Lava River Cave Reviews

I guess if you're really into geology and can appreciate that this tube was created 700,000 years ago it may make it more entertaining, but its basically just a long dark cave with unstable rocks.

My family has cabin in Flag, and we sought this out as something new to do. I am happy we checked it out, but after 15 mins in a cave, with a head lamp (which is critical) it just gets a little monotonous, not to mention slightly dangerous.

The crowds make it tough to navigate as well, waiting for people to pass (as there is only one way in, and one way out) can be a little frustrating.

If you are in Flag and are looking for something to do, it's worth exploring.

Also, it's really easy to get to, some of the other reviews make it seem hidden, its well marked and you can just follow the crowd once you park.

When you place your hand on the sharp glistening black glass that was a red river of lava, you will appreciate the amazing power of a volcano. If you are with children, you will really enjoy their amazement when they experience this remnant of a large eruption.

Spooky, the feeling of intense cold darkness underground. Unfortunately, I have poor night vision, weak ankles and brought a weak light. Unless you have great ankle stability, wear boots, not shoes. Do bring BRIGHT headlamp, and backup. And warm jacket, even in the summer. An eerie experience, even with people around.

Single lane road that is rough in spots makes me consider whether or not you should bring a sedan/small car here, but the hike is worth it. Very cool (experience and temperature) hike underground, must have head lamps as you will want your hands free. I didn't need a jacket but my wife did. Find a place where you are alone and turn off all the lights!

Very awesome experience, my first cave experience. Entering the cave wasnt too bad. There was a line of people waiting to get in. Very easy climb down, wear hiking boots. My boyfriend went in with Nike running shoes and he was sliding here and there. Rocks here and there are slippery, so be careful. Very cool walk through the cave, as you descended in it get less crowded (it wasn't crowded to begin with). From what I'm told, there is only one way in and one way out. Bring water, headlamp/flashlight, trailmix, sweater, and wear good shoes. I went in shorts and a sweater and that was fine.

My husband and I visited the lava river cave on Saturday, 8/10. We traveled from Phoenix to escape the heat and for a “daycation”. The parking lot was pretty full but, surprisingly the cave didn’t seem too crowded. We ordered two headlamps from Amazon for $7 ea….we are glad we did…you will need your hands free as you descend into the lava tube. Would recommend wearing a sweatshirt or medium weight jacket, closed toe shoes with traction, hiking pants or leggings. Also, ring at least 2 light sources. The first part of the lava tube requires descending/climbing down a pile of lava rocks and under some low ceilings before it opens up. Reword slippery rocks. The cave is impressive and exceeded our expectations. Well worth the visit.

Actually it’s really cold when you get into the cave. Expect steep decent and lots of rocks, once inside it’s really dark and wet with water dripping from the ceiling. If your prone to tripping this may not be the cave for you. We only went a few hundred feet but got the idea (only 4,800 to go) The entire distance is about a mile and talking to another group coming back from the end there may be crawling due to low ceilings. Strongly recommend good boots, jackets, gloves, headlamp you need your hands free and two backup light sources. If your claustrophobic don’t apply. We went on a week day that there was a number of people I would expect traffic jams on weekends.

This little cavern cave or whatever you want to call like it's a lava cave is what they call it it's very interesting if you like natural things and not man-made things so nice to walk hike pigpen and your activity level but I find it very interesting to check it out it's free just give it a try see what you think I'm I'm curious to hear your review but all I can say is I love it, i'm a big sucker are avid kit about natural things happening and I environments things of been around for thousands of years that you're able to look at I find it very interesting it's great for the kids to get back to school and say they did something interesting and learn something

Absolutely one of the best days of my life so let me explain the whole thing before you go watch football since im very young i was obviously scared (were talking under 13 but not saying age) but I went to my boy scout troop and I was halfway prepared for the trip I forgot to bring a helmet but only hit my head once, fell twice but did not hurt got to the end we turned all flashlight off and experienced pitch black. when we got out we finished camping and headed home. Tomorrow we are heading to pivot rock in coconino forest and it will be a blast.

On a recent girls trip we chose to check out the Lava River Cave. All 8 of us thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Keep in mind when navigating to the Lava Cave you will be driving on a dirt road for about 5 miles. Make sure to dress warm as it is only 30 degrees inside the cave no matter what time of the year it is. You feel the cold instantly. You will also need a flashlight or head lamp as there is no way of navigating around when the lights are out. It is pitch black!

This cave is doable for older kids as well as adults. Wear good shoes as it can be slippery in places and uneven footing.

1: You go in by yourself, you go out by yourself.
2: Cave is cool, around 42F.
3: First part is the most difficult.
4: Sturdy Shoes recommended.
5: Headlamps and a backup headlamps recommended.
6: Rocks are sharps and can be slippery.
7: Please leave no trace!! No graffiti, no food,... and the cave is not a toilet.

If you have children or teenagers, this is not to be missed! Each of our kids have stated it was the best part of their week-long vacation in the area. They were all in shorts and had jackets, and none of them complained about the temperature too much. We had a variety of headlamps and flashlights, and at various points the kids would turn there's off in order to play hide and seek.

This formerly little known cavern just north of Flagstaff has exploded in popularity thanks to the internet and social media. Easy to get to and the price of admission (free) have also contributed to its popularity. Quick summary–bring at least 2 good light sources. A head light is invaluable as it leaves your hands free. It's not as cold as some describe. Bring good hiking or harder soled shoes and don't bring your dog or small kids. This is a moderately challenging hike with some pretty sharp rocks to navigate over. As far as caves it's pretty consistent and not overly interesting as far as formations and such. But hey the price is right.

