Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico, USA May 14, 2024

With deep rocky canyons and high ancient sea ledges, Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico boasts some of the most unique rock formations in the world. Hidden beneath its desert scenery are more than 119 caves—formed when sulphuric acid dissolved the surrounding limestone. This national park, founded on this day in 1930, is also home to North America"s largest underground chamber—the Big Room. From colossal stalactite formations hanging like chandeliers to stalagmite structures reaching for the ceiling, every nook and cranny is a masterpiece crafted over millions of years. This UNESCO World Heritage Site also organises events like bat flight viewings, which allow visitors to watch thousands of bats as they swoop in and out of the cavern. So, are you ready to explore the depths?

© Doug Meek/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Beautiful falling waters
Trusty water-shifters
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
May 14, 2026Pitigliano, Tuscany, Italy

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov 25, 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Nov 11, 2024Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Aug 11, 2024Wooden path to Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island, Canada
Sharks, just living their lives
The bears of summer
May 15, 2026Endangered Species Day
Aug 25, 2025Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States
Sep 26, 2025Least chipmunk, Kootenai National Forest, Montana, United States
Jul 25, 2025Colourful houses of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Jul 28, 2025World Nature Conservation Day
Sport where you least expect it
Aug 25, 2024Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, Telangana
Dec 11, 2023Huangshan Mountains, China
Mar 30, 2025Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia
Sep 10, 2025Hay bales in North Yorkshire, England
Feb 18, 2024Sperm whale pod surfacing
Aug 30, 2023Celebrating sibling bonds
Feb 6, 2024Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Oct 2, 2024Gandhi Jayanti
‘Only one Earth’
Feb 20, 2024Kinder Scout, Peak District National Park, UK
Dec 3, 2025Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico
May 13, 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
May 7, 2024A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
Alps of the sea
A breathtaking cave when it’s cold
Boardwalk nostalgia
Hide-and-go-seek world champion
Nov 19, 2023Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
Jun 8, 2026World Oceans Day