Carlsbad Caverns to celebrate 100th anniversary

CARLSBAD, New Mexico (KVIA) -- In October, Carlsbad Caverns will celebrate 100 years of being a National Park, but the celebrations are already beginning at both the park and the city of Carlsbad.

"I'm excited about the centennial," says park ranger Mark Joop.

"Having worked here 13 years, you have a set amount of tours, programs you can do, but for the centennial year, we're being allowed to get creative and create some new programs," he adds.

As a geologist himself, Joop is especially excited about a guided geology tour that he created specifically for the celebration.

Photography tours of the 'Shaft of Light,' which is when the sun lines up perfectly with the natural entrance in the cave, illuminating the cavern's floor "like it's daylight," will also be available.

Joop says this is special because this phenomenon can only bee seen after the park's usual operating hours, but exceptions will be made because of the 100-year anniversary.

"From the inside, it's amazing. You can see a visual beam of light, and it's just incredible," says Joop.

The city of Carlsbad is celebrating as well.

The city is inviting tourists and locals alike to play a city-wides scavenger hunt on the app Sacvify, which highlights points of interests around the city.