Carlsbad Cavern Books

Carlsbad Cavern Books capitalizes on its city's greatest claim to fame, the breathtaking Carlsbad Caverns National Park, to build a bookstore unlike any other in New Mexico. The geology section is the star attraction, with an extraordinary collection of cave and karst science books, speleological journals, and photographic studies of underground formations that draw serious researchers and casual tourists alike. But the store is far more than a one-trick pony. The nature writing section covers the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystem, the Pecos River watershed, and the Guadalupe Mountains, while the Western ranch life collection reflects the cattle and sheep operations that have defined the region for generations. Travel guides for the caverns, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, and the surrounding backcountry are meticulously stocked and annotated with staff notes. Owner and amateur speleologist Tom Brennan leads an annual cave-and-books tour that takes customers underground before returning to the store for readings by geology authors.