The Grand Canyon Caverns - Over 200 Feet Straight Down!

It was mid- afternoon in late October 1994 as I was driving along old Route 66 returning to Phoenix from Las Vegas, Nevada and needed to make a pit stop. Then I saw the sign. "The Grand Canyon Caverns". What caverns? I had never heard of them! I had been living in Prescott since '89 and never heard of anything but the Grand Canyon herself.

I loved taking Route 66, what locals called the "scenic route". But I had never seen this place before and sufficiently curious I turned into the dirt road and drove up to the clap board structure and parked. A soft wind was blowing and I was surprised to see that there were tours being conducted. The only door I could see led into the restaurant side of the long one story building. *

I asked the smiling lady behind the cash register about the caverns. She said I was just in time that a new tour was just starting in about 15 minutes! She pointed to a door that was partially hidden in shadows and said to wait there. I paid her the small fee and decided to look around a bit. It was a combination restaurant and gift shop. I decided to not be the last in line then went over to the door and waited.

It seemed I was the only person in line. After about 10 minutes I heard the whirr of elevator cables and waited for the elevator door to open eager to explore the Grand Canyon Caverns. It was a while opening.

Finally, with a metallic grating noise, the door opens and out steps a man, late forties to mid-fifties, black wavy hair with slight graying and the biggest feature was the smile. It was warm. Welcoming. Looking around he walked over to me and said he would be right back that the tour wasn't starting for another five minutes and to give others a chance to join the tour. I figured he had a break coming and saw him talk to the same lady that had sent me over here, and he disappeared. I waited. No one else came.

He finally returned and said,

"I guess you're it. Please step into the elevator".

He waved me into the elevator which I instantly discovered was huge! It had enough room to hold at least 50 or 60 people. But I didn't have time to marvel as my guide introduced himself and asked me wasn't I afraid to go down into the depths of the earth right after that earthquake in California? That stunning question took my breath away and I mumbled something about 'what earthquake? How does that affect-'

He smiled, seeing my distress and said he was joking. Then he proceeded to tell me how wonderful this job was. How he had been a former Phoenix Police Officer suffering from major burnout and on vacation found this place, applied and never looked back. He loved it! He'd been there for almost 4 years.

But I was now concerned about something else. Obviously a freight elevator it had hit speeds I couldn't believe. We were dropping at least 20 feet per second yet we still had not slowed down any for the bottom. Instead we seemed to be picking up speed! I went to hold on to something and noticed the black intricate iron grating of the walls of the elevator. I could see through the black iron grating the walls of the cavern itself! Very dark but later I saw there were small colored lights revealing the gray to browns to black coloring of the rocky walls. I was very glad I wasn't the type to be claustrophobic as you could see how fast you were descending as the elevator continued its downward plunge. Down. Down. Seeing the expression of wonder on my face my guide said,

"Oh, by the way the bottom is over 200 feet down. That's why it's taking so long. I knew you were wondering about that."

I was speechless! No one told me it was that far down! Wait a minute! This was scary but incredibly adventurous too. Unless that earthquake affected us. Why am I getting scared? I should be looking, experiencing and exploring everything!

So, I did. I wondered at the different color palates of the rock walls skimming past so quickly. I wondered about how many man hours and machines labored to create this shaft down into the very bowels of the earth. Then, finally we began slowing down.

When the elevator trembled to a shaky and metal-on-metal grating stop, he opened the iron door gate-like, screeching in protest and allowed me to walk out first. My mouth fell open and my eyes got big. He cautioned me to watch my step as there were not a lot of places fenced off yet and to stay on the path. It wasn't very wide at that.

Facing out into the cavern I was met by a rocky wall. The guide directed me to follow him closely. We turned to the left and I saw an expanse of the inside. It was huge! My guide said that this part had been called "The Cathedral" and it was used previously by the Army to store equipment, survival rations, etc. in case of nuclear attack. He pointed over the side we were crossing and there were a few dark green olive colored cans and boxes strewn about. We had come to a sort of bridge and then the cavern widened and lengthened. I could see the tail end of another tour group ahead of us.

As we continued on the tour he pointed out the mummified remains of a bob cat and told the story of how thousands of years earlier it had somehow made its way down a cave opening and couldn't get out and starved to death. I looked at the bobcat and felt not only sad for its demise but how scared it must have been those thousands of years ago, trapped with in the blackness of the cavern suffering an agonizing death. You could see the look of horror etched permanently on the bobcat's death grimace.

Then as we moved on we came to a sort of display of some kind. Not very tall but a sort of niche of rock with these 'other worldly' creations right in the center. He said not to touch them as the black spots were the results of people reaching out and touching them not only spoiling the wonder for others but possibly killing them. The delicate looking flower like and snowflake creations were a wonder to behold. So delicate and looking so beautiful and surrealistic. I took a step forward to take a closer look and then saw the markings of human transgressions and wondered how much longer they would survive? Some were a brilliant white, sharp pointed like stars and others a light pink but all the creation of some sort of underground ages old process which was still a mystery according to my guide.

The tour continued on and the guide announced we were near the end of the tour and that this part was one that a lot of people couldn't handle. He had my rapt attention. He said but I had to do exactly as he said because one false move could result in injury or worse!

I was stunned. He continued. The tour ended in the area where it was known to have been filled with water! An arm of some deep underground lake or sea. The area was huge and I could not see the ceiling. He said I must not move. Not take a single step. Just stay perfectly still. Then he turned out the lights.

Suddenly, I experienced total and complete pitch blackness for the first time in my life! A darkness so devoid of light it was almost palpable! The guide began telling a story of what it was like thousands perhaps millions of years ago. This entire section had been underground and underwater. At least a mile deep perhaps more. Filled with amazing - now long extinct - creatures that could survive the million pounds per square inch of water pressure! My mind filled with images of what it had to be like. Living in water at unheard of depths, creatures blind and only able to "see" by using sound. Creatures who by the very nature of their existence and surroundings had to be huge. No light would penetrate this place. Ever.

"Ms?"

No answer.

"Lady!? Are you okay?"

I didn't answer. I couldn't. I was barely aware of his presence. I was lost in time. I was experiencing this lost water-filled cavern of immense creatures...in a world no human had ever seen...

Suddenly the lights flew on and the darkness sped away leaving me breathless with the vision of what it must have been like in that underwater world so long ago.

*Since the author's visit the entire property over the Grand Canyon Caverns has been built up, modernized and expanded. Enjoy your visit! And always - watch your step!