Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Jim White was hauling water for cattle when he saw what looked like smoke billowing from a crack in the desert.
Turns out it was bats. Lots of them. So in 1898, this ranch hand twisted together some wire, made a ladder, and dropped into the unknown.
Here’s what he found and how you can see it yourself.
The Bat Flight That Drew Him In
White watched the bat flight for half an hour before deciding to check it out. These Mexican free-tailed bats, which still live in the caverns today, fly out each evening in a tight spiral.
This amazing sight convinced White that any space housing so many bats must be huge inside. The bats seemed to “boil” out of the largest, darkest hole he had ever seen.
Local Native American tribes knew about the cave entrance for hundreds of years but never went deep inside.
Preparing The Tools For Descent
A few days after finding the cave, White came back with basic tools for exploring. He brought rope, fence wire, and a hatchet to build a way down.
He cut branches from nearby mesquite bushes, tough desert plants with strong wood. From materials cowboys carried, he made a simple lantern to light his way.
Jim White Jr. later said his father spent nearly a month getting ready for his first trip down. White knew the dangers and planned carefully.
Constructing The Wire Ladder
White built his ladder by tying wooden sticks between strands of fence wire. The design had to hold his weight while bending enough to fit through the cave opening.
He used materials he knew from fixing fences across ranch lands. This simple but clever ladder showed his problem-solving skills.
Years later, a bronze statue of White climbing down his wire ladder was placed at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute in Carlsbad.
The First Descent Into Darkness
White lowered his rope ladder into the cave and started climbing down carefully. He went about 50 to 60 feet down, one hand on the ladder, one holding his lantern.
The weak light cast shadows on the rock walls around him. White reached a narrow ledge but saw his ladder wasn’t long enough to reach the bottom.
His small kerosene flame barely lit up the vast darkness of the huge cave system.
Beyond The Ladder’s Reach
From his spot on the ledge, White saw the cave floor about 20 feet below. He bravely decided to keep going by holding onto the rough limestone wall to reach the bottom.
When he reached the floor, White pointed his lantern ahead and faced darkness “so black it seemed solid.” He felt like he was entering the heart of the Guadalupe Mountains.
The First Chamber Discoveries
White stood in a large room with two tunnels going in different directions.
One tunnel went down and to the right, while another more level path went left. White took the left path first, leading him to what later became known as the Bat Cave, home to the bats he’d seen from outside.
Cave Formations
White stared at strange shapes in the cave unlike anything he’d seen before. His lantern light reflected off crystal surfaces formed over millions of years.
He saw stone icicles hanging from the ceiling, called stalactites, and other formations rising from the floor, called stalagmites. These formed from mineral-rich water dripping for centuries.
White later named many formations based on how they looked. Names like Totem Pole, Giant Dome, and Rock of Ages still guide visitors today.
The Decision To Turn Back
After walking some distance into the cave, White realized his equipment wasn’t good enough and decided to head back. The cave stays 56 degrees year-round, much colder than the warm New Mexico air above.
Visiting Carlsbad Caverns
Carlsbad Caverns National Park sits in the Guadalupe Mountains at 727 Carlsbad Caverns Highway, Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220.
You need timed entry reservations. Entry costs $15 for visitors 16 and older, while younger guests enter free.
Don’t miss the Natural Entrance Trail, Big Room Trail, and seasonal bat flights (May-October). The King’s Palace Tour requires tickets ($8) and offers access to decorated chambers.
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