The national park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains, which stretch from west Texas to southeast New Mexico. The height of the park above sea level ranges from 1095 meters at its lowest part to 1987 meters at its highest. Although the park has areas of forested upland areas, the park is mostly covered with grass and desert bushes.

Where are the Carlsbad Caves

For those who do not know, say - at the intersection of the northern part of the Chiguauan Desert, the southern Rocky Mountains and the southwestern biogeographic provinces of the Great Plains. This contributes to the diversity of the natural habitat of the animal world. The deserts in the southwest contain some of the tallest species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and insects in the United States.

The park is an important habitat for some predators, in particular cougars, and is also home to one of the largest colonies of cave swallows in the northern hemisphere. - a significant habitat of a huge colony of Mexican tailless bats, where new offspring are born, as well as migrating bats stop.

The Chihuahuan Desert is the largest and wettest desert in North America. Much of this desert is located in Mexico and the park is one of the few places where it is protected and protected. During the year, the park receives an average of 366 mm of precipitation; the climate is continental, semi-arid with mild winters and sultry summers. The average annual temperature is 19 º C.

Carlsbad Caves and Ruttlesnake Springs

A special place in the Carlsbad Caves National Park is Ruttlesnake Springs - an area covered with forest around the current year-round spring, which contributes to the diversity of the animal world. Rattlesnake Springs Spring (Rattlesnake Spring) and the area adjacent to the spring have been designated by the National Audubon Society (the National Audubon Society is an American nonprofit environmental organization dedicated to wildlife conservation and bird research) as a significant habitat birds.

This area attracts poultry farmers from all over the world who want to see some of the over 300 bird species that live there. At the moment, the park has 67 species of mammals (including 17 species of bats), 357 species of birds, 55 different reptiles and amphibians, 5 species of fish, more than 600 insects.

possesses a variety of plant communities, and in some cases, unique. The park has about 900 species and subspecies of vascular plants. The park's diverse ecosystem provides habitat for many plants that are geographically within their area of \u200b\u200bdistribution. For example, the yellow pine reaches its extreme eastern border here, and the dwarf chestnut oak (chinkapin oak) is at the westernmost border of its range.

The Chihuahuan Desert has the largest variety of cacti of any region. Experts believe that this plant originated here, or south of this region, and then spread throughout the New World. The list of vascular plants in the park includes 26 species or subspecies of cacti.

The underground voids are one of the most important geological resources in the United States. The Guadalupe Mountains are an uplifted part of the ancient reefs that abounded in this part along the inland sea more than 250 million years ago during the Permian period. The rock contains the remains of sea sponges, algae, snails, molluscs and other living creatures that lived in this ancient sea. Scientists from all over the world visit the park every year to study the structure and fauna of the reef.

The most famous of all the geological features in the park are the caves. The national park includes 116 caves, the most famous of which are the Carlsbad Caverns (or Carlsbad Cavern). It receives over 300,000 tourists annually and provides its visitors with a rare opportunity to look at the underworld, above which is the desert.

History of the Carlsbad Caves National Park

More than 1000 years ago, prehistoric Indians ventured into the Carlsbad caves in search of shelter. They left behind some mysterious drawings on the walls of the caves near the exit. Much later, in 1898, teenager Jim White accidentally opened the entrance to the Carlsbad Cave.

While searching for stray cattle, Jim saw a huge number of bats flying up from the desert hill. He went to a huge hole in the ground and described what he saw: "I was looking into a huge black hole ... in which the mice seemed to literally boil." Going down into the cave, Jim described his impressions as follows: “I walked until I found myself in the space of grandiose stalagmites. It was my first cave that I entered, and my first stalagmite that I have ever seen, but my intuition told me that there was no other similar place in the world that could be compared with this environment.

Jim White explored the caves using handcrafted wire ladders. When he grew older, most people did not even believe that such caves existed. He gave the name to many rooms, including the Great Room, the King's Palace, the Queen's Chamber, the Green Lake Room. He also gave names to many notable cave formations, such as Witch's Finger, Giant Dome, Abyss, Fairy Land, Temple of the Sun and others. Jim tried to show it unique place other people, but only a few really believed in the existence of huge underground cavities filled with unusual cave formations.
Only photographs convinced skeptics that amazing caves really exist. Demonstrated in the city of Carlsbad in 1915, they caused a real sensation. Immediately there were many who wanted to see the amazing caves with their own eyes.