I went in may with my friend and I have to say the drive to this place is on a bumpy dirt path road but it's a fun adventure. The cave itself looks small but it's huge inside. I only went about 1000 feet in and the cave is about 5000 feet deep. I went early morning around 8am and it was just my friend and I so we got scared doing it alone since it's very dark inside and you really have to be on your hands and feet. Around 10 people started showing up near to do this cave when people are around you feel much safer. It was very cold in there definitely need gloves. Headlamp is best since u need ur hands to get around. I would love to actually attempt to finish this cave again for sure such a heart beating adventure for sure.

My rating is probably a little inaccurate as my family didn't actually get to hike the cave. We visited in March and there had been some recent snowfall. You have to travel a bit off the main road on a dirt trail to get to the trailhead, and when we arrived the road was closed (gated off) due to the snow. You could ski/walk to the cave, but it was a few miles out and due to time we unfortunately had to miss this trip.

Lava River Cave was amazing! The fact that the rock formations are all natural is awesome! We drove in from Phoenix for a quick day trip and it was so worth it! Definitely plan on spending a couple of hours here. It took us about an hour to hike all the way to the dead end and another hour back out (we got lost once in there where it branches off into two tunnels but we made it out safely after some backtracking. Be sure to bring a jacket and a head light because it is pitch black in there! Wear comfortable hiking shoes as well because it is incredibly uneven and rocky.

This was an awesome place to visit! It is colder once you're in there and pitch black unless you bring a light. I recommend something other than a phone light too. Wear closed toes shoes!

This cave / lava tube is an easy spelunking adventure for novices and kids. The Lava River cave is easily accessible via dirt Forest Service roads, but if it has been raining heavily you may need 4 wheel-drive. Fortunately, rain won't impact your time in the cave - it's consistently damp and approximately 42 degrees F in the cave.

Large boulders line entrance which requires some fun scrambling to get through. The cave extends 1 mile and is open a spacious, for a cave, for all but two short, narrow sections. Geography in cave is not exciting - volcanic rock (Basalt). Bring a head-lamp so your hands are free for scrambling and balance. Wear sturdy shoes and have a back-up light source.

We took 7 kids, ages 4-7. They all navigated the cave well and had a great time exploring!

This is something that people who love the outdoors and are physically fit will have an amazing time with! Going into the backwoods and climbing into what was once a tube full of lava...what an adventure!

My favorite cave so far in America. I hate writing a review because I don't want this incredible hidden gem to be over run with tourists.

This is a really neat experience!!

It is pitch black in there and very cold, even in the summer, so bring lights, water, and warm clothes.

The initial descent is steep but once inside it is mostly flat. There is only one spot where you must crouch or crawl.

It's an incredible and unique place that you will remember for a long time. Beware, the hike inside is not easy. Must wear shoes with good traction. The cave floor is full of rocks which are smooth and slippery. Complete darkness doesn't help either so don't forget to bring flashlights. The cave is really cold too. Overall it's a fun experience though. Recommended.

We read the previous reviews and came prepared with 6 flashlights and jackets for the two of us. We arrived early, around 930am on a monday morning as we sent out for a day of hiking and this was our first stop. We you arrive you have to wonder if your in the right place b/c its a big rock circle formation in the middle of the forest. We were, and we went in. This is not for the claustrophobic. We traveled inside the lava tubes all the way to the end. It was a nice trip. Took us about 2 hours start to finish. Some rocks were slick but there was not a lot of water dripping from the ceiling as it was August and had not rained in a while. It is cold in there and completely dark. IF you down here and no one else is around, find a flat rock to sit on and turn of your lights. You will see nothing. If you have the lights off for too long you may get a vertigo feeling, that's why its best to be seating. My only recommendation is bring gloves b/c you will have to crawl in a few spots and if your taller a helmet may not be a bad idea.

Have a child that is curious and loves geology? Or just curious? Or seeking something they may never do again?

This is an amazing adventure into a 650K old tunnel, formed by magma flows into a tunnel. It is wonderful to explore the cave atmosphere and share a unique exploration.

BRING FLASHLIGHTS FOR ALL.

BRING JACKETS/ SWEATSHIRTS.

GLOVES ARE GOOD OPTIONS.

FUN!

Went a few weeks ago with the significant other, we came right after a large group so we had a few parts to our self. It was still pretty busy compared to when I first went in 2005!

While in Flagstafg, my husband and I were looking for fun things to do and found Lava River Cave on Trip Advisor. We bought headlamps, loaded our backpack and headed off. It was an easy dirt road drive in and well marked. The hike in was not hard but the experience was worth the effort. It is not spectacular like larger caves but a fun adventure you should check out when in Flagstaff. Previous reviews helped us know what to expect.

This was a pretty cool day adventure. My friend and I drove up from Phoenix to explore the Lava River Cave. The road to the cave is a dirt road that is about 7 miles off the highway. Parking is limited, so you may have to park a little further from the parking lot. The cave was a little chilly, so bring a light jacket (recommend wearing pants and not shorts). Make sure to wear tennis shoes and NOT flip flops. We had on headlamps and didn't need any further flashlights (Headlamps could be purchased at Wal-Mart). There was a lot of people at the beginning, but not everyone seemed to go to the end of the cave. The end is when you literally can't go any further. Majority of the cave is rocky. Overall it took us about 2 hours to complete; we stopped many times in the cave to take pictures. We left Phoenix/Peoria around 8:30am and we were home around 5:30pm. We stopped in Flagstaff to have lunch after the Lava River Cave. It was a nice day adventure and a cool experience.
**No permit is required and there is no fees associated with this activity

A headlamp is preferable and a small flashlight, a jacket or hoodie as it gets down to 40 in the cave (you'll feel the cool air as soon as you get to the edge), and good shoes. Very rocky entrance, and rocky down into the cave, but once you get into the cave it is more level. Total distance is 3/4 mile to the end, but my family and I didn't make it to the very end before turning around to go back.

