Lava River Cave

Now after reading stories like Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Vern, who could resist exploring something like a lava tube cave? Bend, Oregon is a really neat place to explore! But for now we'll just briefly share about the cave. :)

Embarking on our first ever cave adventure!

The Lava River Cave

© LG 2011

The formation of this cave is really interesting.

© LG 2011

It doesn't take long to feel the cold air from the cave 

entrance. At first it feels like air conditioning... it quickly 

turns into an icy cold climate though! Going down is easy...

but there sure is quite a climb to get out of the cave!

It's cold, it's dark, and it's fun! The kids brought their 

own flashlights, headlights, and lanterns. They weren't 

quite bright enough, so we were thankful the rangers

had lanterns to hand out for the journey!

© LG 2011

 And this is pretty much how the cave looks all of the way

through. We didn't allow ourselves enough time to get to 

the very end. But other cave explorers told us that toward

the very end, the ceiling gets really, really low to where you

have to stoop or crawl. So, we felt quite satisified with how

far we did get... who needs to see how low they can go??? :)

There is an interesting spot toward the middle of the cave with some really neat formations and information about them. So, I'd at least encourage you to make it that far. :)

Cost: FREE! Make sure you have a parks permit!

Important: It is not stroller and wheelchair accessible.
Tips: 
*It's cold in there!!! So be sure to dress appropriately with warm clothes and sturdy shoes. Even during summer time, the cave is as cool as 42° (and they say you may even find some ice inside). 

*The rocks are indeed sharp and slippery, so be careful!

*It's recommended that you bring two or three sources of light, in case one happens to fail, it can be very dark one mile from the nearest light source. 

*Just as important... bring tissue! You'll run into lots of runny noses!

Restrooms: Are available.

Extra: For nature lovers, there are tons of chipmunks and gorgeous varieties of birds to enjoy (so maybe bring some binoculars with you).