The spectacular beauty and the thrill of discovery surpass the expectation of even the most experienced cavers who visit our Southwest caves. Caves are a dazzling world of colorful rock formations, intricate passageways, underground rivers, pristine pools, and wonders found nowhere else above the earth s surface. Caves on public lands are managed for many uses. The water in caves may recharge underground aquifers, sources of water for domestic and agricultural uses. Plants and animals of great medicinal value are gathered in caves.
Caves house important biological, cultural and geological resources.
Recreation is an important activity and factor in cave management as evidenced by the overwhelming percentage of recreational use verses other uses of caves. Experienced cavers enjoxy the physically challenging caves of the Southwest. For those less experienced, often the beauty of the scenery around the caves make their trips memorable. Many visit the caves to experi-ence a wildlife viewing of bats and other interesting life forms that call caves home. The Guadalupe Escarpment in Southern New Mexico on the Lincoln National Forest, the Guadalupe Moun-tains National Park, and Carlsbad Caverns National Park, is designated as a Wilderness Study Area.