lava river cave

You climb down some rocks that are crevice with ice into a cave That lava once flow through !! You go from hands and knees to 20 foot ceilings we had a great time it's very adventurous it's pitch black inside and cool so dress warm and have fun

Really worth the time and effort to get to this experience outside of Flagstaff. My 13 year old son thought it was so cool (50 degrees?) and enjoyed the adventure. We had headlamps from Walmart and they were perfect because we could use our hands for more stability.

This site is about 10 miles NW of Flagstaff off Hwy 180, the road to the Grand Canyon. It has become very popular in the last several years, not necessarily for the betterment of the site. There is a parking lot, which, on the weekend, has several cars. I would recommend visiting during the week for the best experience. The tube is about 1/2 mile long, having been formed in the distant past by lava flowing through a tube the sides of which had cooled and hardened, leaving a hollow center. When going, be sure to take several flashlights, with new batteries, as the tube is pitch dark. At the opening, which is a collapsed part of the tube, one must climb down over often slippery boulders to reach the tube. The last time we were there, it seemed that more of the roof had collapsed, as we thought that there were more boulders to climb over. After one enters the tube, it is fairly flat, and has a high enough ceiling, for the most part, that a tall adult can walk upright. The temperature is fairly constant all year round, about 65 or 70 deg., though I have not actually measured it. The walk to the end of the tube is about 1/2 mile.This tube is an excellent example of this particular volcanic phenomenon, but is not for the faint hearted. At times, the boulders at the front can be slippery. I would not recommend the trip if one is not in reasonably good shape. Don't forget, it exists at 7000 feet, which should be taken into consideration by people from lower elevations.

The entrance is a rock scramble down an incline. While you have to navigate this boulder field, the large rocks provide numerous hand and footholds. To me, it was less challenging that some other reviews had lead me to expect. Just take your time and use your arms as well as your legs to maintain three points of contact. Down inside, it opens up to a lava tube (perhaps roughly 20’ semicircular passageway) that extends for just under a mile in one direction. No entrance fee. Make sure you know where you are going and how to get back, as access is a few miles off the highway via forest roads and GPS signal in the area was spotty. Went towards dusk midweek and only saw one other group the entire time I was there. Wear good hiking boots as the floor throughout is fairly uneven.

Hiking the Lava River Cave was an amazing experience. The terrain within the cave varies throughout the hike and you can see the flow or river of the lava through the cave. Because you are walking on lava it is not smooth so it can be tough if you have weak ankles or knees, so take you time, but definitely worth it. Make sure everyone has their own flashlight, but also make sure at some point you stop and turn them off to experience the complete darkness of the cave.

This was an awesome experience of hiking inside a lava tube. The beginning of the hike is a jumble of large rocks which turns into an easier hike through large and small chambers. You want to ensure that everyone has their own flashlight if possible as they will have to see their own path. When you come to the small area where you can go left or right, the left branch is much easier while the right branch will cause you to have to crawl a bit (per other hikers). You will want to wear sturdy shoes and I would caution strongly against sandles. You will also want to wear a hat of some kind in case you bump your head in the few short parts. It is a bit chilly in the tube. The fire road to the site is one narrow lane. The only negative was that some prior hikers have left garbage behind.

My boyfriend and I live in Phoenix and so head up to Flagstaff just about every July for my birthday to get out of the heat. Finally we went to the Lava Cave. Got there pretty close to dawn and were the first ones there. Had the place to ourselves and saw no one until we were exiting the cave. Inside is hard to describe but amazing. Some places you feel like you are crawling through a small tunnel and then you open up into a amphitheater. Not good for the claustrophobic or really small kids I would say because I slipped a couple of times and the rocks are sharp. Plus bring plenty of flashlights or extra batteries. Absolutely no light but no less amazing, as I said.

In summary, worth checking out, but wouldn't drive here just for this. There are better things near Flag. We were in the Flag area and weren't quite sure what to do, so we decided to check this place out. We arrived as the sun was going down, so I don't know what it would look like inside during the day (that's a joke, as it is a mile long cave, and there is never any light inside of it.) The cave was fun, it was a mile long hike / walk back into it. VERY rocky, so wear good shoes, and it was quite a bit cooler in the cave, so a jacket may be needed. There were a few parts we had to crawl, but not for long, and you could always turn back at these points as it does not change much no matter how far you progress. When we were there, we were the only ones in the cave which was neat and a bit spooky. It is absolute darkness, so make sure you bring a light and don't let your mind take over!