The fame of the caves spread quickly and reached the city of Washington. In 1923, the US Department of the Interior dispatched Inspector Robert Holley to investigate and verify that the caves are truly a beautiful natural setting. Initially a skeptic, Holly described his impressions as follows: "... I am fully aware of the futility of my efforts to convey conflicting emotions, a sense of fear and good fortune, a desire to understand the work of the Creator, who presented such a complex complex of natural wonders to human eyes."

On October 25, 1923, US President Calvin Coolidge signed a decree establishing the Carlsbad Caves National Monument.

May 14, 1930 by an act of the US Congress was created Carlsbad Caves National Parkoperated by the Service national parks.

The study of the caves of Carlsbad has been going on constantly since that time. Experienced underground explorers, cavers, scientists became Christophers Columbus of today, traveling beyond the unknown. The caves attract many specialists who want to shed light on some of its secrets. Teams of cavers, well versed in safe research methods, continue to discover new, unexplored caves. Their finds include the Guadalupe Room, the second largest room in the Carlsbad Cavern, and the exceptionally bright and ornate Bifrost Room.

The national park is one of the largest in its abundance, diversity and beauty of mineral formations. The park has 116 caves, which are among the largest underground chambers in the world. The main attraction of the park is a complex of 80 Carlsbad caves, with a high diversity and aesthetic appearance of mineral formations. The age of the formation is approximately 4-6 million years, the depth is up to 339 m, the total length of all passages and halls is about 12 km. Almost 5 km of paths have been laid along the territory of the caves, thanks to which numerous tourists explore the beauty of this amazing corner of nature. The largest cave is the Big Room, which is 1219m long, 190.5m wide, and about 107m high at its highest point. It is the third largest cave in North America and the seventh largest in the world. In total, it is equal to 14 football fields.

How the Carlsbad Caves were formed

Most of the caves on our planet were formed by rainwater, which slowly dissolved limestone. Usually, water penetrates through cracks and sinkholes, gradually transforming into underground streams and rivers, carving out complex cave systems. Carlsbad caves were not carved by running water and streams like many limestone caves in the world, but were formed by the action of very aggressive sulfuric acid.

Between 4 and 6 million years ago, water rich in hydrogen sulfide (H2S) began to penetrate through cracks and fractures into limestone. This water, mixing with rainwater, penetrated into the thickness of the earth's crust. When the two types of water mix, H2S, combined with the oxygen that was present in rainwater, is converted to sulfuric acid (H2SO4). This acid dissolved limestone along cracks and folds in the rock, thus forming the Carlsbad Caves. This process left behind massive deposits of gypsum, clay, and sediment as evidence of how the caves were formed. About 4 million years ago, the processes of speleogenesis in an area called ceased, and the caves acquired the form that we can observe today.

The caves were once at the bottom of the sea, covered with a coral reef. Therefore, the limestone rocks that the caves contain is full of marine fossil plants and animals.

In addition to 80 Karlsbad caves, the territory national park tourists can only access the Slaughter Canyon Cave, which also has impressive geological formations. There are no paved paths or lighting, and tourists can take an organized guided tour with a National Park Ranger.

Lechugia cave

Today, Lechuguilla Cave, discovered in 1986, is at the center of exploration by cavers in the national park. It is 490m deep, making it the deepest limestone cave in the United States. It is closed to the public, and the exact location of its entrance is relatively hidden information in order to keep the cave intact.

Until 1986, Lechugia Cave was not of particular interest among visitors to the Carlsbad Caves National Park. It had a 30 meter entrance, which led to a depth of almost 130 meters and ended in a dead-end ending. In the 1950s, cavers heard the roar of the wind from the bottom of the cave covered with rubble. Various experts have come to the conclusion that there is a cave corridor under the rubble. A group of Colorado cavers received permission from the National Park Service to excavate in 1984. The opening of a large underground passage took place on May 26, 1986.

This was followed by one of the most exciting explorations of one of the planet's most famous cave. Since 1986, researchers have mapped over 180 km of passages, establishing the depth of the cave at 490m. Lechugia Cave is ranked 5th in the longest cave category in the world (third in the United States) and is the deepest in the United States. Cavers, drawn by unexplored passages and unprecedented beauty, come here from all over the world to explore.

