TexasCHLforum.com

Traces of Texas wrote:I'm a freelance photographer who makes his living photographing Texas. Really. I've got thousands of pictures of the Lone Star State on my website.

Please post your itinerary and a recent photo of yourself. I've been needing some new gear, but a lot of the other photographers are armed.

CC Italian wrote:I know the visitors center is off limits but what I really want to know is if the showers and restrooms are off limits and considered a "government building".

IIRC, there was a clarification that it only applies to buildings in which federal employees normally work. Since their job descriptions don't include generating new Federal legislation, what they do in the bathroom isn't considered normal work.

Even if I carry into Carlsbad I can't really go anywhere. I would have to leave my gun in the car. I don't like that! NM has some strange laws.

Correct; while you could, theoretically, disarm, buy your ticket, go back out and rearm, then step through the gate to enter at the natural entrance, but since all tours exit through the visitor center, you'd be stuck. Also, the underground lunchroom probably counts as a Federal facility.

There are externally accessible restrooms at the front of the visitor center, though, if you just want to enjoy the above ground views.

I might just skip Carlsbad altogether.

I wouldn't skip it; IMO, it's the best value for the entrance fee of any National Park. It's also the most camera-friendly show cave (in terms of rules - it's still a huge, relatively dark place, but they will let you bring in a tripod and good flash units) that I've found.

Besides, it's a limestone cave; if anybody starts shooting in there, you'll be too busy clutching your bleeding ears to return fire. On the plus side, so will the shooter. Muzzle flash will also be as blinding as on a moonlit night.