Kartchner Caverns

The next morning, we headed over to Kartchner Caverns – a bit early, so we had to wait in the freezing, but clear, morning air while a large group of prisoners started some landscape work. 

A great discovery; Photo: Arizona State Parks

When we pulled in, we noticed several large campers parked in the parking lot, obviously camping … which seemed odd for a park with a full campground and a gate that locks at night.

As we drove around, we saw a really beautiful Black-tailed Jackrabbit ...

Wildlife!

... and he actually stayed still long enough to be photographed. Normally, Jackrabbits are gone as fast as a … well … jackrabbit.

Look at those ears!

When the Visitor Center opened, we were able to very easily switch to the first tour of the morning (as I suspected, despite being told the day before the tour was sold out). We also asked about the campers in the parking lot and the ranger said they allow, but don’t advertise, “dry camping.” So, “pretty much full” was actually accurate.

Kartchner Caverns State Park features a cave with 2.4 miles of passages that can be visited through several different tours. Discovered only in 1974, these beautiful “live” chambers are very carefully protected with a series of air-lock doors, misters and trails with curbs that keep hair, dust and lint from getting into the cave. Part of the protection is a rule against carrying anything into the cave, including purses, backpacks or cameras. So, no photography. But, caves are hard to photograph, so it’s probably just as well. I only got a photo of the entrance.

Entrance

The caverns are carved out of limestone and filled with spectacular formations, including stalactites, stalagmites, draperies, columns, cave bacon, soda straws and crystals, that have been growing for 50,000 years or longer and are still growing.

We couldn't take our own pictures; Photo: Arizona State Parks

The caverns were discovered when cavers Gary Tenen and Randy Tufts found a narrow crack in the bottom of a sinkhole and, with the help of local state biologist Erick Campbell, followed the source of warm, moist air toward the pristine cave passages (sometimes going through openings only 12-18 inches wide. Hoping to protect the cave from vandalism, they kept the location a secret for 14 years, deciding that the best way to preserve the cavern -- which was near a freeway -- was to develop it as a tour cave. 

Bacon; Photo: Arizona State Parks

After gaining the cooperation of the Kartchner family and working with them for 10 years, they decided that the best way to achieve the goal of protection through development as a tour cave was to approach Arizona State Parks. In 1985, The Nature Conservancy acquired an option to purchase the land. The discovery of the cave was finally made public in 1988 when the landowners sold the area to the state for development as a park and show cavern. Prior to its grand opening in 1999, the state spent $28 million on the high-tech preservation system. And, I gotta say, they have really done it well. The trail is an easy walk (and wheelchair accessible), the maximum number of people on the tour is small and the narration is very well done.

Very nice walkways; Photo: Arizona State Parks

We toured the Throne Room, which contains one of the world's longest soda straw stalactites and a 58-foot-high column called Kubla Khan. 

Kubla Khan; Photo: Arizona State Parks

The Big Room, which we did not tour, contains the world's most extensive formation of brushite moonmilk. It is closed from April 15 to Oct. 15 because it is a nursery roost for bats.

The tour we took was well worth the $23 per person fee and I am glad they are working so hard to preserve and protect this cave. 

After the tour, we headed on to Patagonia Lake State Park in search of birds and to, finally, camp. We were very glad that we had gotten into the early tour so that we could get to Patagonia Lake sooner.

On the way, we had a great encounter with a Red-tailed Hawk that posed nicely on a very thin tree-top ...

What a beauty

... and tolerated me getting very close before it flew away.

Buh-bye

Trip date: February 22-29, 2016