If you have kids who love to explore outdoors you definitely need to take them to Lava Beds National Monument caves. Lava Beds National Monument has over 700 caves. It is a unique geological feature that was formed 30,000 to 40,000 years ago when the outer edges of flowing lava from Medicine volcano began to cool, forming tubes and the lava inside was still hot. The hot lava flowed out but the outer edges remained as lava caves. Lava Beds National Monument caves are the biggest in North America.
Lava Beds National Monument caves are all different. Some of them are easier to explore than others because they are bigger and wider. And some of these caves are more interesting than others due to certain internal geological formations and features. In this article I will tell you about the easiest and most exciting Lava Beds National Monument caves to explore with kids. All the 5 caves described below can be easily visited in 1 day.
Mushpot Cave
Mushpot Cave is a must see Lava Beds National Monument cave for kids because it is the only one with lighting inside and several interpretive exhibits. Mushpot cave is rated as “easy” because it is short (only 235 meters/ 770 ft), the floor is relatively even and the ceiling is tall enough to walk straight, we only had to bend once. It is a perfect introductory cave for kids to learn about lava tubes and volcanic activity. This cave is located just before the Visitor’s Center.
Golden Dome Cave
Golden Dome cave is the first cave on the Cave Loop Road where most of the Lava Bed National Monument caves are located. It is rated as “moderately challenging” because the further you go the more challenging is the route at times and it is one of the longest caves in Lava Beds National Monument at 679 meters/ 2229 ft. In the beginning the ceiling is tall enough but then the cave narrows down and you will have to stoop and even crawl. The floor is very uneven, so be careful.
However, regardless of these obstacles, Golden Dome is a very interesting Lava Beds National Monument cave for kids because of… the golden dome. The golden patches on the ceiling and walls of the cave are special hydrophobic bacteria that lives in the cave. Explore at your own pace. You do not have to get all the way to the end of the cave, walk until you feel comfortable or at least until you have located the golden bacteria.
Hopkins Chocolate Cave
Hopkins Chocolate Cave is rated as one of the most challenging Lava Beds National Monument caves (428 meters/ 1405 ft) but don’t be deterred by that designation. The most exciting features are actually located outside this cave, not inside, and kids will love to explore them.
First of all, Hopkins Chocolate Cave is famous for natural bridges around it. These are collapsed lava tubes. We counted at least half a dozen of them and these bridges are a unique sight and are great to explore on top and under.
Second of all, Hopkins Chocolate Cave has very interesting brown rock formations that look like chocolate bars – hence, the name of the cave.
We did not walk to far inside the cave because stooping is required pretty quickly so we only explored as long as we felt comfortable. That said, kids comfort level will be very different than yours because THEY don’t have to duck 🙂 so they will definitely insist that you walk further.
Sunshine Cave
Sunshine Cave was one of our most favorite Lava Beds National Monument caves for kids. It is rated as moderately challenging but that challenging part of the cave is only at the very end of the lava tube so you can walk most of it pretty comfortably.
What we loved about this cave is its two unique features – two collapses in the roof of the lava tube which let the sunlight in. So for the most part this cave has very good lighting and the Sun hitting the inside of the cave makes for a gorgeous view. One of the images from the cave is below and the other is the cover image for this article – isn’t that sunshine heart gorgeous?
The overall length of the Sunshine Cave is only 142 meters / 466 ft, which is a very doable distance for kids.
Skull Cave
Skull Cave is one of the most intriguing Lava Beds National Monument caves for kids. Has the name already intrigued you? If so, read on!
Skull Cave is rated as one of the easiest Lava Beds National Monument caves as it is only 177 meters / 580 ft in length, it is very tall and wide due to the fact that it was formed by 3 lava tubes one on top of each other (it is a true behemoth) and it has a very even flooring to walk on.
Skull Cave is famous for 2 things: year-round ice floor and skeletons that were found inside. The ice floor is off limits for tourists, you cannot walk on it anymore but you can definitely see it at the end of the lava tube. The skeletons found in the cave were of various animals and 2 people. We were thinking that may be local Native American tribes were using it as a refrigerator.
I have created a detailed video of all these best Lava Beds National Monument caves which will give you a good feel for each one. You can watch it below:
Tips for visiting Lava Beds National Monument caves with kids
- Be mindful of the weather. It can be rather cold in winter and extremely hot in summer, above 100 F. That said, even in summer the temperature in the Lava Beds National Monument caves hovers around 55 F so definitely take a sweater with you.
- Take a strong flashlight for every member of your travel tribe. It is pitch black inside most of the caves in Lava Beds National Monument. We found head lamps very helpful.
- If you plan to explore narrow caves I suggest bringing bike helmets to protect your heads.
- Bring LOTS of water, especially if you visit in summer, and snacks/ picnic lunch. There is nowhere to stop for food near Lava Beds National Monument.
- When visiting Lava Beds National Monument caves, plan for time to explore not just under ground but above ground too. We visited in early summer and noticed lots of wildflowers and butterflies. I assume you would see the same beautiful scenery in April and May too.
- There is no cell phone service in Lava Beds National Monument.
Where to stay while visiting Lava Beds National Monument caves
There are a couple of options for lodging near Lava Beds National Monument caves. You can camp near or in Lava Beds National Monument but please, note, that it may be very hot in the area in summer with little shade.
Alternatively you can stay either in Klamath Falls in Oregon, which is about 60 miles away and a good base for exploration not just Lava Beds National Monument caves but also Crater Lake National Park, or further South in California, in Mt. Shasta, for examples, which which are great for exploration Lassen Volcanic National Park.
Zoom OUT the map below to see available lodging options.
If you need more ideas for exploring the volcanic legacy of Northern California and Oregon, check out my earlier article Volcanic Wonders – Best Northern California Road Trip Itinerary. It covers such amazing places as Mount Shasta, Crater Lake National Park and much more.
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