Varied Skies

The Pecos River flows through Southeast New Mexico and into Texas before dumping into the Rio Grande. Just north of Carlsbad, NM, a damned portion of the Pecos forms Brantley Lake. We setup camp at Brantley Lake State Park, intent on exploring the riches of the Guadalupe Mountains.

Jackrabbits were plentiful.

One of New Mexico’s most famous natural features, Carlsbad Caverns, lies nestled in the lower folds of the Guadalupes. We have explored several caves on this trip and were really looking forward to seeing Carlsbad Caverns, but we would have to earn it. The elevator that whisks visitors 800 feet underground broke down a couple of months ago and remains unfixed. That left the natural entrance as our only option.

The natural entrance path plummets down a hole that appears never-ending.

At least 62 switchbacks later, you emerge into the main chambers of Carlsbad Caverns. The features of the cave appear other-worldly. This amateur photog found it impossible to capture the brilliance of the cave. Hopefully, these shots will give you a flavor of the experience.

We first toured the King’s Palace Room loaded with spectacular speliothems. Here is the King’s Court with the blade of a guillotine suspended overhead.

Thousands of “soda straws” hung from the ceiling.

Small columns populated the palace.

The Lion’s Tails

After a snack, we explored the Big Room with its huge speliothems and water features.

Working off a cave high, we ascended to the surface in far less time than we had imagined, though sore muscles would remind us of our below-ground-adventure for some time. Elevator, or not, Carlsbad Caverns National Park is worth the effort.

The next day we snuck across the Texas line to explore Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Known for its terrific back-country hiking, we did not have the legs to venture far. We did enjoy the Visitor Center, Frijoles Ranch, and a short hike on the Smith Spring Trail.

After a few days, we packed up and followed the Pecos River into Texas. US 285 from Carlsbad to Pecos, TX, needs serious work. As we bumped along dodging potholes and gazing at trash-filled shoulders and flat, barren land dotted with oil fields, visions of crying Indians danced in our heads. Other than its below-ground-riches, this area of Texas appears to have no redeeming value. Fortunately, things improved after we crossed into the region south of I-10.

We setup camp at Davis Mountain State Park, next to the Fort Davis National Historic Site. The Park Service bills Fort Davis as the best preserved frontier fort in the Southwest.

Tucked in the Davis mountains, Fort Davis has a good Junior Ranger program that highlights many of the preserved buildings and their use.

The parade ground and officer’s row.

Inside the enlisted barracks.

Headed to the magazine building.
Outside the commissary.

Checking out the two-story officer’s quarters.
Chillin’ amongst the ruins.

Junior Ranger swearing-in.
We were informed that no visit to West Texas is complete without seeing the Marfa Mystery Lights. You might recognize Marfa as the site of Judge Scalia’s recent passing, the reason the Fort Davis flag is at half-staff in the above pictures The vistimarfa.com website describes the lights:

Accounts of strange and unexplained phenomena just outside of Marfa began during the 19th century and continue to this day. Ranchers, Apaches, high school sweethearts and famous meteorologists alike have reported seeing seemingly sourceless lights dance on the horizon southeast of town, an area that is nearly uninhabited and extremely difficult to traverse. The mystery lights are sometimes red, sometimes blue, sometimes white, and usually appear randomly throughout the night, no matter the season or the weather..

So distinctive and consistent the phenomena, the town built a $750,000 viewing center off Hwy 90. Some might call that a boondoggle, but the attraction did cause us to drive to Marfa and spend $45 on an unremarkable dinner. For our effort, we were reward with this:

The lights appeared to originate from the direction of Hwy 67. They appeared in the same place toward the left of the picture and disappeared in the same place toward the right of the picture. Call me crazy, but they just might be headlights from cars traveling north on Hwy 67. Maybe they were and we just did not see true “Marfa Lights.” I did capture this interesting shot of what appears to be dancing red lights.

Marfa Lights, or a long exposure taken by a shaky photographer? I’ll let you decide!