Useful information for visiting Lava Beds National Monument
- There is no food in the Monument, really! The only thing
they have is a vending machine for selling soda and water.
- Most of the caves are near the visitor center, which is
about 19 miles from the North entrance (closest to Klamath
Falls, Oregon). Be prepared to drive through a very arid
region! There is a 'petroglyph' section at the North entrance.
If you are planning to leave the park via the North entrance,
see it at the end of the day (after you return the flashlights),
if you think you can make it before dark. It takes about 30
minutes to reach the petroglyph section from the Visitor Center.
You may want to see the petroglyph section first, otherwise
(see below for more information).
- The only place you can get drinking water is the visitor
center. The surface water is unsafe for drinking unless you
have a purifier.
There are a couple of water fountains. Restrooms are
present at some trailheads and at the visitor center.
Carry sufficient water for yourself. You will need a good
amount of water even if you don't hike.
- Register at the visitor center and obtain (for free) one
flashlight per person. You will need a photo Id, name, address,
and the make and license number of your car. The flashlights
have to be returned at the visitor center about half an hour
before they close.
Apart from these flashlights, carry some other secondary light
source. Mentally check all the other sources (apart from the
secondary source) before you enter the caces.
We had tiny flashlights in the key-chains
for our car-keys, a cell phone and two watches with illuminated
dials, and one matchbox. The caves are _so_ dark, any source of
light works.
- Read the description next to each piece of rock next to the
visitor center. It will come handy to really understand the
cave features.
- Your car is going to accumulate a lot of dust and
bug-splats. So if you were planning to wash or vaccuum it
before a trip to the Monument, think again.
- Must-see attractions:
- Mushpot cave: Right in the parking lot. It has lights and
description of each formation. See this cave first so that
you know what to expect.
- Golden-dome cave: Very nice formations, include bacteria
colonies covered with beads of water that shine in light.
- Juniper cave: Nice walk, no crawling, lots of boulders.
Park at the lower Juniper cave (second parking
spot on the cave loop road). Walk downhill on the paved path
for about 5-10 minutes to reach the cave opening. Walk up to
the upper Juniper cave. You can then walk to the car on the
road, or trace the route back through the cave.
- Skull cave: Year-round ice. The entrance to this case is
huge!
- Valentine cave: Easy cave, most of the features.
- Mammoth Crater: The mother of all the lava. You have to
see this to appreciate its size! The road to Mammoth Crater
is unpaved and will rattle almost every part of your car.
- Petroglyphs: Petroglyphs are some symbols carved by
the ancient people on a giant cliff, when part of the cliff
was submerged under Tule Lake. The petroglyph section is
located outside the main boundary of the Lava Beds National
Monument. Use the map and road signs to reach the petroglyph
section. Pick up a small information booklet and walk towards
the cliff. The petroglyphs can be seen on the cliff wall just
near the left end of the barbed wire fence next to the cliff.
There is a road sign that says 'Trail Parking'. The 'trail'
climbs the cliff all the way to the top and offers nice views
of the surrounding area, but there are no petroglyphs along
the trail. Almost all the petroglyphs are located at the base
of the cliff.
Be prepared to get disgusted by the markings left by the more
'modern' people, though, and _please_ do not leave any mark on
the cliff.
- There is one public phone near the visitor center, but it
is not functional (as of 2 Sep 2002). The rangers were working
on getting a new service, so don't count on it (yet). You can dial
only 911 calls from there for now. I didn't check if my cell
phone worked.
If you are in trouble, try to get in touch with the rangers.
They may will able to help via their radios.
- Carry a cave map. Some caves have 'loops', so you may end
up wandering indefinitely in some...
- If you have not been to Oregon, there is no 'self service'
at any gas station in Oregon. Further, the gas may be cheaper
than that in CA!
-
Must-see links:
Sanjay M. Joshi,
sjoshi1@umbc.edu
Last Updated: 1 Oct 2002.