classroom a week before a school break.

My dad has a Golden Age Passport which gets him free entry into the National Parks and Monuments. That even worked for me and my daughter!!

So the entrance to the caverns is an elevator. It's pretty fast and goes down 750 feet. Then the path is a mile or so long. Very nice walking.

 

[gunman42782]

Neat pics!

 

[contender]

That brought back memories. I've been to these caverns. Spectacular!

 

[Cholo]

Cool 8) I havn't been inside since '83. I did go there about 6 years ago in the summer with my sister after going thru Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It was closed for some reason Nice pics!

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Very neat!

The actual name of the National Park pass for seniors is "Golden Eagle Pass" and it is very worth getting if you are 62 or over (at least that was the age when I got mine 12 years ago). It is a "hang tag" that is for your vehicle and contents, so you and whoever is with you can get into places like Yellowstone free (even kids). When I got mine it was $10 FOR LIFE. Not sure if that's the case now, but you really should look into it if you're "of an age." And don't abuse it, or they'll take it away from the rest of us.....

That thing has saved me thousands of dollars and MANY hours and miles of driving because you can use it as a parking permit in National Forests without going to the nearest (!!!!) Ranger station and buying an "Adventure" day pass. And I and my brother have gotten into Yellowstone and many other National Parks and Monuments free since we got ours.

You can get one at the nearest National Forest or Park or Monument headquarters.

 

[Highstandardguy]

Worse thing about Carlsbad is that it's on the road to nowhere. You've really got to want to see it to drive there. Having said that, it's worth a visit.

 

[Kevin]

Mike Armstrong: Yes, you are absolutely correct on the Golden Eagle Pass. My dad has had his since he was 62 and I've been with him dozens of times and it gets him and the whole car load of people in free. My mom has one too, we've used both at times when we have two cars on a trip.

at $10 for life it is well worth it.

Also, just to clarify, I'm not a freeloader. We often eat lunch at the park's restaurants (never very cheap) and load up on junk from the gift shops. So we do "pay". Plus, we go to parks without my parents and then we do pay entrance fees.

 

[don44]

Very nice and Cool!

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Didnt mean to imply anything, Kevin. Just generally POd at people who abuse public lands. I work a lot as a volunteer on various state and federal properties and am constantly amazed at how some people treat land that belongs to all of us and our descendants!

Sometimes I think "General Public" deserves a demotion to the stockade.

 

[Kevin]

Mike: no worries, no offense taken in the slightest. Those Golden Eagle Passes are very nice. I'm not old enough for one but will definitely get one when I'm 62. I remember my dad losing his and having to buy another (still 10 bucks).... That was up in Seattle so probably Mount Rainier.

Back in college I worked in Yellowstone one summer. What a great time. I drove out and had a cheap mountain bike for the weekends.

 

[Cholo]

Can you buy those passes at the National Parks?

 

[Mike Armstrong]

You SHOULD be able to get one at the Park Headquarters. I got mine at the main ranger station of the Angeles Natl. Forest, but I THINK any big NPS or NFS office would work.

 

[Cholo]

Thanks! I'll probably be out west on my bike this summer and will be visiting several Parks.

 

[Kevin]

Cholo, you can also order them online, I think anyway. I just did a quick search for them.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Looks and sounds like great time there!

 

[mexicanjoe]

Hey guys last year I took Mrs Joe and the kids to the caverns... I told her to buy 4 tickets to the natural entrance and me and Justin would ride th elevator down to the big room.. The lady at the ticket counter looked strangely at her request. She asked why? and my wife said Justin is blind and in a wheel chair. The lady asked to see Justin, and asked his name, i thought he would get a cool little miners helmet like the other kids... Well it turns out that since Justin is permanently disabled he has lifetime pass to all the national parks and etc etc. Plus all those who came with him, ie my able bodied children and Mrs. Joe.... and not only that , but a park ranger accompanied Justin and me to the elevator and big room.... there we found a rotating door to my dismay, but the ranger, a lady whose name escapes me, stopped the rotating door and allowed us entry and went so far as to show me the courtesy phone in case we need to go back to the surface. She assured me she had EMTs ready to help Justin should he need it. and she allowed as how it did not matter how many trips we needed to make to the surface, her concern was that Justin enjoy his trip to the caverns!!!!!!! I dont know a bout yall, but this daddy had a lump in his throat when she said that.... Justin and I enjoyed the company of several other tourists that day while the rest of the family came dragging up 2 hours later. I appreciate what the NPS has done to accommodate people with physical disabilites!!

 

[Fox Mike]

Not enough Valium in the world to get me into an elevator then decending 750 feet underground. I'll buy the picture book.

 

[Kevin]

Mexicanjoe:
That's a great story. I'm glad Justin was able to make it down into the cave.

 

[contender]

"Mexicanjoe:
That's a great story. I'm glad Justin was able to make it down into the cave."

A BIG +1

 

[6GUNSONLY]

It is a truly amazing place!