OffBeat Pathfinder Basecamp

The Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns? It’s like walking onto the set of a sci-fi movie, but with more bats and less Wi-Fi.


I got there way too early, ended up on a ranger tour where someone asked if the caves were “haunted.” (Short answer: Maybe? Long answer: Bat ghosts everywhere.)


The ...

Awesome write-up! Last time I visited, I lucked out and caught a summer lightning storm—watching bolts strike in the distance behind a silhouette of saguaros is something I’ll never forget. Did you see the petroglyphs on the Signal Hill Trail? Ancient art, epic views.

Bonus: if you time your visit ...

Stein and wine walk. They hand you a map, a cup, and after five stops it turns into a treasure hunt for your car keys.


Saw a guy in lederhosen riding a unicycle and I still don’t know if it was real or just the schnapps.