Over a decade ago, an explorer conducting surveys at Grand Canyon National Park noticed what appeared to be an opening in a red rock cliff face high above him in the park’s remote backcountry. His team discovered a cave that appeared, by all accounts, to have been completely untouched by people. Researchers found a series of passageways with gypsum formations and a variety of wildlife, including thousands and thousands of mummified bats.

In episode 4 of the podcast, we talked with several experts about this remarkable cave and its ancient remains. Since then, researchers have returned and ventured into a second cave, even more difficult to explore than the first, and made more exciting discoveries.

This episode, host Jennifer Errick speaks Carol Chambers, professor of wildlife ecology at Northern Arizona University; Shawn Thomas, volunteer caver and bat expert; and Stephen Eginoire, photojournalist. We learn about the implications for science, the extreme lengths the team takes to preserve the cave, and profound feeling of being the first person to set foot in an unmapped place.

The Secret Lives of Parks is a production of the National Parks Conservation Association.

Episode 43, Return to the Bat Cave, was produced by Jennifer Errick, with help from Todd Christopher, Bev Stanton and Linda Coutant.

Special thanks to Vincent Santucci.

Original theme music by Chad Fischer.

Read the Grand Canyon research team’s most recent paper at: parks.berkeley.edu/psf/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/psf_401_chambers_web.pdf

Read Stephen Eginoire’s story for the Grand Canyon Trust at: www.grandcanyontrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/AdvocateMagFall2024Digital.pdf

Learn more about this podcast and listen to the rest of our stories at thesecretlivesofparks.org

For more than a century, the National Parks Conservation Association has been protecting and enhancing America’s national parks for present and future generations.

And we’re proud of it, too.

You can join the fight to preserve our national parks. Learn more and join us at npca.org