So glad we are Early Birds

Sometimes getting up early is a good thing! We set our form of alarm clock for 5:30 AM (our coffee pot).  We were at the visitors center at 8 AM when they opened.  We bought our tickets and waited for the first elevator down to the cavern. We were the only ones on the elevator and the park person told us to enjoy the quiet.  Here is a map of the cavern.

 We walked at least half of it before we saw another person.  It was so quiet we could hear water dripping everywhere.  We had purchased the 5 dollar audio tour guide.  It was full of history and some about the geology. The Big Room is HUGE.  You have to see it to get a feel for its largeness.

The lighting was done by a Broadway specialist.  Which is great in the cavern but hard to take photos of to show you.  We spent well over two hours in the Big Room on the path that circles it and takes you to various features. Then we went back to the campground for a quick check on Katz and paying for another day at this campground which is the closest to the Park.

Then back for a guided tour of the "King's Palace".  First a visit to the neatest looking restroom I've ever seen. 

Then on to the tour.

It was all really interesting and well done.

Last night we went up to the Cavern to see the Bat Flight.  We arrived around 5:30.  The program was to start at 6:00.  You are not allowed to use cameras once the bats start to fly.  But here is the amphitheater where you wait.

The cave exit for the bats, is the natural entrance for people who want a longer walk than me with my foot. It was cool to watch the bats.  Not as many as I expected.  But still fun.  We got buzzed by bats, by the way!