Day 8 Carlsbad Caverns

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JENNA !
From Ft. Stockton through Pecos to the New Mexico state line we travelled on Highway 285 through flat desert as far as you can see. The monotony was only broken by the occasional oil well or a few head of cattle or horses. Once we crossed the state line into New Mexico, it started becoming more hilly.
The drive up to the visitor center at Carlsbad Caverns National Park is winding and narrow. It's very hilly with cactus growing up the steep sides. The view from the visitor center of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Guadalupe Mountains was awesome.
We took the elevator from the visitor center down 750 feet to begin our self-guided tour. We decided to just tour the Big Room as it is the easiest walk. It is about a mile of the most spectacular formations I've ever seen. Everyone speaks in whispers, it seems such a holy place. We didn't want to leave, we were so struck by what we saw. It's one of those places that everyone should see at once in their life.
We camped for the night at Lake Brantley State Park just north of Carlsbad, NM. It is a beautiful spot, overlooking a lake formed by a dam on the Pecos River. It's odd to see a lake in the middle of the desert. It's really windy tonight, we had to cook indoors because the food wouldn't heat outside with the wind blowing the heat away.

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Comments

[Barbara]

AWESOME!