I asked my children ages 14, 9, and 6 which "hike" they preferred as we did Walnut canyon earlier the same day, and while I liked Walnut Canyon better they said they definitely liked the cave more than Walnut Canyon. I just think they didn't appreciate the historical ruins and awesome views like I did at Walnut.

Be sure to take Rd 171 off of I-40 right out of Bellmont. The road is 7-mile dirt road with a lot of potholes and washboards, but the drive is definitely worth it.

We visited in January, 2018 before the area had any snow, so the roads were open. Also, we went first thing in the morning and did not run into any other humans until we had returned to the entrance.

Yes, it’s ultimately just a long underground tube, but it is a really cool experience to see how the lava created this underground tube.

Tip #1: bring more light than a cell phone. We had headlights (a must!), strong flashlights (very helpful!), and a lantern (not necessary, but useful for lighting the immediate area).

Tip #2: there are some low spots, so a helmet would be a good idea.

Tip #3: take it slow going in and coming out. The rocks near the entrance are tricky, and they can be quite slippery.

Tip #4: if you take your time, it should take 1.5-2.0 hours to go all the way to the end and return.

We did the Lava tube, a bit steep going down but once inside its Awesome, make sure you have a bright headlight and good shoes with tread slippery throughout the cave. When u come to the area of two tunnels take the one to the left, the right side is smaller so you have to crouch down more.

If you like caves, this is a must do. It's easy to get to, and you can do as much or little as you want. It's a pretty big expanse, so you don't feel claustraphobic. It is a lava rock cave so there is ALOT of rock hopping/climbing (on BIG lava rocks), so if you have any knee or hip issues this is not for you. It's not an easy walk along a path. A headlamp is a must. Flashlight will do, but having your hands free is much better. Highly recommend boots that have ankle support, but certainly saw alot of young people that were in tennis shoes and sandals. It's pretty cool in the cave, so a jacket is recommended. I'm 58 so you don't have to be young to do this, but I'm going to say it's definitely not for everyone.

Visited lava rock cave or the lava tubes. A free park attraction. Off I40 in flagstaff exit 185 and you take a dirt road. Not to many signs on where it is just take the dirt road.
It's a whole in ground and you can feel the cold air from it. I went July 6 it was 80 degrees but outside it was 45 degrees
The cave is around 3/4 mile long so it will take u around 20-25 mins to do.
YOU Must bring flashlight headgear light preferred
First 200 feet tough with all the rocks then it flattens out. Wear grip shoes or sneakers, wear jacket or long sleeve gets to 38 deg maybe colder. Need to be in shape on way back.
If claustrophobic don't do it. A hidden gem it was awsesome

I've had this on my list of things to see for 20 years and finallky got a chance to do it. It was the highlight of an already excellent weekend up north and I would recommend it for nearly everyone.

It's totally free and unmanned, out in the middle of nowhere. Beautiful drive through the national forest to get there. Lots of camping spaces along the way!

It's a little intimidating to walk through, but once you do, it's incredible. Nice and cool inside too! We could see our breath.

Be sure to take back up lighting with you. And, do yourself a favor and turn all your lights off once you're deep inside. It's the darkest you may ever "see."

This is a cool little trip to kill some time. It's a little bumpy drive to get to and if it wasn't for all the people going there you might not know you arrived. You descend into a hole in the ground into total darkness. I suggest taking an extra flashlight just in case. Without a light you won't find your way out. That being said there are plenty of people around to follow out if needed but the terrain is pretty rough at times and your own light a must. As just stated the terrain is rough and sometimes wet. Good shoes or hiking boots a must, leave the flip flops in the car. It's cool in the cave so you might want a light jacket or sweatshirt but you will warm up hiking down there. The descent in and climbing out are your best chances of falling. You have to watch your step and avoid the ice. Some families were bringing little kids in. Your choice but I think they should be a little bit older.

I stayed in Flagstaff for a family reunion and some of us headed here for a half day hike. Here's the scoop:

It's an area in the forest with free entrance to this cave. It takes about 1.5 - 2.5hrs, depending on the agility and ages of those in your group. Our group contained two youngish adults, 3 teens, and one child of 8 years. It took us 1.5 to climb down to the end and less than 1 hr to climb back up and out. I wouldn't call the hike strenuous, but we definitely took it slow over very uneven terrain. There is no opening at the end. It just dead-ends. It's about a mile long. One of the teens had a pedometer and logged 3,700 steps for the roundtrip hike.

The site is only a 40 minute drive outside of Flagstaff, but is a little difficult to find because the small dirt road you must turn off on is unmarked and easy to breeze past. Using navigation is recommended.

Entrance into the Coconino National Park is free from this road. After parking, just walk the dirt path at the end of the parking lot for about 5 minutes. Then you'll see a hole in the ground surrounded by a wall of stone and a sign. You can feel cold air rushing out like natural A/C as you stand at the entrance. This seems to be the coldest part of the cave, probably because the air is moving and you are approaching from the outside summer weather in the 90°s. There was a slab of ice on one of the walls near the entrance.

