Once again we hopped on a small tram to take us into the earth. This time to glorious Kartchner Caverns. These were discovered in 1974 by two amateur cavers. They kept it a secret for 14 years before it was opened to the public. They felt a responsibility for the preservation of this living cave and went to great lengths to keep it a secret before allowing the public to know of their discovery. A bill was passed in Arizona for the funding and protection prior to letting in the public. There are a series of doors you must go through and we were "misted" to prevent excess "lint" from dropping off our bodies prior to being led down the concrete pathways. It was amazing. Extensive research was done to learn from the mistakes of other famous caverns, like Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico: no parking lot near the entrance, not food, no restrooms, etc. It is hoped this living cave will remain as pristine as it has been for tens of thousands of years.
There are very strict rules and restrictions when visiting the caverns. No purses, jackets, cameras, backpacks, food, gum, water, etc. Since I couldn't take any pictures inside, I found these on the Google images.
You can see the original tracks used from the men who discovered the cave. Workers continue to use these same tracks so as not to disrupt the delicate balance of water, limestone & minerals.
This column is called Kubla Khan. It is a combination of stalagmites, stalagtites, straws, and drapes.
We were in the Rotunda & Throne rooms on the left side
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