Episode

The Darkest Day in Carlsbad Caverns History

Podcast
Parkography
Published
Feb 27, 2026
Duration seconds
576
Processing state
not_requested
Canonical source
https://nationalparkpodcast.podbean.com/e/the-darkest-day-in-carlsbad-caverns-history/
Audio
https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/sjtgradau3tmx4iq/Elevators.mp3
JSON
/v1/public/podcasts/parkography-570887/episodes/the-darkest-day-in-carlsbad-caverns-history
Markdown
/podcast/parkography-570887/the-darkest-day-in-carlsbad-caverns-history.md

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Summary

In 1979, armed men took control of one of America’s most famous national parks — 750 feet underground. More than 100 visitors were trapped inside the Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns while gunshots echoed through the darkness. The hostage takers demanded money, a flight to Brazil, and a reporter to tell their story. What happened next became one of the strangest and least-known incidents in National Park Service history. Join the PARKography Facebook group to discuss this episode and more: https://www.facebook.com/groups/parkography