Definitely wear long pants and bring a sweatshirt and/or light jacket. It was about 40° inside, which isn't too bad if you keep moving and climbing, but definitely too cold for shorts and a T-shirt.

The journey into the cave begins with a climb down big rocks for about 10 min. I wouldn't call them boulders, but they did vary in size from mid-calf height to mid-thigh. A few were waist or neck high, but they were always surrounded by smaller rocks. Toddlers wouldn't be able to handle it, but 5yr olds and up shouldn't have any issues.

There are no guides, park rangers, or lights, so once you descend past the entrance and the light filtering from it, you're on your own. You must bring a light source. Headlamps are recommended to keep your hands free to steady yourself as you walk on unsteady rocks that tilt, and are often wet and slimy, or dry and smooth from foot traffic. None of us had headlamps, but each of us had our own cheap $3 flashlight with fresh batteries, including the 8 yr old, and we were fine. It just slows the pace when one hand isn't free.

After the initial descent, the cave and ceiling widens and the path is a somewhat level rockbed. It is not smooth; however, and feels like thousands of pointy little rocks, so solid tennis shoes with grip is recommended.

A few times along the walk, the ceiling narrows and you must duck to avoid bashing your head. Be aware. About 10
minutes from the end (as you continue in toward the end), you have a fork in the road. The left side continues pretty uneventfully. The right side is a very brief path of larger rocks to navigate which just circles back to rejoin the left path in about 5 minutes, so if you're already tired, go left.

At one point, about 3 minutes from the dead end, the ceiling drops so low, you need to duck walk about 10 steps to pass through.

I recommend bringing a small backpack with water and maybe a granola bar or nuts. Please pack any trash back out with you. We went on a Tuesday afternoon in June and there were several groups in the cave at the same time, though we did not hear nor see them unless they were passing us in the opposite direction, so it still feels as if you have the cave to yourself. All the more reason to bring lights. After we reached the end, we turned off all our flashlights, and of course, it was pitch black.

In sum, it was a great little half day activity. Long enough to be adventurous, yet short enough to keep our interest. I strongly recommend you put this on your To Do List while in Flagstaff and come prepared!

Hope that helps! Enjoy Flagstaff!

I went to the Lava River Cave as a random day trip. Note this is more for someone who is into hiking. You for sure need flashlights and stable shoes. When I was there a person went in and their flashlight died on them and they had to wait for someone to come down (it is PITCH BLACK). The rocks inside are not stable so watch as you walk (no path, just hiking down). The lava formations were cool, but I personally prefer the Caverns that have even stairs and paths (but that is personal opinion). If you like hiking and adventure you will love this. Also take note that it is easy going down, but you might not realize how far you went until you feel it as you go up.

Here"s the scoop from two active young seniors. This is off the beaten path in. a middle of a forest. Have a GPS or preplanned map into the area. It is not difficult to find but cellphone was spotty. About 5 to 7 miles of gravel unpaved road in and out. A flashlight for EACH person is a must..teaming up with others is a good idea to brighten the way. Make sure you have fresh batteries...my wife's light crapped out just after the hump. Highly recommend hiking boots..very rough bottom all the way through the cave. No guides, no lights, no signs or markers in the cave..,this is a do it yourself tour. The first 100 yards in is steep over heavy boulders...some had ice. Stick with it, as it levels out and opens up once you get over the hump. Halfway in is a fork..a tube on each side. The right very narrow, recommend doing the left if you are not going to explore both. Take your time, go slow. It is well worth it once you get over the initial fear. If you are brave enough to do it solo...make sure you have a backup light.

This was a great short family outing to the end of the cave. Finding the opening to the cave is really easy. Just follow the signs. The most narrow spot is the actual entrance but it opens up once you go further. The hike is about 1.5 miles. The entire hike was dark and you really had to be careful. Be sure you bring a headlight or flashlight and jacket.

I was surprised to learn this even existed. I did not go all the way through the caverns. We didn't have enough light. You need a strong flashlight and beware of the very slippery areas. Kids would like to visit and climb down. Read about about the history and formation - very interesting

13 year old boy and 9 year old daughter went with wife and I. Slippery getting into cave with ice and puddles. Daughter slipped getting in and got wet. Oh well, in we go. There are lots of rock and uneven surfaces. Highly recommend two light sources per person with full batteries. We were in there for 2 hours. If lights go out, that will make life real rough. Walking sticks will also make life easier. Study map and recognize their is a "y" that reconnects making a full circle. Kids led the way and some how got us turned around inside. Fun times problem solving getting back out. Very worth while trip. Just come prepared with lights, and even first aid. Twist an ankle real bad and it will suck getting out. We also had water and food. What can I get, scouts know to be prepared:-)

This is awesome. It's 5$ per car and takes a few hours. I did it with my 6 year old and he did fine but I had to carry my 2 year old. Bring a good light, 2 dollar Walmart lights where not cutting it, they do have lights to rent at the entrance. Bring a hoodie because it's about 45 degrees in there. It closes at 4 so it would be good to do at noonish in the heat of the day. One thing that could get you is if you have been in a different cave in the last year and are wearing the clothes you wore in that cave they will not let you in. I guess there is a fungus that is harmful to bats that they do not want you to bring into their cave that can be transported on your clothes. This cave is huge and awesome and we will go again.

