Descending Through the Natural Entrance

The surface is asphalt, kept in good repair, and it curls down toward the cave mouth before ending at the Big Room Trail. Most walkers need between 45 minutes and one hour to finish it.

Heading down from the surface is the recommended direction, since the path slopes downward for its entire length. Coming back up through the Natural Entrance means a tiring climb on steep grades from start to finish. The route is not accessible, and anyone with heart or lung problems should think twice before choosing it.

As you go, the light dims and your vision slowly adapts. Formations and dripstones come into view one after another along the way. Devil's Spring, the Whale's Mouth, and Iceberg Rock are all passed on the walk, and the route retraces the path early explorers took.

The trail ends at the Big Room Trail. For a long time the Big Room was thought to be the largest natural underground chamber on Earth. It no longer holds that rank, but it remains one of the largest cave rooms in the world, and its formations are notably varied, which draws many visitors.

Visitors can reach the cavern by elevator or on foot, and both options call for an entrance ticket. On the way out, every guest steps across bio-cleaning mats. The mats guard against a fungus that causes White-nose Syndrome, which may be present in New Mexico.