What a wonderful way to end the day exploring the caverns! Before the bats emerged, a Ranger shared lots of bat trivia and information about the caves. He talked until the bats took flight. No pictures or cell phones allowed, and we were all encouraged to watch silently so as not to disturb the bats. It was almost a mystical experience watching the steady stream of bats emerge while a whole group of people looked on in silence. The bats came out in groups, flying and diving to catch insects and some flew right above us. We had spent the afternoon in the caverns, had enough time to get a couple of sandwiches before the cafeteria closed at 5 PM, then we took our food to a picnic table where we ate and enjoyed the scenery. After a little walk on the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Trail, we went to the ampitheater to see the bats. It was a perfect afternoon and evening! I highly recommend spending the whole afternoon and early evening at the Park.See more..
Being able to see the contrast of a volcano and ice cave at one location was intriguing and very interesting. This makes me want to learn more about how this can happen. Looking at the twisted pines, the roots of the trees on the mountainside and the grandeur of the volcano were worth the stop, and the price of admission. Take a little time, walk up the volcano first, so you can cool down in the ice cave.See more..
4.5Slaughter Canyon Cave(39 reviews) - Fun Day, But Glad I Did Lower Cavern and Big Room First Caverns & Caves
Don't let the name scare you away from this natural wonder, a dark cave with no electricity or modern conveniences but plenty of awesome sights including an 89-foot column, a dazzling Christmas tree-like column and a rimstone dam. Guided tours must be booked in advance.See more..
4.5Spider Cave(18 reviews) - Do it!!!! Caverns & Caves
Definitely take the time to explore Spider Cave. I went in 2017 and the experience is still with me, in a fantastically good way. You will use your body but you don't need to be a triathlete to be able to make the trip. If you're afraid of the dark, stretching your body across deep chasms, or tight spaces, then do NOT go. But, if you want to go where few have gone and see what few have seen and prove yourself to yourself, then do it, DO IT NOW!See more..
4.0Sandia Man Cave(16 reviews) - Easy hike to a hidden gem! Caverns & Caves
A 15 mile leisure drive from Albuquerque to Las Placitas took us to Sandia Cave. It is located on the north end of the Sandia Mountains high up on the steep cliff walls of Las Huertas Canyon. The trailhead is off of NM 165 and is marked with a sign. It is a 0.47 slightly ascending mile hike from the parking lot to the cave. The trail leads to a concrete staircase, then to a limestone ledge in the cliff, and finally to a metal staircase that spirals up to the mouth of the cave. The cave was discovered in 1936 by a University of New Mexico anthropology student. From 1937-1941 UNM excavated it. Found in the cave were stone arrow and lance points, basket scraps, bits of woven yucca moccasins, and skeletal remains of Ice Age animals such as the mastodon. This cave also played an important role in the history of how we think about the archaeological record in the Southwest during the Paleo-Indian period. No human remains were discovered.See more..
5.0Samadhi Hermitage(1 review) - Silent Meditation Retreat at the Samadhi Hermitage in Picturesque Madrid, New Mexico. Spent More than 3 hours Caverns & Caves
I have been learning about meditation since I visited Bangkok over the Summer. I had about a week off and wanted to attend a retreat to take my practice to a deeper level. I found the Samadhi Hermitage on a website dedicated to finding meditation retreats. The Samadhi Hermitage is nestled in beautiful Madrid, New Mexico. Madrid has about 500 people, according to a resident there. The Samadhi Hermitage offers two "caves" for a personal meditation retreat. One cave is for a longer term stay, and the other (where I stayed called the Samadhi Cave) is for shorter term stays. The person who runs the hermitage is a master meditator, having completed multiple years in caves and studied for decades in India. I was able to completely absorb into my meditation and into the study of the meditation technique I was using. I stayed three days and meditated in complete silence interrupted only by my one daily meal, a coffee break, sleep, listening to the discourses, using the restroom and some discussions with the meditation master there. I was offered and accepted discourses made available by the meditation master onsite as well he was willing to discuss my goals and give me some ideals for techniques. The cave is on a donation basis and you can pay what you like. The mountains are beautiful that surround and the place is filled with amazing books related to meditation, Eastern spirituality and the people who practice that. I think it could also be amazing if you just wanted to drop in and get some guidance on meditation, life or meet a great asset (in the meditation master residing there). If you go or want to go and have any questions, please ask and I will try and get to them.See more..