The best way to enjoy your trip to this unique cave is to COME PREPARED. This isn't a commercial cave like Carlsbad Caverns or something... Know what you're getting into. Obviously you don't have to be a professional caver to enjoy this awesome cave, but keep a few things in mind before heading out:

The walking surface inside the cave varies from large boulders to uneven, loose, wet rocks to pointy and jaggy 'ripples'. Flip flops are NOT suitable footwear. Wear a sturdy hiking shoe with a good grip and a firm sole if you want to explore.

There are NO LIGHTS inside the cave. This might sound completely obvious considering it's a hole... underground... But if that's obvious, then taking a light inside should be obvious, too. I wouldn't try anything but a headlamp. And before you ask, no, your iPhone flashlight is not a good idea. Getting in and out of the cave, and navigating some portions of it while inside, will require a considerable effort for both of your feet AND your hands. Do you really want to be dilly-dallying around with your new iPhone trying to scramble over boulders? I don't think so.

Consider a helmet. Like, consider it so seriously that you decide to wear one.

It's pretty darn chilly in there, so dress appropriately.

I'm all for showing kiddos the wonder of nature, but this is an excursion that I personally think is best suited to the older child with a more mature sense of spatial awareness and motor skills. Not only is it seriously dark in there (even with the awesome headlamps you brought in, right?), but there are areas that require more than just holding the hand of Mom or Dad to find solid footing. The plus side is that when they're older, they'll more appreciate just how cool this place is and they won't just remember it as being some cold, dark hole in the ground.

Taking the time to prepare yourself will give you the best chance at rocking this cave hike. Have fun!

We really enjoyed the cave, it is a bit more rocky than I expected but it was FUN! To get into the cave takes some navigating, due to people are coming in and out all at the same time. People were very kind and courteous of one another, as there are different ages of climbers ranging from infant to elders. The darkness and cold of the cave was a great experience, the coldness made it a bit harder to breath. Make sure to take a flashlight a head light is best but we got by with hand held flashlights. Wear shoes with traction and that you don't mind getting ruined, same goes for your clothes. The walls and rocks have dripping water and at some points you have to sit/slide on the rocks to navigate down into the cave. It is a FUN and unique experience to share with your family. If you are not a super athlete, like me rest assure you will still be able to enjoy the cave, but you may be sore for a few days after. It is so worth the soreness to experience the wonders of the cave.

The Lava tube is a fun and exciting adventure. There is a scramble down some rocks at the entrance to the tube, but then it is relatively easy. It is very dark. Wear good shoes and you may want to bring a jacket, as it can be cold.

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!

Dress warmly, as this is cold! You drive 15 miles into a state forrest and descent into a hole in the ground. Not for the faint hearted... there is no support - it's you and your flash light into an underground cave... but that's what makes it so cool!
The cave entrance can be felt before you see it as the cold air just bursts out of the mouth of the cave - it's like opening your fridge door!
What an experience, truly unique!
It's free - all you need to bring is a good flashlight that you know for sure will last you about 2 hours!!

This place isn't the easiest to find, but you can't really expect mother nature to make things easy. This is a fun little adventure that is pretty unique and definitely worth checking out if you're in the Flagstaff area. I would highly suggest bringing a headstrap flashlight--cell phone flashlights won't be bright enough and you'll want to keep your hands free. I'd also suggest bringing a light jacket...it's pretty chilly down in the cave all year around. There are some steep inclines/declines along with tight spaces, so I wouldn't recommend this to those who are unable to deal with rough terrain or are claustrophobic.

We had the best of intentions to enter the cave, but neglected to bring a flashlight. We could have used our cell phones, but the best option is a hands free devise, a headset, as you will likely need your arms and hands to climb the rocks. The descent is quite steep. Its boulder upon rock, and even with my hiking poles proved challenging. The rocks tipped. I could have managed eventually, but I'm slower than those teenagers, so I would have held up the line. I didn't want the pressure to be hasty, rather I opted for safety, and decided to observe instead. Only about 1-2 people could fit through the narrowest opening, and there were a lot of people going down. Several people came up who had walked though, and said it does take a while, and it is in the pitch dark. I suppose if you are claustrophobic, you'd have issues. We enjoyed the cool breezes immediately at the mouth, and did our fair share of people watching. The walk from the parking lot to the cave is easy and oh, so lovely in the forest.

It was great to visit the lava cave. We did not know that it takes about 6 miles on a dirt road to get to the cave but it was worth the trip.

At almost a mile long, Lava River Cave is a grand Northern Arizona adventure. Since the cave is the same temperature, winter or summer, it can be a nice place to cool off in the summer or a bit warmer than the outside air in the winter. Bring a jacket regardless.

I've seen the lava tubes in Hawaii but this one was a difficult hike down. Lots of families were there but those with kids under 10 didn't make it very far. Bring a head lamp and sweater! It was 84 outside the tube but inside was atleast 20 degrees cooler. I visited early Sat afternoon and it was very crowded but still an interesting landmark

It was awesome! we went on the weekend so alot more people but it helped since it as so dark! MUST BRING SWEATERS 3 OR 4 FLASHLIGHTS (LANTERNS ARE BETTER) AND WATER!!! its freezing in there but was super cool! its kinda hard at 1st your definalty need close toed shoes your gonna need to balance yourself. but it does get eaiser.

