cascades at carlsbad (new mexico)

[colin]

This weekend I went to attend a UT graduation in Austin and took a vicious drive across NM and TX.

Breakfast was in Carlsbad. I also wanted to check out their Pecos River park area a little more.

The Pecos River is about the only presentable part of an otherwise ugly town. It also seems to be the only picture the city's web site is open to using.

Official Site

This would include a museum, some sort of cave research center, shops and restaurants. No residential, but the whole thing is much more than you could expect from Carlsbad. I mean, the parking actually surrounds the center instead of a typical strip mall design!

The whole thing is pretty exciting (for me, at least). With only one hotel at the actual caverns and almost all visitors staying in the city 20 miles away, I've never quite understood why Carlsbad didn't try harder to tout itself as more than just the caverns. Plus, with the motels south of town aging and falling apart, it would be in the city's best interest to push the newer ones which are sure to come into the Downtown area, which currently features zero hotels, as well as pretty much zero in the way of anything else. I wouldn't be surprised if the central part of the city started looking much more like San Angelo's Downtown in the next few years. Maybe that's not a lot to shoot for, but nothing could be worse than what's there now (even Artesia has a nicer Downtown).

There are signs up for it (which is how I know about it) but little has been done. I certainly do hope that this project is successful though.

Oh, and I'm going to be back there this weekend, so I will take some pictures. There wasn't a lot of light when I was there, and I didn't have a whole lot of time to dilly dally.

[Mith242]

Interesting. My sister was there a few weeks ago to do some work. She lives in New Mexico but hadn't been around to that part of the state much. She said there was more there than she thought. I think there's some sort of zoo/botanical gardens showcasing animals and plants from the Chihuahuan Desert. I'm looking forward to seeing some pics when you get back.

[Mith242]

Just curious Colin, did you happen to get any pics?

[colin]

New Mexico, ho!

Are they working on it? I don't know. This was on a Sunday. But it does look pretty much the same as when I saw it the week prior.

If interested, there's more Eddy County pics here.

[Mith242]

New Mexico, ho!

Are they working on it? I don't know. This was on a Sunday. But it does look pretty much the same as when I saw it the week prior.

If interested, there's more Eddy County pics here.

Are all those pics yours?

[Inkdaub]

Not far from Carlsbad below the town of White's City you will find one of the wonders of the world and one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Carlsbad Caverns is not to be missed if you're in the area. The contrast between the below and above ground there is sureal. And look around for bats...they'll be there whether you visit the Caverns or no.

[colin]

Are all those pics yours?

Yeah. Most in Eddy County are from the weekend before except the Cascades and Artesia photos, which are from this past weekend. Beautiful weather for both, but what else should you expect in NM?

Not far from Carlsbad below the town of White's City you will find one of the wonders of the world and one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Carlsbad Caverns is not to be missed if you're in the area. The contrast between the below and above ground there is sureal. And look around for bats...they'll be there whether you visit the Caverns or no.

I had never actually been to the Caverns before, except for maybe when I was very young, although this was about the fifth time I'd been to Carlsbad. I typically stay away from crowded tourist sites, but I had still always wanted to see it.

Very cool. The entrance itself is a site, but you should still go in. It's definitely worth it. I had intended to watch the bats in the evening as well, but I was on these crazy back roads, missed my turn, and wound up 10 miles north of town right before sunset.

[Mith242]

Yeah. Most in Eddy County are from the weekend before except the Cascades and Artesia photos, which are from this past weekend. Beautiful weather for both, but what else should you expect in NM?

Yeah especially southern NM. I hear quite a bit of the southern part of the state averages 360 days of sunshine.

[Inkdaub]

I had never actually been to the Caverns before, except for maybe when I was very young, although this was about the fifth time I'd been to Carlsbad. I typically stay away from crowded tourist sites, but I had still always wanted to see it.

Very cool. The entrance itself is a site, but you should still go in. It's definitely worth it. I had intended to watch the bats in the evening as well, but I was on these crazy back roads, missed my turn, and wound up 10 miles north of town right before sunset.

I hear you...and pretty all you'll see at the caverns are tourists. Still, those caves are pretty neat. The bats are cool because they're bats and they emerge in a spiral...but they aren't that big a deal really. The best part is the ranger telling the story of the man, White naturally, who discovered the caverns. Seems he was a town drunk and was wandering around only to fall through a hole into the batcave itself. That combined with the information that the floor of the batcave is covered in guano...fifty feet deep. Sounds like drunk White had quite an experience.