Now a days, theres not much you can experience that doesn't involve a fee. This was not only free, but there is no guide, which made it all more terrific. It was one of the best experiences I had. Make sure and bring flashlights, and water wouldn't be a bad idea. I would recommend doing this if you are in or near Flagstaff :)

Growing up in CA, I had a hard time imagining that there was an actual cave you could go into that was free. This place would have been $20 to enter and would have been crowded. But not in good ol Flagstaff. I have been here a number of times and there is never more than 20 people. It can be a little hard to find so make sure to get the directions on line and bring your headlamp and a light jacket.

Make sure you have good, sturdy shoes as you will be walking over rocks the entire time. At times they will be wet and slippery, or loose and wobbly. It is a cool 40 degrees inside, so a light sweatshirt is recommended. You need your hands to crawl at times so a flashlight is not ideal. We brought headlamps and it was perfect for us to keep our hands free. Watch out for low ceilings when watching where you step or you will hit your head. Bring water (camel back style is best - again to keep your hands free). We forgot ours and were thirsty when we were done. There are no facilities so use the restroom in town before getting out there. It was a fun little hike and a nice break from our busy day-to-day lives. Have fun!

This main picture is of the opening of the cave and a good one. I do wish there were more pictures so that all can see what they are getting into before they attempt this cave! I will tell you since i have been in about 3 times in the past 15 yrs.NOT ideal for small children, pets, or those with any kind of disability. Ideal for those who are very athletic and agile!!!Getting in IS the hardest part as getting back out! Very tight areas to squeeze through on VERY slippery sharp rocks. Once your in, it smooths out and you can feel the compression in your chest of how far under ground you really are and slight lack of oxygen. Even the most athletic, it can make you a little 'high' in the head. Bring plenty of lighting as most reviews on here warn of, only a small snack really, for energy only to keep going, and some water..but not too much as the other reviews state...there is NO place for trash OR having to 'go'!! If you are claustrophobic, not ideal for you either! If you panic, with the lack of oxygen in there, you could pass out and not sure HOW any emergency team would get you back out if you had any kind of injury! Beware of this!No tour guide, its a come and go as you please deal. Go only on a good weather for dry grounds or else even a 4x4 could get stuck on the way there or back out.If you are a very experienced boulder climber, not claustrophobic, and have NO medical issues, just be very careful getting in with something on your feet that grips very well, lights, all that i have already mentioned. If you are one like this, then you would actually enjoy this cave because it is attractive inside, but noting REAL out of the ordinary! I stopped going because I had already by then learned the entire cave and there was nothing left for me there. I also did start becoming claustrophobic after my last visit. Maybe it was just my imagination, but it seamed to me that rocks had moved since the last visit and that was just too scary for me. Call me chicken, but being underground just no longer became my thing anymore if there was just nothing left to see in there that I did not already know!

Enjoyed the hike immensely. There is no visitors center, bathrooms, crowds, fees, lights or paths. It is just a cave and a good time. I would recommend hard soled shoes as the ground is very bumpy and uneven and a light on your head vs a flashlight as sometimes you will be on all fours. The drop in is somewhat steep but after that it is flat. It is cool but you get plenty of exercise. Rocks are wet in some places and unsteady so make sure you wear shoes with some grip though plenty did it in tennis shoes. Took us about a 45 minutes to get to the end of the cave which is .7 miles from the entrance. 30 minutes out as we didn't stop much along the way. Road to get there is narrow and dirt so try to avoid going there in bad weather.

We, my husband and I were will prepared with 4 flashlights and warm jackets. We hiked to the end and took our time and were being careful. Lots of rough ground and rocks to climb over. We were almost out when I hit my head on a low rock and lost my balance and fell backwards hitting my head hard on a rock. I hiked out with a bad cut and large goose egg. After 13 staples I was sent home will an ice pack and doing fine. You can never be too careful.

Hey! It's a cave. I'm claustrophobic and this cave is a way smaller than the Carlsbad Caverns. Maybe my review isn't fair but let it serve as a warning to other chickens out there.