Lechugia Cave is unusual not only due to its huge size. Cavers discovered here a large amount of gypsum and lemon-yellow sulfur deposits. A fantastic set of rare speleothems (mineral deposits that formed in caves as a result of dripping water), some of them are unique. Lechugia Cave surpasses its sister, Carlsbad Cave, in size, depth, and variety of speleothems, although it does not have such rooms that could compare with the huge Great Room of Carlsbad Cave. The Lechugia Cave is a true underground laboratory where geological processes can be investigated based on a virtually untouched environment.

The evening flight of Mexican tailless bats from the entrance-exit of the Carlsbad Cave is one of the main attractions of the national park. Tailless bats live only in colonies and feed only on insects. The bat colony in Carlsbad is composed mainly of females, which give birth from June to July, and migrate to Mexico for the winter in October.

The park is home to 17 species of bats, including a large number of Mexican tailless bats. It has been estimated that the population of Mexican tailless bats, once numbered in the millions, has declined dramatically in the modern era. Recently, their population has increased slightly, but it cannot compare with what it was before. Many methods have been used to estimate their numbers in a cave. The most recent and most successful of these efforts involves the use of thermal imaging cameras to track their numbers. According to 2005 data, their number was 793,000.

Mexican tailless bats live here from April to late October or early November. They fly out of the cave in a dense group, move upward in a spiral in a counterclockwise direction, as a rule, starting at sunset; the departure takes about 3 hours. Bats have a complex locating system, thanks to which they never collide with each other. An amphitheater has been built at the entrance to the cave, where visitors to the national park, starting from Memorial Day (Memorial Day is a national holiday in the United States and is dedicated to the memory of American soldiers who died in armed conflicts or wars with the participation of the United States. It is celebrated annually on the last Monday in May) , and until mid-October, they listen to the ranger's stories about bats, and the audience is waiting for the moment when the mice begin their appearance from the cave.

The most impressive flights of bats take place in August and September. At this time, new offspring, born in early summer, join their older relatives, and then they all migrate south together.

Daily pre-dawn bats comebacks are different from evening departures, but they are also impressive. Those who watch the morning return witness how the bats dive from a height of hundreds of meters into the opening of the cave entrance. Some of them can reach speeds of 40 km / h and more.

The park is open to the public all year round, but most tourists come here mainly in summer, on weekends and holidays. The lowest visit is in January. Carlsbad Caves National Park is open 24/7, except for Christmas. Tourists are offered the choice of going down to the cave to a depth of 230 meters on their own or using the installed elevators.

El Paso is the closest large city to the national park, the distance from which is about 190 km.

Unique natural masterpieces have always attracted people, and mysterious caves for many centuries have been a reliable shelter from bad weather and a place where various rituals were performed. The miraculous speleological monuments, which have a special charm, are full of mysteries, and every year more and more tourists want to make fascinating journeys to the underworld to experience new sensations and see the fairy world with their own eyes.

Where is the Mammoth Cave located?

One of the most interesting miraculous works is located in Kentucky (USA), south of Louisville, on the banks of the Green River. The cave stretching for several hundred kilometers, consisting of an extensive system of intricate corridors, deep pits and spacious halls on five levels, is a karst cave. Many millions of years ago, soft rocks were gradually washed away by waters, voids were formed in the limestone in the form of gigantic grottoes, connected by several passages, and some of them fell off into natural wells. The lower level is inaccessible for study, where underground rivers flow, and the halls are filled with water.

Lying in limestone layers under the Flint mountain range, Mammoth Cave, which is more than 627 kilometers long, is the longest on our planet. However, every year cavers exploring the underground grottoes map out new openings on the map.

Description of a natural masterpiece

Despite its name, the mysterious Mammoth Cave, formed over 10 million years ago as a result of karsting in a limestone layer, has nothing to do with extinct animals. Mammoth Cave got its name due to its gigantic size, since the word mammoth is translated not only as "mammoth", but also "giant". According to scientists, the Indians who lived in the Ohio Valley have long known about the existence of underground labyrinths and first visited them more than four thousand years ago. They used dark grottoes for performing funeral rites, and this fact is evidenced by the finds discovered by scientists - burials with well-preserved mummies and wall petroglyphs.

Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is always dry because it is protected from water by a thick layer of sandstone that seals it like a lid. Visitors have a unique opportunity to walk along five levels of the sight, into which new passages are deliberately made, equipped with elevators for the convenience of tourists. The corridors of the underground are so huge that a powerful river system was formed in it, and groundwater found channels at the very base of the cave.

History of the discovery of Mammoth Cave

In 1797, hunters, the Hutchins brothers, chasing a wounded animal, accidentally find a mysterious manhole that led deep into the cliff. Returning with torches, they make their way along an underground corridor to a spacious hall, from which multiple branches-labyrinths begin. Fearing to get lost, residents return home, announcing unexpected finds: near the entrance to the Mammoth Cave, they found the mummy of a man crushed by a huge boulder. The body and clothing of the Indian, who died about two thousand years ago, were in excellent condition.

Saltpeter production and tourism business

A year later, entrepreneurs engaged in the extraction of potassium nitrate buy out the cave and build a small plant for its production here. At that time, there was a war between the United States and Britain, and the American troops were in dire need of gunpowder. And the thing is that saltpeter, which instantly soared in price, is an important component of it. Several dozen slaves worked around the clock in the gloomy dungeons, but after the end of hostilities, the demand for potassium nitrate falls, and the owners permanently close the plant and begin organizing tourist excursions to mysterious grottoes.

In 1838, the miraculous miracle of nature was acquired by the new owner F. Gorin, who continued to do business. His slave S. Bishop, who has become a guide for visitors, explores the corridors and halls of the Mammoth Cave in North America and even names many of them. Finding that the underground galleries are much longer than previously thought, he maps more than 16 kilometers of underground passages, and this invaluable information was used by other researchers for many years. By the way, Bishop, who died a year after he was given freedom, is buried on the territory of the complex.

National park formation

By the end of the 19th century, the local landmark becomes famous, and after the railroad and open steamship traffic, the flow of tourists increases several times. The Kentucky authorities in the 20s of the last century redeemed from the last owner all the land in the vicinity of the natural miracle and through the courts evicted farmers who did not want to leave their homes.

1941 becomes the year of the formation of the national park called "Mammoth Cave" (Mammoth Cave National Park), which is visited by two million tourists a year. Soon, UNESCO takes the natural complex under protection, and 27 years ago it was assigned the status of a biosphere reserve.

Now on its territory, which occupies more than 21 hectares, there are free routes for tourists, where they can get acquainted with the history of the park and have an interesting time. Research on this unique work of nature continues to this day, and both government agencies and private funds that protect the environment are involved in their financing.

What does the miraculous monument hide?

The entrance to the Mammoth Cave is not visible at first glance: it is an inconspicuous iron door in the rock. Tourists descend a vertical shaft along a rather narrow staircase, after which they find themselves in a spacious hall and walk along a limestone corridor called Broadway. Reaching 15 kilometers in length, it resembles a mysterious tunnel with many exits with a semicircular arch.

Through a wide alley, visitors come to a small river Echo, which cuts through the underground and bursts out. Previously, everyone could swim in a boat on an underground lake 10 meters deep, where any sound reflected from the walls changes beyond recognition. Next is the Concert Hall, where violinists often perform, and the Frozen Niagara grotto will amaze you with frozen limestone formations of bizarre shapes that excite the imagination of every visitor.

A new passageway leads into a circular Church Hall with a stepped floor, followed by a Gothic Gallery about a kilometer long. It ends with the Star Grotto, which got its name from the small blotches of shining quartz crystals on the vaults of the cave. Having crossed Lake Leta, tourists disembark on the other side and pass the Great Alley, where you can see an incredible number of stalactites and stalagmites.

Scary entertainment

At the end of the excursion, everyone will have a compulsory entertainment: the lights suddenly turn off and tourists remain in complete darkness in order to understand from their own experience what total darkness is. The sheer haze creates an unusual effect of the endlessness of underground labyrinths. However, time passes, and tourists rejoice at the newly activated illumination like children.

Strict rules of conduct in the underworld

Visitors gather near the information center, with whom the initial instructions are given and the rules of conduct in the cave are read. One interesting point is the warning that any writing on the walls of dungeons is considered a federal crime. In addition, it is forbidden to take pictures with a flash, use a tripod or carry anything out of the cave. The group is necessarily accompanied by two rangers: one goes ahead, turning on the light, and the other makes sure that no one lags behind.

