Google Maps to offer virtual tour of Carlsbad Caverns

It’s only a matter of time before a virtual tour of hundreds of points along the main corridor at Carlsbad Caverns National Park will be available.

Park officials say Carlsbad Cavern is one of the first caves in the U.S. to be part of a Google Maps Street View special collection.

Google Maps plans to launch 360-degree photos of the cave on Street View later this year.

The mapping team visited Carlsbad on June 17 as part of an effort to photograph national parks across the country.

The team lacked a GPS signal in the cave and had to contend with dim lighting. For each spot, they took four photos that will be stitched together to create a panoramic image.

Park Superintendent John Benjamin says the photos might pique interest, but there’s nothing like seeing the real thing.