Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Distance: Less than 1 mile out and back
Difficulty: Moderate (due to the scrambling) Time: 1 hour to explore the cave
Season: April-October (Snowshoeing is possible when the road is closed in the winter)
Foot Traffic: Moderate to Heavy
Overview
The Lava River Caves are a fantastic site to visit and explore in Flagstaff, Arizona. This is a great area with lots of hiking and sightseeing opportunities and a relatively short distance to Williams and The Grand Canyon to the North and Sedona and Prescott to the South, among so many other incredible places to explore. This is an incredible area and the Lava River Caves are a great spot to explore that won’t take up too much time. The lava tubes are located about 14 miles north of Flagstaff, down a seasonally opened dirt road.
Most will find this mile long lava tube fun to explore, with some small scrambling and climbing over loose rocks necessary in spots. Those who aren’t very mobile inclined may find navigating this lava tube fairly tough. Warm clothes and a headlamp are essential here, as it is completely dark once you enter and the temperature always hovers somewhere between 35 and 45 degrees.
The lava tube, which was once riddled with graffiti, has now been almost entirely cleaned up. Please be mindful of this and respect this lava tube by not adding any undue graffiti or litter. Depending on your kids, this may or may not be a suitable adventure for your family. Know your limits and use good judgement as there is a lot of loose rock. Overall, this is a phenomenal and unique experience.
Scout’s Story and Trip Through the Lava River Caves
With Halloween one day away, my wife and I, along with our almost 6 month old daughter, Scout, decided that a trip to the dark Lava River Caves would be a great way to get into the Halloween Spirit. We started our morning by leaving Prescott and first stopping at Montezuma Castle, before driving into Flagstaff and making our way down the 10 plus mile dirt road to the Lava River Caves. Once at the parking area, we grabbed our jackets and headlamps and made our way to the signed trail for the Lava River Caves. After five minutes of walking through a nice forested trail we arrived at the Lava Tube.
Entering the Lava River Caves
We were directly above the lava tube and with Scout attached to her mom’s belly in her carrier, we slowly helped each other make our way down to the entrance of the cave. We neared the dark entrance to the Lava Tube, now placing our headlamps on and began to descend into the cave.
The first 50 yards is riddled with loose, slippery rocks that require some maneuvering and scrambling to bypass at points. At this point, baby Scout looked a little chilly and was clearly trying to figure out what this dark abyss was that she had entered. Scout’s eyes darted around and as exciting as the lava tube was for me, watching Scout’s expressions was just as pleasing.
The cave eventually flattened and widened, becoming a lot easier to navigate. Eventually, we arrived at a fork, with two massive cave openings, heading in opposite directions.
Visitors can choose either direction, as the two will eventually connect within a matter of minutes and loop back. The left is the easier route for those looking just to explore one of the directions.
We spent some time in this area, just admiring the beauty of the caves, before making our way back. One thing that I was impressed by was how almost all of the graffiti that had previously existed inside the cave, has since been removed. It was wonderful to see this. On our walk back to the entrance, we enjoyed the cold and darkness of the cave and our time in this magnificent location.
Altogether, we spent well under an hour in the lava tube but had a phenomenal time. This was a great way to get our family into the Halloween spirit and to enjoy some time out in nature.
October 30, 2021
Getting to Lava River Caves
171B Forest Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Notes, Questions and Thoughts
Is this a fee area?
- No, there is no fee to park or hike at Lava River Caves
Are there restrooms at the trailhead?
- Yes, restrooms at located just in front of the parking area.
Are dogs allowed at the Lava River Caves?
- No, dogs are not allowed at the Lava River Caves
The road to the Lava River Caves is often closed in the winter but is almost always passable to passenger cars when the road is open.
Please recreate responsibly. Respect hikers and all visitors and wildlife. Help make everyone’s experience better by keeping the nature experience as authentic as possible. Leave no trace and pack out everything that you pack in. Please remember that we are visitors and stewards of these special places. Help keep these places as wild as possible while not diminishing the outdoor experience of others.
