Giant Domes

The Big Room – Carlsbad Cavern Hall of the Giants contains a number of speleothems called "domes." These are among the most massive features in the cave, the largest one towering 60 feet above the cave floor and having a circumference at the base of 100 feet. Domes are formed in similar fashion to stalactites, except that water falls more rapidly, splashing its mineral content over a wide area of the cave floor. The resulting formations are much larger than stalactites that form from a slow water drip. Minerals such as iron and manganese, produce spectacular colors in the resulting formations.