After spending a full day of in-depth investigative reporting on the Roswell alien situation, we were hot, exhausted, and ready for something different. We once again packed up Rosalita and headed to the outskirts of Roswell to check out the Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

This refuge bills itself as an “oasis in the desert.” It was established in the 1930s under FDR as a place for migratory birds. The refuge location is “where the Chihuahuan Desert meets short grass prairie, the Pecos River, and the Roswell Artesian Basin. The blending of these different ecological conditions finds wetland-dependent species interacting with desert creatures.” It was a really neat and peaceful place. Although we didn’t see many animals, we did see a rabbit and a bunch of pretty birds and dragonflies. It was also a welcome respite after the touristy cheese 🧀 of downtown Roswell.

To Carlsbad We Go

After our fun Roswell day, last night we checked in to our Airbnb, a “tiny house” in Carlsbad, New Mexico. It is a really cute place, and is also really well equipped with washer and dryer, etc. We have lucked out with our Airbnbs this trip, for sure! This one even has a resident beta fish, whom Rob and Jenna have colluded to name “Carl Blaze Shinedown.” We got to give Carl Blaze Shinedown his dinner last night and tonight.

Carlsbad Caverns

The main reason we are here, of course, is because Carlsbad is the closest city to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I studied Carlsbad Caverns in a college geology course, and have wanted to come here ever since. It has a huge cave system of over 100 known caves, formed by sulfuric acid dissolving limestone. It has beautiful rock formations and a nightly bat flight, so we knew it was our kind of place! Driving out to the park took about 45 minutes from Carlsbad, straight through desert terrain. We saw so many really cool kinds of cacti that I have never seen before!

We purchased timed entry tickets that got us into the park, and from there we paid a fee that let us go down into the cave system. Carlsbad is best known for the Big Room, one of the largest underground chambers in North America. They have a elevator directly from the visitors center that goes all the way down 750 feet into the Big Room, or, as we chose, you can hike the “natural entrance” to the cave. The natural entrance starts at a wide opening at ground level (which is also used by cave swallows during the day and Mexican free-tailed bats at night) and follows a 1.5 mile path of switchbacks through multiple chambers and some tight squeezes before you reach the Big Room. We loved that we got to see more, and we especially enjoyed all the cave swallows that were swooping in and out of the cave entrance.

Off we went into the dimly lit cave, and into the blissful, year round 56-degree temps. The rock formations, stalagmites and stalactites were just beautiful. We had hiked Mammoth Cave in KY before and found it beautiful, but this cave system was sooo much larger, and was really beyond all my expectations.

Our complete hike took just over two hours. The park system really outdid themselves back in the day with this one between the elevator (which we took back out), the underground restrooms and snack bar (yep!!), and the path with railings all the way through, as well as some seating areas and lecture seating made from the rocks. It’s incredible!

Have You Seen an Aoudad?

The day’s excitement continued after we left the park! As we came down the mountain, Rob spotted a giant herd of animals running and leaping and rolling in the dirt in a nearby field. We were able to get fairly close, and Google told us they were Barbary sheep (Aoudads)! Apparently these native North African sheep were introduced into New Mexico in the 1950s, and they are thriving. The herd had a bunch of babies that were so cute and SO fast! The sheep loved to take dirt baths, as well, and would toss dirt from the ground onto themselves using their big horns. It was really cool!

We headed back to Carlsbad for dinner, and are packing up tonight to head out for tomorrow’s destination: Amarillo, Texas! Thanks for adventuring with us!