Marpeg: Carlsbad Caverns, NM

We return to Carlsbad Caverns. After a short briefing by a park ranger we descend the winding trail into the huge natural entrance of the cave. After a mile and a quarter we arrive at the rest area. There are rest rooms and a cafeteria. Here we meet a ranger for our guided tour through the "Kings Palace." Peggy volunteers to be a "junior ranger" and takes up the end of the line. This one mile trail goes through the Green Lake Room, the Queen's Chamber and the Papoose Room. We are treated to beautiful formations that were created drop by drop beginning about 500,000 years ago. Most of the Mexican free-tail bats have migrated to Central America. So far they show no signs of the white-nose syndrome.

Peggy chooses to hike back out through the natural entrance while I take the elevator up 850 feet. We travel to the city of Carlsbad for supper and RV site.