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"The Natural Entrance and Cactus" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens
"The Natural Entrance Switchbacks" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens There are two different ways to enter Carlsbad Caverns. One is via a 754 foot elevator descent straight to The Big Room. The other is via The Natural Entrance seen here. The latter involves negotiating a series of very steep switchbacks into the belly of the cave. There are many more switchbacks than those in this image. The good news is that it is all downhill. The bad news is that it can be hard on the knees. If you allow enough time, ideally a couple of hours, you'll do just fine
"The Natural Entrance" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 24-70 lens This image is taken from within Carlsbad Caverns looking back out (and up) to the entrance portal. The blue light in the portal is daylight coming from the outside. A close look reveals stairs descending down inside the portal leading into the bowels of the cave.
"Devil's Spring" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens This 30-foot column is along the natural entrance route into the caverns. A column is formed when a stalactite from the roof joins up with a stalagmite from the ground. A ranger told me an easy way to remember the difference between the two. A stalactite clings "tight" to the ceiling. A stalagmite, which grows upward from the ground, "might" someday reach heaven. The column in this image is sitting in a pool of crystal clear water known officially as "Devils Spring". As I stood by the column trying to figure out how to shoot the scene, I could hear an occasional drip of water into the pool. You can hear EVERYTHING in the caverns.
"Pillar of Salt" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens This colorful column is about 12 feet tall and sits in the middle of a beautiful cave spring. It reminds me of the biblical passage in Genesis when Lot's wife disobeyed the commandment of God and turned into a pillar of salt. I finally discovered her remains some 6000 years later deep within the bowels of Carlsbad Caverns.
"The Really Big Room" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens The Big Room is easily the most popular attraction at Carlsbad Caverns. However, an even larger room can be found midway down the natural entrance route. The ceiling height here is at least 100 feet. This portion of the cave is staggering in its scope. The walkway in this image drops off steeply to the right as it disappears from view. What an amazing place!
"Whale's Mouth" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens
"Flight Path" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 24-70 lens The bat flight is one of Carlsbad Cavern's most popular attractions. Every night, from early spring through October, thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats fly from the cave at dusk. They spend the night feasting on insects, and then return to the cave before dawn. The bats actually live in a "cave within a cave". The bat cave, seen here at the very left of the image, is where the bats live. The bat cave is 200 feet below the surface.
"The Natural Entrance and Cactus"

October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens
"The Natural Entrance and Cactus" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens" href="javascript:openLB(1785965646,'',XLarge,'',1024,682);">"The Natural Entrance and Cactus" October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens
"The Natural Entrance and Cactus"

October 2009, Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Canon EOS 5D MK2, Canon 16-35 lens
See photo in original gallery.
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