Lava River Cave

Coconino National Forest

Click for map.

I have fond memories of getting lost in the lava tubes of Lava Beds National Monument, but not in any dangerous way because there's a lot of openings to just pop up out of and navigate above ground to where you need to be. I mentioned that to one guy and he said I didn't need to go to the lava river, then. It's just one short segment. It doesn't even go anywhere. Such nonsense. It goes for almost a mile of lava cave goodness! The roads in are rough, but they are well marked for this particular destination. I was coming from the unusual direction and still got a sign to point the way. This is one of Flagstaff's most popular destinations and can see hundreds of hikers in a day. It might have something to do with the fact it's always cold, even in the summer. Annoyingly, someone has gone and locked both bathrooms. Maybe they've decided it is out of season. There's still two other cars besides my own, although one is leaving and the other will soon.

A trail sign nailed to a tree. This doesn't look like that well used a trail.

I spot a trail sign nailed to a tree and follow it. It just leads to the road that is blocked off at the parking lot. The road used to circle around the cave opening where there are some picnic tables. That does seem mildly unwise and there is much more parking back where it stops now.

Picnic tables by the opening.

The sign at the entrance has some warnings and rules. Among them is "no smoking" pointing out that the air exchange is quite slow, especially to the very back. There's one to think about when the fabled crowds are around. A second metal sign embedded in the rock wall around the cave opening points out features and a few more warnings. I'm not sure if this is a feature or a warning, but the cave is usually 40°F at the far end and 32°F at this end. The map also has a little more to say about where you are: careful, the rocks are slippery just inside.

The entry for the cave has a small rock wall built to direct people to the area where it is safe to walk in.

I walk down past the register and into the cave. They aren't kidding about the slippery rocks. The passage of so many people has worn them smooth so they're like ice. I guess they could be iced over since it is just cold enough, but they look dry. Just very very slick. It worries me about the rest of the cave, but the options for foot placement quickly increase so that no one area is quite as smooth as the entry. Once there is no more natural light, there is no more need to worry about that. There's plenty of other things to worry about in foot placement. There isn't actually a trail in the cave. At the start, there's a lot of broken up rocks to pick through carefully and some of them move a bit.

Entering into the cave. One won't get far without a light. Bring two just in case.

It does level and smooth out a little, but fallen rocks come back. There is no place where one does not need to watch one's step. And watch one's head. The ceiling goes high and low as it sees fit.

In the lava tube. It tends to a half circle with the sides a little lower than the middle.

It's a quite different experience with different features. Of course it's different. The magma (it is still underground here) was undoubtedly of a somewhat different composition and flowing at a different temperature. And now minerals are leaching through to bring more differences. I find myself wondering what is glistening gold on the roof and examine it to find it is water. It is dry outside. Maybe it's just the breath of lots of people. Likely at least some of it is long past rain.

Silver and gold glittering on the ceiling are water droplets and layers.

The flattish floor has low spots at the side.

There is a choice along the way. Right or left? The sign said they both come back to the same place, so it doesn't matter. I go left. The group that followed me in and got ahead as I tried to take photographs seem to just be quitting. One of them explains that it's just downright spooky without lots of other people.

The tunnel is smoother now, but still has the gutters along the sides.

Long cracks run down the middle sometimes, presumably from cooling but maybe from pressure below.

Ripples that froze in the rock. This is one of the features the metal sign with the map points out. I couldn't get the picture with the flash and had to try with the flashlight.

Suddenly everything gets very small. It looks like I won't be able to fit through with my pack. It mentioned low ceilings. It didn't say anything about a downright squeeze. I put aside my pack to look and find after a slight widening, it just seems to shrink down to nothing. There's no place for me to squeeze to. I've made a very basic misunderstanding about the tunnel. I assumed there was a way out on the far side. The sign states there is one entrance. My assumption without any basis whatsoever. Also, at some point back there was the sharp turn with a low ceiling that marked the halfway point and that I didn't notice. I'd been getting concerned about how long it was and not even halfway yet. This is the end and I've got everything I just walked to walk back again. Especially the bits where I had to walk bent over.

I am pondering how the gutter formed. Surely the walls were the cooler area.

A splashdown. This is a piece of ceiling that fell down onto the floor while it was still cooling.

I find myself paying special attention to the splashdowns on the way out. These are one of the features the metal sign at the entrance pointed out. There's quite a lot of these near the closed end and they are a smoother place to walk, which is nice when the muscles feel a little tired. But they have more of interest than that. The edges are all different. Some started to melt, some stayed floating, others sank, some sent off ripples that froze. And I seem to be playing a game, jumping on them with a shout of "splash!" then looking to see what tale the tell about the floor when they fell.

Lots of splashdowns.

There's a couple coming down to the end, so I tell them about the splashdowns. They didn't know about them, but think that's at least a little bit cool. Now they're probably wondering what else they missed. Excellent. They'll come up the tube with new eyes.

Smooth except for the crack down the side. The really big crack.

Big ripples at the edge of one splashdown.

This time I notice the halfway point. The corner seems more obvious, but it might just be that the ceiling gets low right there instead of having been getting low for a while. I also explore the other tunnel. It doesn't go for very far, but gets to be the lowest ceiling in the place before it returns. I definitely when the easy way. Finally there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The entrance. It feels colder now, but that's probably just because I'm coming from somewhere colder.

There are trees out there again.

Yes, trees and a wall.

Careful once again as I climb out. It is really really slick. It is just a short way back to the car. Did I need to? Certainly. This was a very different lava tube experience.




©2019 Valerie Norton
Written 23 Dec 2019