It's not that hard to find, not that far, maybe a mile, off of the main road...Highway 180. It's down a well kept dirt road. Watch the entrance. It's steep, and when I was there, still wet and icy, and slick. Once you climb down past that entrance, and the first part of the cave, it does level out. Most of the floor is worn down from all the traffic, so it's relatively flat. There's still a few places where rocks have fallen from the ceiling that you have to watch your step on. There is one place where the ceiling gets fairly low, I found it the hard way. It's close to the front of the cave, after that there's plenty of headroom.

Make sure you use headlamps, not flashlights. You will need your hands free. Also have fresh batteries in your lamps, and backup batteries and lights. A flashlight would be okay for a last ditch backup. You DO NOT want to get back in that thing and be in the dark. Take a jacket, even in the summer. It was 85 on the surface, and maybe 50 down in the cave. Taking water or snacks I would say is optional, and probably unneeded. You're not going to be inside that long. It's only about a mile, figure an hour to walk to the back, and less than that to come back out. Just remember, those steep, slick, rocks, you climbed down to get inside, you'll also have to climb to get back out, after you've walked for over an hour and are, likely, tired.

Couple of other things. It is free, there is no charge at all. But, there are also no park rangers or anyone else on site. You are totally on your own. You will not get any cell phone service inside the cave, I checked my phone just out of curiosity, and had no signal at all. Outside the phones work fine, inside, not. If you get inside and are injured, or can't get yourself back out, any rescue is likely going to be hours away.

The lava tube goes straight back for about a mile. You cannot get lost or put onto a side tunnel because there aren't any. Bring at least two flashlights and warm clothes. Go to the bathroom, please, before entering the canve,

This is a really cool (literally & figuratively) place to visit. Think long cave that lies hidden beneath a small hatch in the ground. Makes you wonder how they first discovered it. Just make sure you wear hiking or good walking/tennis shoes as you do have to climb over some rocks. But aside from that, it's not that strenuous once you get down into it. A few expletive try to bring their dogs, but really not recommended due to the rockiness and could get leg stuck or something. It stays really cool, like 55 year round, so coming from Phoenix, that's really nice. Suitable for kids if keep eye on them. Also, you should have a flashlight or headlamp.

A little difficult getting down to the cave and you must have plenty of lights to see good in the cave also wear good walking or hiking shoes. The floor is not very even and a lot of rocks big and small and large slabs of rocks. Some areas you have to duck down the get thru and there is a lot of moisture down there and very cold inside. You must go to the end of the cave so you can see the whole thing and it would be more worth it.

Equipped with good shoes, warm clothes, and lots of flashlights, our entire family took the forest roads to the Lava River Cave and spent several hours exploring the cave. The first 100 feet or so are the most difficult part, and I think a lot of people get discouraged. But after the first 100 feet, everything opens up and is much easier.

Just some tips: 1) use the restroom before you get to the caves, 2) don't bring any pets into the cave, 3) wear layers of clothing, 4) bring GOOD quality LED flashlights with new batteries and 5) wear something on your head, as sometimes you may bump it on the dark ceiling. I did! Ouch! 6) Have fun!

It's a decent way through the back roads of gravel and dirt to get to the location of the cave, and once you're there you're on your own.

Headlamps, jackets, boots, bring them all - as well as backups. It is true darkness and a mile long. And above all, a really amazing experience.

You also have to be at least a bit in shape to climb down the entrance.

I did this hike with a local in October 1996. bring flashlight, water. wear proper clothing. the tubes are underground and at the time you had to crawl down into them. its much cooler so be prepared for the chill and darkness

You will need flashlights and good hiking shoes to trek down into the lava cave. It opens up in a few places where you can experience total darkness for fun.

Take a headlamp and set aside a couple of hours to venture into a cave that is both amazing and fun for the whole family to explore! There were lots of hikers while we were in the cave, so we felt very safe and in good company.

We were looking for things to do on the way to Flagstaff and decided to venture down a lava cave. Head seven miles down a dirt and gravel road to the parking lot on the right, walk a very short distance down a pine needle covered trail to a rock circle and climb down a very dark, rocky and steep incline into the cavern. Darkness and uneven ground necessitates a good head lamp (to be able to use your hands to navigate the rocky terrain) and good shoes although you may ruin them lava is tough on shoes.
At the y you have a choice easy walk to the left or to the right a low 4 foot ceiling for a short distance and we circled around and back out the way we entered.
3/4 mile back underground is an adventure.
Not easy have to be able to walk on rocky uneven ground down hill for the first 50 yards climbing over rocks.
Dark stop turn off your light to enjoy the darkness.
Downside is scenery is the same the entire length.

I love hiking into the lava tube here in flagstaff! the last time i went there was still snow up top and there were giant icicles dangling down at the entrance. This is a chilly hike i recommend you bring jackets, good shoes, water and snacks, and plenty of light!!! if you do bring snacks make sure to hike out your trash. this is not an animal friendly spot since it is pitch black inside the the floor is gagged and sharp.

Well worth it. It pays to come prepared though. This is a natural cave left natural. It's not a tourist stop with a paved path, handrails, and lights. You will have to scramble over fallen rocks and boulders at the entrance to get in. After that there are other places you will have to scramble but it's still worth it. You must have at least one good flashlight preferably two. The light on your cell phone is not adequate and it won't last long enough. The people trying to use those never made it 1/2 way and missed the best parts. It's also a great way to break your phone on the rocks. Head lamps are best and leave your hands free. We stopped at Walmart and got cheap multipacks with two head lamps and 4 mini flashlights for $12.50. At 40 lumens they were just fine in the completely dark cave. We carried the mini lights as spares and wound up giving a couple away to the stranded cell phone folks. You can not do this this in flip flops, sandals nor the like. Even when you aren't scrambling the floor is covered with knobs and rocks making footing tricky. You can do it in sneakers but next time I'll wear boots so I don't roll an ankle. I really enjoyed this natural feature but there is nothing in there worth needing rescued. If you get in and find that getting in was too hard on you just find a rock to sit on and then head back out. We saw several smart people do this and also saw poorly prepared groups with toddlers struggling deeper in. There is only one way in and out so the deeper you go the more you have to do get out. Just be smart and you'll enjoy this.

