Hidden beneath the surface of Carlsbad Caverns National Park are more than 119 caves formed by sulfuric acid dissolving limestone and leaving behind voids of all shapes and sizes. The most popular cave for visitors to explore is The Big Room which is the largest single cave chamber by volume in North America.
As you might expect, The Big Room is massive and has been described as “The Grand Canyon with a roof over it.” No matter how many times you have walked through its 8.2 acres (4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, and 225 feet tall highest point) there are always new nooks and crannies to appreciate. A park ranger walking The Big Room recently noticed what looks like a face embedded on a stalagmite and its quite uncanny:
“This photo was taken by a ranger that was on a rove on that trail. They must have walked past this certain formation 100 times before realizing it was there.”
Here’s what Carlsbad Caverns has to say about the discovery.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park:
“No matter how many times you have walked the Big Room Trail there is always something new to see. This photo was taken by a ranger that was on a rove on that trail. They must have walked past this certain formation 100 times before realizing it was there.
Yes that is a face, with much detail on this large stalagmite! Our imagination can run wild in the cave causing us to see faces, animals, or remind us of certain characters from pop culture. However, if you do not see a face in this formation that is okay!
But geologically speaking this is a stalagmite with some “cave popcorn” and somehow a face. However, in reality this is because we see “Faces” in everything. Our brain recognizes people and so it’s easy to see them even in a cave formation. Popcorn commonly forms in one of two ways in the cave: where water seeps uniformly out of the limestone wall and precipitates calcite; or, when water drips from the walls or ceilings of the cave and the water splashes on the floor or on ledges along the walls. This splashing action causes loss of carbon dioxide and the subsequent precipitation of calcite.
