Following a volcanic eruption, underground lava tubes serve as thoroughfares for draining molten lava. When the lava cools and remaining flows drain out of the tubes, the subterranean passageways remain, leaving behind caves to explore. There are several spots in the United States to see lava tubes, including Lava Beds National Monument in northern California, …
Continue reading Caves Trail (Craters of the Moon National Monument, ID)
Sentinel Cave is the longest of the “easy” caves in California’s Lava Beds National Monument, as well as one of the only lava tubes in the park with multiple entrances. Inside the cave, the roughly 2/10 mile traversed by hikers is relatively flat and wide, making this a good option for small children with an …
Continue reading Sentinel Cave (Lava Beds National Monument, CA)
Unlike limestone caves, lava tubes are usually characterized by their drab, colorless interior. Not so with Golden Dome Cave, which sports shiny ceilings, made possible by tiny bacteria that give the lava tube a golden sheen. Golden Dome Cave is found along the Cave Loop Road in California’s Lava Beds National Monument, a volcanic paradise …
Continue reading Golden Dome Cave (Lava Beds National Monument, CA)
Lava tubes, cavities in the earth once filled with flowing lava, are the principal attraction of northern California’s Lava Beds National Monument, which boasts the greatest concentration of them in the United States. Reaching as wide as 60 feet in diameter, Skull Cave is one of the area’s largest lava tubes and offers one of …
Continue reading Skull Cave (Lava Beds National Monument, CA)
Northern California’s Subway Cave in Lassen National Forest is a relative newcomer to the area’s volcanic landscape; it formed less than 20,000 years ago as once-frequent lava flows drained away, leaving behind a wide, subterranean passage. Today it is a relatively popular stop on the way to or from nearby Lassen National Park, situated less …
Continue reading Subway Cave Trail (Lassen National Forest, CA)
Live and Let Hike 