This was much more interesting than I would have thought. My kids had a great time with us. It's amazing, you can feel the cold air as you approach the mouth of the cave but really can't see anything yet. It is pretty rocky and steep at the beginning (and at the end coming out since it is round trip) but fairly flat (although it is still not a smooth surface in there) the rest of the way. There are a couple spots you might have to duck down if you are tall but fairly doable if you are pretty mobile. I definitely recommend a head lamp over a flashlight as you need your hands free for some of the climbing. Wear shoes with good tread as it can be slippery in some areas where there is more moisture on the rocks.

We attempted to hike the cave, but with the total darkness (yes we had flashlights), ice in the cave and the size of the bolders you had to cross, we decided it wasn't worth a broken arm or leg, so we abandoned the idea of a hike here.

We found Lava River Cave without much trouble on our smart phone, my Garmin could not find it at all. The enterance was steep, the ground is rocky, uneven wet and very dark. But is also what makes it cool. It is an out and back so no need to worry about getting lost inside. Diffinately need at least two sources of light for each person. We went on a Monday and there were several cars in the lot. A Boy Scout troop was there at the same time we were. They kept yelling stay to the right. It got annoying after a while. After they passed us,we could no longer hear them. Being in the dark and the quiet was a unique experience!

This is a mid-effort hike, well worth the unique experience. I say "mid" because it's not difficult, but you definitely need to watch your footing. We did it with two kids (8 and 13) and I'm 5 months pregnant, so all skill levels should be able to do it if you go slow. It is a cave, so if you do not have headlamps (or at least a flashlight) you won't be able to go very far. Hand-held flashlights could be tricky as there are a few spots where you have to use your hands for balance to climb. It was surprisingly cold - there was still ice inside the cave in several spots, so we were grateful for our coats and warm gear. The experience is very cool, and the roof gets as high as 30 ft in some spots which is really neat. It was a unique experience that I'm really glad we did.

The Lava River Cave, for some reason, is something of a secret, even to people who live in Flagstaff. If you mention to people that you're doing this, you'll get a lot of blank looks in return. This is a must-do in the Flag area! The cave is amazing! You can actually see the flow of the lava in here where it's hardened, and also there's scrapping on the walls from long-ago debris flowing past. Some parts of the cave are huge and beautifully colored. You won't believe how cool it is. It is constantly chilly in here so bring a jacket, and make sure you've got plenty of headlamps/flashlights so you're safe. Solid shoes are a must as it's rough going getting in the cave, but it's also not smooth once you're in there.

Fascinating natural feature you have to see to believe! Bring multiple flashlights (a headlamp is particularly handy): it is pitch black inside, and would be disorienting without light. Watch your head, take your time, and enjoy this crazy geological feature.

I loved this hike but it can make you feel very vulnerable. I would highly recommend a head lamp, layered clothing to include gloves and beanie, good solid boots/hiking shoes, and if you have kids in your party light up heel clips. There were several time when you are crawling using both hands, so it’s nice to have a hands free light. I’m addition put all your valuables in a backpack or Fanny pack, lots of items fall out of pockets unknowingly and chances of finding them are slim. There is a bathroom at the parking lot. The ground is very rough and often unsteady (rocks move). There are some low ceiling points so watch your head.

The Lava tube cave was a little scary but worth the effort to experience. There are no signs from the main road and we could not get the GPS to find Lava River Cave. we found it using the google directions.
We went on a Monday morning but there were at least 4 other groups of people. It took me 3 attempts before I could get up enough nerve to go right down into the cave and join my family. We wore hiking shoes, warm clothes, good head lamps but I wish I had gloves. The entrance is rocky, icy and slippery but once you reach the cave it is big and open. Im so glad my fear didnt make me miss this opportunity. If you want to scare yourself a little more, turn off your lights to experience the ultimate cave experience.

Once you start down into the cave, you are really on your own. You should be reasonably limber and in okay health. The little flashlights that go on your head are INSUFFICIENT, in my opinion. We used a "Tactical" hand held flashlight that was perfect. Be sure to "register" when you begin so they know if a car is in the parking lot over night! This facility is open 24/7.

The entrance to the cave is rough and requires mild scrambling. Flashlight is a must. Without one you will only be going in a few dozen steps. Wear good shoes, the walking surface is not smooth. Wear a jacket, even in summer. The cave is cool.

This cave has been left in its original state and worth the short trip out of Flagstaff to experience. Need to be able to climb up and down boulders.

Enter the pitch black lava tube that is both fun and adventurous. The mile long hike is filled with the solid natural lava floor that is rugged and choppy. Although we hiked in running shoes, it is definitely better to participate with hiking boots. Be sure to bring a head lamp, as you won’t want to carry a flashlight during your trek through the tunnels. Entertaining for all ages, and bring a sweatshirt, as temperatures get chilly during your expedition.