After the end of the excursion and exit from the Mammoth Cave, tourists treat the soles with a special agent that prevents the disease, which is deadly for the bats living in the park.

Excursions for every taste

The extensive underground system is also a popular tourist attraction. It is easy to breathe here, as the air is very dry, in addition, numerous shafts provide powerful ventilation around the clock. Access is open all year round, but the number of excursions decreases from early autumn to late winter. You cannot get inside the grottoes on your own to explore them, so it is necessary to book tours in advance

Sightseeing tours offered by the Mammoth Cave Park last from one to six hours. There are a variety of routes, ranging from easy, for beginners, to difficult, requiring special training... There are also educational excursions, where those who wish are introduced to how saltpeter was previously mined here.

You can also go on a fascinating journey through the darkest corners of the dungeon, where tourists carry kerosene lamps to illuminate their path, and all extreme enthusiasts are delighted with the route in which visitors are allowed to independently master dusty, unexplored passages.

Numerous underground rooms are named after celebrities. So, here is the Washington Hall, the Styx River, the "Fat Man's Suffering" and "Giant's Coffin" corridors, the Mouse Grotto.

At the request of environmentalists, boat excursions were canceled several years ago: they did not bring profit, but caused serious harm to the river fauna.

To prevent visitors from spoiling the walls by carving words or drawings on them, the administration of the Mamontova Cave National Park has created a special grotto where everyone can leave a small mention of themselves - the Recording Hall.

Many directors making films about cavers have asked permission from the administration to capture the beauty of the underground labyrinths on film. And everyone received a tough refusal, since the soffits would have heated the air greatly, thereby violating the fragile microclimate.

Near the place where the Mammoth Cave is located, cavers discovered other underground kingdoms in the last century, proving that they are closely connected with each other by intricate labyrinths.

At the beginning of the last century, concerts of jazz bands in grottoes with excellent acoustics were especially popular, as well as memorable wedding ceremonies.

How to get there, cost and opening hours

Tourists who are going to visit the miraculous monument have a logical question: "How to get to the Mammoth Cave?" You can reach it by car, moving from the north along highways 31W, 31E, I-65. Big City, which is closest to the underworld, is called Louisville, and on the border of the national park is a miniature Brownsville.

The cost of the trip is $ 5, and the excursion around the cave is 14. However, not all the underground labyrinths will be accessible to tourists. So, to get into the "Frozen Niagara" hall, you will have to pay $ 13, and you can see the shimmering crystals of the Star Grotto for $ 14.

Lovers long journeys choose the "Wild Cave Tour", the price of which ($ 55) includes a visit to all the mazes on five tiers. There are good discounts for children and seniors.

Mammoth Cave National Park is open from 8 am to 6 pm in summer and from 8 am to 4 pm in winter, all days except December 25. On its territory there is a restaurant offering delicious dishes of national cuisine, and a cozy hotel is waiting for everyone who wants to stay in order to feel the unusual atmosphere.

In the USA, in the state of New Mexico, nature has created an amazing underworld. In the darkness, corridors stretch and twist, creating whole mazes. The mysterious haze is not lifeless here - the halls and galleries are inhabited by flocks of bats. These miraculous dungeons can be found in Carlsbad Caves Park.

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Despite the fact that its main tourist attraction is caves, this area includes many more interesting places... It includes desert, mountains and forests that deserve attention. A huge variety of animals can be found in the park. It is home to one of the largest swallow colonies.

The caves were explored over 1000 years ago by the indigenous population. Looking for shelter, the Indians entered the caves, where they settled. Traces of their presence can be seen on the walls leading to the underworld - on them the Indians left mysterious drawings. The halls, for sure, more than once became a haven for ancient civilizations. Bonfires burned in the underground galleries, and people prayed to the gods.

Already at the end of the 19th century, the entrance to the Carlsbad Caves was rediscovered by a young man. While looking for the lost cattle, he accidentally saw a dark flock of bats rising from the hill. An inquisitive teenager discovered a dark hole in this place, which led him to the first cave in his life. It was he who became the first explorer of this underworld. He had a self-made wire ladder and a lot of enthusiasm. Opening new halls and galleries, he gave them names that are still used today.

