Three Sources of Light National Park Service

Caves are one of the few locations on Earth where expeditions can still reveal previously unexplored places. The resulting maps are proof of existence, and help geologists and park rangers learn more about these unique subterranean environments. In 2018, five female park rangers discovered the second deepest room inside Carlsbad Cavern. Listen to one member of that crew talk about her experiences, emotions, and work that was accomplished along the way.

Public works projects are necessary to support public parks. Restrooms, amphitheaters, and visitor center facilities are some examples of amenities one can expect to find at a national park in the 21st Century. This episode examines the role workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps, Mission 66, and Parkscape USA had in creating this specialized infrastructure. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is known for a unique natural landscape, but its human history is as as abundant as the cave’s speleothems.

The National Park Service strives to preserve and protect America’s great natural and cultural resources unimpaired for future generations. The places in our custody range from the depths of Carlsbad Cavern to the night sky, which stretches over all parks. Carlsbad Cavern and the Moon are both rocky worlds to explore. Both contain colossal and awe-inspiring features. And both are delicate environments where footprints from 50 years ago are still visible today.

The most famous of Carlsbad Caverns National Park’s wildlife are bats. They pollinate, eat insects, use echolocation, and fascinate visitors with evening flights out of the cavern. Despite these positive contributions, bats have long been the subject of fearful myths and folklore. Listen to learn about the relationship between Dracula and the Bat Cave of Carlsbad Cavern.

The National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. At Carlsbad Caverns National Park, these resources exist both above and below the surface. For more information about the National Register of Historic Places please visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/index.htm.

International years celebrate and inform the world about important topics! The International Year of Caves and Karst is organized by the International Union of Speleology, a worldwide organization of explorers, scientists, managers, and educators. Carlsbad Caverns National Park has partnered with the Union of Speleology to celebrate what exists beneath your national park. We invite you to learn from this podcast about how caves and karst contribute to the lives of billions of people globally.