Hiking through Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, one of the oldest cave systems in the world, was an extraordinary experience as, deep below the earth’s surface, I followed trails through what were at times huge chambers, at others narrow passages.

Every sight was an unexpected revelation as the path wound its way among impressive stalagmites and stalactites, sometimes coming across rare, underground pools whose reflections added another dimension to the delicate limestone formations.

Some of those vast subterranean “rooms” were as much as 250 feet high, 250 feet wide, and 1800 feet long, the entire expanse massed with unbelievably beautiful shapes, sizes, and colors.

Members of the National Park Service have carefully positioned electric lights throughout a great part of the caverns, thus adding a special enchantment to the panoramas.