Nevertheless, only a few were ready to believe the teenager's stories about the mysterious labyrinth of caves. Most considered them to be fictions. Only photographs were able to convince people of their existence. For the first time, pictures of the caves were exhibited in the city of Carlsbad and immediately caused a sensation. Many spectators desired to see the amazing interweaving of the caves with their own eyes. Already after 8 years, the fame of the caves spread so much that a decree was signed to create a National Park.

Since then, a systematic study of them began. The subsoil and the variety of natural formations have attracted scientists, researchers and cavers. The park consists of 116 caves, but the main attraction is the complex of 80. They go underground to a depth of more than 300 meters, and the length of all caves reaches 12 km. The largest in area is comparable to 14 football fields... This is the most real underground kingdom with galleries, corridors and riddles.

Cave formation

Karlsbad caves were formed in a completely different way from most of the existing ones. Ordinary caves have been washed away by groundwater for millennia, but not in this case. More than 4 million years ago, in this area, water saturated with hydrogen sulfide began to seep through faults and cracks under the limestone. Mixing with ordinary rainwater and interacting with oxygen, it was converted into sulfuric acid. It was this aggressive environment that washed up the underground labyrinths of the Carlsbad caves. Several million years ago, they formed the appearance that can be observed now.

Carlsbad caves today

Not all galleries and halls are available for tourists. You can get into the main complex of 80 caves. The Cave of Massacre is separately accessible, but only as part of an organized excursion.

In the center of the study is the Lechugia cave, which is inaccessible for visits. It is the deepest in the United States, and information on the location of its entrance is carefully guarded. For a long time, the cave was not popular either among visitors or among scientists.

Until 1986, when a cave corridor was discovered under the rubble. Behind it were found countless passages and galleries, going deep underground. Cavers from all over the world come here to explore the unique underworld. Virtually untouched in the Lechugia cave environment allows you to study geological processes in it.

Bats are the trademark of the Carlsbad Caves. There are 17 species in the park, but most of them are tailless Mexican mice. Once their population numbered about a million individuals, but in modern conditions it has sharply declined. Mice live in flocks, and their diet consists exclusively of insects. Migration to Mexico takes place in autumn.

The flight of bats from the caves and back is an impressive sight. They move in a dense black stream, spiraling upward. You can observe this after sunset for three hours. Bats fly very close to each other at speeds up to 40 km / h, but do not collide. This is due to the fact that nature has awarded them with a unique location system. A special amphitheater has been built in the national park, where visitors can listen to a lecture on night creatures and watch their departure.

The caves themselves deserve no less attention than the flight of bats. The excursion routes stretch through the underground kingdom for 5 km. They span 80 caves, displaying countless stalactites and stalagmites. Some of them are so thin that when the wind blows, touching each other, they emit a barely audible gentle ringing. The walls of the caves are decorated with graceful miraculous designs created by nature itself. The formed underground colonnades create the feeling that this is the palace of an unknown ruler, hiding under the earthly firmament. In the labyrinth of caves, you can even find a lake - a small reservoir of green water.

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For the convenience of tourists, all caves are equipped with paths, fences and lighting, so viewing the galleries will not be difficult. Descending into this natural dungeon, visitors find themselves in another world. Unknown artists and sculptors decorated the walls of caves millions of years ago. It's hard to believe that all this was created without any human intervention. The vaults and walls are adorned with a rich palette of colors - gray, blue, violet and light blue play with colors in the galleries. A visit to the Carlsbad Caves is an unforgettable experience for all tourists.

HOW IT WAS. F. Nedosekin.

To the opening of the cave under the cathedral in Trubchevsk. In 1926 I was already in 6th grade and was elected secretary of the local history circle at school. In the vicinity of Trubchevsk, at a distance of 25-30 km, I was familiar with the nearby villages, rivers and forest lands.

As an activist-ethnographer, at the invitation of the museum director Porshnyakov, he took part in the excavations near the village of Khatyanovka, the mammoth encampment. This interesting work lasted more than 2 weeks. All finds: bones, tusks, tools were carefully packed and sent to Leningrad at the direction of Academician Belyaeva. I didn't stay at home. So it was in May 1926. There was a festive demonstration on the occasion of May 1st. Spring is in full swing. The Desna River overflowed and overflowed its banks. Without waiting for the end of the celebration, I was drawn to the city park to the river. The steep slope down to the river was difficult, but I decided to try it anyway. And so, going down the slope, and then along the steep slope of the town, 15 meters from the last tree, my foot fell into some kind of hole. I can't describe my fear. This had never happened to me before, there was nothing to hold on to, and the leg had to be released. And the more I moved one leg, the more the hole in the hole widened.

