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All the United States California Tulelake Lava Beds National Monument

Lava Beds National Monument

Trails through lava-carved tube-caves display sparkling bacteria and a rich history.

Tulelake, California

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Trevor David
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Mushpot Cave is the only illuminated cave in the park. All others require flashlights, which are available to loan from the park staff. (Image credit: Scott Vandehey)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/spaceninja/11...
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Valentin...
Crystal Ice Cave at Lava Beds National Monuments. Tours of Crystal Ice Cave must be arranged through the park office. (Image credit: Michael McCullough)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/ex_magician/...
Lavacicles on the ceiling of Mushpot Cave.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lavacicl...
Entrance to Golden Dome Cave (Image credit: John Loo)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnloo/82856...
Yellow bacteria growing on the walls of Golden Dome Cave (Image credit: John Loo)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnloo/82948...
Petroglyphs at Petroglyph Point (Image credit: Don Barrett)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/304918...
Another view of Crystal Ice Cave (Image credit: Michael McCullough)   http://www.flickr.com/photos/ex_magician/3...
Image credit: Don Barrett   http://www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/333991...
Hopkins Chocolate cave 8/28/2019   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
Hopkins Chocolate cave 8/28/2019   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
Lava drips in Mushpot Cave.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Podium and low ceiling in Mushpot Cave.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Valentine Cave 8/28/2019   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
Lecture-gallery benches in Mushpot Cave.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
The illuminated path in Mushpot Cave.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Entrance to Skull Cave.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Stairway down to lowermost landing in Skull Cave.   slgwv / Atlas Obscura User
Valentine Cave 8/28/2019   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
Hopkins Chocolate cave 8/28/2019   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
Stairs leading down into Mushpot Cave   Avoiding Regret (Used with permission)
Vegetation outside Valentine Cave   Avoiding Regret (Used with permission)
Catacombs Steps   JFish / Atlas Obscura User
Golden Cave Steps   JFish / Atlas Obscura User
Sunset Cave   JFish / Atlas Obscura User
Visitors center   Avoiding Regret (Used with permission)
Skull Cave   JFish / Atlas Obscura User
Mushpot cave 8/28/2019   Keri Kilgo / Atlas Obscura User
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About

In North America, there is perhaps no better place to explore a volcanically sculpted landscape than Lava Beds National Monument in northern California. In addition to housing the largest concentration of lava tube-caves in the continent, the park contains over 46,000 acres of semi-desert terrain dominated by fumaroles (gas-emitting openings in the Earth's crust), cinder and spatter cones (mounds of ejecta that form around vents), and maars (craters formed in the explosive meeting of hot lava and groundwater).

Most of the lava flows in the park are somewhere between 30,000 and 40,000 years old and originated from two craters named Mammoth and Modoc. As the thick, fluid rock flowed out from the craters, a hard crust formed at the top of some streams. The lava beneath continued to flow, carving out conduits for itself and leaving spectacular formations on the ceilings and walls of the tube-like caves.

As the viscous lava dripped from the tops of the tubes, finger-like rock formations called lavacicles (a volcano's version of icicles) were left on the ceiling. Meanwhile, dripstone was created when the burning hot fluid splashed onto the tube walls. The overall effect is a series of long and narrow caves that appear to be melting.

In addition to the lava tubes, some 25 of which can be explored via hiking trails, the park is host to a great diversity of wildlife. Everything from pronghorn antelopes and bobcats to bald eagles and kangaroo rats (whose ability to synthesize water from dry seeds allows them to live a full life without seeing a drop of H2O) can be found at Lava Beds. Even the caves are alive with bats, ferns, and a variety of sparkling bacteria that adorn underground walls.

Petroglyph Point, one of the largest examples of Native American rock art in the country, demonstrates that the park has a rich history of human habitation as well. In fact, a popular site among visitors is Captain Jack's Stronghold, a natural lava fortress of caves and trenches where for five months a substantially outnumbered group of Modoc Indians famously held off U.S. Army forces.

In the process of peace talks, the Modoc leader Captain Jack was persuaded by his tribe to ambush and kill U.S. General Edward Canby, the only general to be killed in the Indian War. This event spelled disaster for the Modoc, however, as the army sent reinforcements which forced them to flee the stronghold and later avenged Canby's murder by hanging Captain Jack at nearby Fort Klamath in Oregon.

Related Tags

Caves Geological Oddities Ecosystems Geology

Know Before You Go

For directions to Lava Beds National Monument please visit http://www.nps.gov/labe/planyourvisit/directions.htm

Community Contributors

Added By

Trevor

Edited By

Avoiding Regret, JFish, Keri Kilgo, slgwv

  • Avoiding Regret
  • JFish
  • Keri Kilgo
  • slgwv

Published

April 24, 2010

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  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_Beds_National_Monument
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lava_tube
  • http://www.nps.gov/labe/index.htm
Lava Beds National Monument
Hill Road
Tulelake, California, 96134
United States
41.713889, -121.508333
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

Crystal Ice Cave

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tulelake

Tulelake

California

Places 2
Stories 1

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Crystal Ice Cave

Tulelake, California

miles away

Baldwin Hotel Museum

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Photo of Tulelake

Tulelake

California

Places 2
Stories 1

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