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Lava River Cave, Bend

4.5
#3 of 16 in Nature in Bend
Cave · Nature / Park
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The Lava River Cave near Bend, Oregon, is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which is managed by the United States Forest Service. At 5,211 feet (1,588 m) in length, the northwest section of the cave is the longest continuous lava tube in Oregon. While the cave's discovery in 1889 was officially credited to a pioneer hunter, the presence of obsidian flakes near the cave has led archaeologists to conclude that Native Americans knew about the cave long before settlers arrived in central Oregon.

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Lava River Cave reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
462 reviews
Google
4.7
TripAdvisor
  • I visited Lava River Cave as part of my trip to Newberry National Volcanic Monument in Bend. Being formed by lava flow, this cave is an unusual attraction compared to other caves & caverns. There... 
    I visited Lava River Cave as part of my trip to Newberry National Volcanic Monument in Bend. Being formed by lava flow, this cave is an unusual attraction compared to other caves & caverns. There...  more »
  • The biggest lava tube imaginable. Lucky to have a very good light for rent. Learned the meaning of dark! 
    The biggest lava tube imaginable. Lucky to have a very good light for rent. Learned the meaning of dark!  more »
  • Great for our group of 10 with ages ranging from 10 to 60. Dress warmly it is quite chilly, gloves helpful too. Must have good shoes (not flip-flops) and headlamp or flashlight (rent at least one of.....  more
    Great for our group of 10 with ages ranging from 10 to 60. Dress warmly it is quite chilly, gloves helpful too. Must have good shoes (not flip-flops) and headlamp or flashlight (rent at least one of.....  more »
Google
  • Very cool cave! Pretty cold so bring warm clothes. The lanterns they rent are nice and bright and also adjustable which was nice. We paid $20 for 3. Also, I recommend reserving parking online as it gets busy and it's only $2. Unfortunately we didn't see any bats but saw a cool spider.
  • What a great place to visit! We decided to come here on a whim one weekend. We got there early and had a very short wait. The park Rangers do a very thorough safety lesson, then you pay and make your way down to the cavern. They will offer you a lantern at a minimal price, but we had our own flashlights and declined their off. The cave is large and cold, so be sure to bring a jacket. The walk is about 1 mile from start to finish. All in all, we had a great time and would definitely recommend.
  • It's a good idea to make a reservation time before going.. The rangers are very nice a helpful. The cave itself has no light, you will need a good flashlight or you can rent theirs for $5.00.. Dress warmly, it's 42° year round.. you'll want good shoes as well, there is some uneven ground. It's a two mile walk round-trip.. Also, this is a self guided tour, Take your time.. That all being said, Enjoy your adventure, it is really fascinating.. My family had a great time there 🙂
  • It was awesome. You make you're reservation in advance online at the time you want. It's only 2 dollars. And of course you pay the 5 dollar park fee. But its pretty cool. It's definitely cold and dark.
  • This experience was awesome. It was a little nerve racking to be that far underground where lava once flowed but it was cool nonetheless. It is in the 40s down there so dress warmly and I suggest renting one of their lanterns, it was much easier to see with them.

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