Having got my festive costume dirty, I still stayed on this cooler one. I myself resisted, but my new cap was already floating in the water. While tearing the hole in the hole with my hands, I nevertheless stood with both feet on the bottom of the hole. So, within 30-40 m (minutes - Ed.), I nevertheless became at the bottom of the pit. Later I saw that it was not a pit, but a cave. I made such a hole that I could crawl into the cave. The cave turned out to be more than 2 m high with a semicircular vault up to 2 m wide. I walked 4-5 m along it, stopped and realized that it was impossible to move on - it was dark. Crawled to the surface smeared. With great difficulty I climbed into the city park. Tired and smeared with wet clay, I came home, my father gave me the "first number". But after my story about my adventures, anger changed to mercy. I became interested and kind.

The next day I organized an "expedition" to the cave: brother Sasha, Vadim Nuzhnov, Oleg Grashinsky and Pavlik Ionchik. We took with us "grubs", a reliable rope 20-25m long, an ax, two shovels, a kerosene lantern and a large bag. To enter the cave, I had to make steps on a steep descent, tying myself with a rope, I was the first to go down to the cave. The guys were holding the other end of the rope tightly. And so, gradually, step by step, all the guys got over to the mouth of the cave. The work was in full swing. The cave was dug in full profile, and an inspection of the cave began. The ceilings and walls of the cave were tapped step by step. Pits 0.5-1 m deep were made every meter. The cave was an adit with a length of, as it seemed to us, 30-35 m. On the walls, rhombuses, squares and rectangles were cut in the correct form, the side of which was 1-2 cm. And the only thing the word was scribbled with a sharp object "AVVA". At the entrance to the cave, charred bones (apparently domestic animals), coals and ashes of a fire were found. Our exploration of the cave lasted almost 6 hours. Exhausted, tired and smeared with clay, we trudged through the city center to our homes. At home our family and friends listened to our story. A few days later, the whole city knew about the discovery of the caves, and later the nearby villages.

Museum Director in 1919-1928 - Porshnyakov G.M.

The next day I went to the museum director Porshnyakov and told about everything that had happened the day before. The director of the museum wished to personally inspect the cave. And again the same company went to "storm" the cave. The director of the Porshnyakov Museum is a very obese man, elderly, and we had to widen the path to the cave. He was pleased with what he saw, only drew attention to the floor of the cave. We dug it up a lot. After inspecting the cave, an act was drawn up. One copy was sent by Porshnyakov to the Academy of Sciences, and the second copy was left in the museum's files. The news of the discovery of the cave by me spread throughout Trubchevsk and its environs. The holy fathers of the city believed that this was the cave of "the life of the Monk Nile. The population of the area came to see the cave and take a handful of the" holy land "from there, and I was numbered among the Holy Fathers. Later, when I left to study in Moscow, rumors circulated around Trubchevsk that I found a treasure in this cave. Unfortunately, this was not the case, although we dug holes in the cave, hoping to find something similar. What significance this pepera had for Trubchevsk - I don’t know, and after my departure to Moscow I lost connection with the museum The director of the museum Porshnyakov then made two assumptions;

1. The cave was an observation point for the approach of enemy ships to the city of Trubchevsk (XVI-XVII centuries)

2. A hermit monk lived in a cave.

F. Nedosekin in Trubchevsk visiting Levenkov on Lenin street with K. Portsevsky, O. Levenk, F. Prostakov. June 16, 1990

When I was in Trubchevsk in 1992, the entrance to the cave was blocked up and there was no trace of its existence. The management of the Trubchevsky Museum of Local Lore should pay attention to this historical monument of the city. Nedosekin F.A.., resident of Trubchevsk (1913 to 1928) Moscow, We have removed the full address of residence intentionally (Ed.).

- In 1936, together with the director of the museum, Vs. Prot. Levenkom to inspect the cave, but something new was not found, and the inscription, which the author cites, was not found. Carved into a cave ... (inaudible) with a sharp spatula, has a vaulted ceiling. The work of a hermit monk?

04.24.1973 V. Padin.

- In 1929, May 15. Pupils of Trubchevskaya secondary school of the 2nd foot: G. Germanov, O. Grashinsky, A. Nedosekin, F. Nedosekin opened in Trubchevskaya Cathedral mountain underground passage deep into the mountains.

V.P. Levenok 1979.

Hi guys! We have been living in San Miguel in Mexico for 2 months now, and as usual, if we stay in one place for such a long time, I start to crave new experiences. I would like to break loose and go somewhere else, but until mid-December we are definitely not going anywhere, but quietly sitting here - taking the children to kindergarten and gymnastics, walking in the park, eating ice cream in downtown and starting to use the heater.

And I am periodically attacked by the longing for the United States, I remember beautiful places, delicious food, and, of course, last summer, when we are with our children and. There we visited one place, which I have not yet told about - Crystal cave.

This cave is an eerily old formation, judging by the huge stalactites and stalagmites, but they found it quite recently - several decades ago - the rangers walked by and felt a chill, pushed the branches apart and found the entrance to the cave. Now, of course, it has been ennobled and made convenient for tourists - they cut through the passages, laid paths, and connected the lighting.

In general, there are more than 250 caves in Sequoia Park, but where their location is not disclosed to tourists - they are afraid that they will ruin everything. And rightly so - our brother loves to break off a stalactite for memory, then wake up a flying mouse! In addition, visitors are at risk of introducing any diseases. One especially dangerous for bats is White Nose Syndrome, a fungal infection that is transmitted by contact and leads to the mass death of poor mice. A visible symptom is the growth of a fungus on the face and wings, hence the name of the disease.

In recent years, scientists have become very concerned about the epidemic of white nose syndrome, so before entering the cave, visitors are told about the dangers of contamination and asked to wipe the soles of their shoes on a wet mat to remove the remains of soil on which the fungus can be transferred. In addition, they ask if they have been to other caves in the past few years. To protect the cave, backpacks, bags and other items with straps and straps are not allowed. In general, everything is very serious!

You cannot get into the cave on your own - only as part of a tour, which are different - from simple, 50 minutes long, where you can safely go with very young children, to almost real research expeditions, when they give out specials. clothes, a helmet with a flashlight and you can crawl around non-tourist corners for 4-6 hours !!! And then there are tours for Halloween - they are held not on the holiday itself, but a few days before it - on this tour you can not only admire all sorts of calified formations and marble vaults of the cave, but also meet ghosts. In conditions of dim lighting and cold temperatures, the meeting, I think, is not pleasant, so children under 8 are not allowed in :). Cost $ 20, duration 1.5 hours.

We, of course, went on a family tour, which, by the way, was also very interesting! We walked through several large and not so large halls, admired the huge growths, a small rivulet and listened to the history and process of the cave formation.

The guide told us at first that there would be an opportunity to take a picture, but in the end, it was necessary to take a picture while she was talking, because then we moved on and there was no time to stop at the photo. My photos may not convey either the scale or the beauty of the Crystal Cave, but believe me, it's worth going there!

Useful information

1. The cave is open from mid-May to November.
2. Tickets can be bought in advance, but only for the same day - at the Foothills Visitor Center or Giant Forest Museum (near the cave, by phone, online tickets not for sale!).
3. The cost depends on the type of tour. The simplest, Family tour, in 2014 cost $ 15 for an adult, the most expensive, Adventure tour, - $ 135.
4. In July-August there is usually a large influx of tourists, so you should buy tickets first thing in the morning (especially on weekends).
5. Tickets are sold only for a tour that starts no earlier than 1.5 hours from the moment of buying a ticket, since you have to go to the cave by car without traffic jams - about 50 minutes (traffic jams occur during road repairs, and since there are only 2 lanes , then cars are passed in turn and sometimes you can sit in a traffic jam for 20-30 minutes).
6. The cave can only be reached by car. The free shuttle buses running through the park do not go to the cave, and you can walk far from the nearest shuttle stop there.
7. From the parking lot to the cave, you have to walk down about 800 m along an asphalt path. It is not allowed to take a stroller there, but it is better to stock up on some water, because you will have to go back up.
8. The temperature in the cave is + 10C, so it's worth taking a sweater with you.
9. You can take pictures in the cave for free, but you cannot use a flash or tripod.