Turn off the paved road, follow the dirt road, then get on another dirt road, the walk to the hole in the ground and climb into it. Sounds strange, but it's a great experience. The drive through the forest is very nice (and dusty!) and it's a short walk to the cave entrance. As everyone says, you initially have to climb down a big rock pile. There were kids and people of all ages climbing and I think anyone without back or knee problems could do it. Take a flashlight and sleeves -- you can feel it getting cooler before you even get into the cave. I was surprised on my way out as I did not recall climbing anything that steep. It turns out, I had! It's not hard, but going back up you don't realize how far you descended in the first place before you got to the lave tubes. And, even in the lave tubes the floor is till pretty uneven. All in all, a unique adventure not to be missed.

Self guided & Free. Easy directions through the forest road to get here. There is a small parking lot, but no restrooms as it's simply out in the forest. Highly recommend: going in the morning as it won't be as busy. Bring headlamps (you can get in town at Walmart) not just flashlights. Dress in layers - can be quite cool down there. we packed a picnic lunch and ate on the tailgate afterwards. Difficulty: our 8yr old nephew was able to climb in/out with little help from us. The beginning 10-15min are the toughest, then opens up to an easy walk the rest of the way.

The cave has very uneven flooring with various height and can look completely different from one section to the next. It is slippery at many place so wear good sneaker or hiking boots if possible. If you look up info on it, it suggest you to wear warm clothing and bring flashlight. I had a sweater and a medium weight jacket on with a short sleeve underneath. But I got kind of sweaty since the path is a bit difficult. Headlight is good so it free up your hand to hold on to rocks when you walk. Me and my friends just use some not very powerful handheld flashlight we were fine. But good flashlight is definitely a plus. It felt like an adventure without being too difficult so I love it. It seem desolate when you get there but we saw five different groups on the way so it is quite popular. Many people even went with dogs!

Great alternative to the more common sites. Sunny and warm for Flagstaff in March but almost as quick as you drop into the ground the temp drops, darkness takes over. Wear sturdy shoes, flashlight per person. Watch your head in a couple of spots.

Be aware the road maybe closed if it rained recently. Our GPS took us the round about route but we got there and had a little fun slipping and sliding in the mud in our truck. We hiked the trail with four kids aged between 5-7 years old and had no problems. The beginning was iced over making the very beginning of the hike the most treacherous part. But at the same time the it looked like a frozen waterfalll at the entrance and it was an amazing sight to see!! Everyone in our party had headlights and we brought extra batteries and flashlights just incase. The ground is at times very uneven and at times my five year old got his shoe stuck in some of the spaces that were in the floor of the cave. Walking on the ground was at times like walking on tiny sticks sticking straight up. My husband's feet hurt afterward because he was just wearing regular tennis shoes and he said it felt like he was walking on pins and needles pushing through the bottom of his shoes. If he had worn his hiking boots with more support I think he would have been fine. We had a great time and it took about 2 hours with four adults and four kids to walk in and then back out. There we surprisingly a fair amount of people in the cave. We definately were not surrounded by people while hiking it but we passed and were passed but server always groups of people during the trip. Overall it was a fun experience and highly recommend it!

Our main home is in Flagstaff and for many years we enjoyed visiting this small, uncontrolled cave. So sad that it has fallen victim to vandals. Perhaps it will one day be managed and require an entrance fee to keep future vandals away. Worth the trip though. It is accessible and cool even in summer.

The caves can be reached from either 89A or I-40, but do require a 10-mile or so trip on a dirt road to reach the cave entrance, be careful during the rain or winter as the roads can be quite muddy and limit sedans from entering. If they sky is clear, you wont need 4x4 to reach the cave, almost any car can make it, assuming you take it easy.

Once at the cave, it's a shorty scurry down a land slide / cave - in; which opens to a lava tube. When in the ground, the temperatures remain a very consistent 35 deg f or so year around, so bring a jacket / sweatshirt. Don't wear flip flops or other such summer apparel, wear tennis shoes or hiking shoes as your feet will thank you as the wet rocks can be slippery and the jagged walking surfaces will wear on you after a while.

Headlamps are obviouisly need, as it is pitch black. If you're lucky enough to be in the cave alone I recommend turning off all your lights and just being for 10 minutes, maybe even try to make your way down the cave in the dark for a unique experience.

Overall, it's worth a visit if you're looking for a unique outdoor experience, but the novelty wears on you by the time you've walked down and back. Worth the trip for sure, but don't expect a new attitude towards life or a hard outdoor hike.

Went to Arizona Snowbowl but the ski lift was being repaired so did a little hike on the trails there then and asked a park worker if they had a suggestion of what else to do she suggested the Lava River Cave... Although unprepared, armed with only cell phone (lite) @ 28% power remaining, tennis shoes and a long sleeve shirt went on a adventure into the Lava Tube it was 4pm in the afternoon so I must admit didn't make it to the end of the cave but the adventure of going a few miles on a 1 lane fire road then turning onto another fire road to get to hole in the ground and descending down a lava tube was pretty freaking cool... And was sub 40 degrees I will go again and be prepared.

We had a great time exploring the cave. Good shoes and extra lights are a must. We all loved turning the lights off and seeing (or not) total darkness. We also had fun telling scary stories as we walked along the cave.

We did not have helmets but some reviews recommend them and I think it is a good idea. There are some low spots and rocks that hang low.

Worth the ride but we decided to take the more scenic route from 180. There is no sign when you turn onto Fire Road 171 letting you know this is for the Cave. Use you GPS to find the turn off from 180. Also, 171 is a gravel dirt road, not paved but in good shape. After on 1.1 miles in on 171, take a left at the T and there is a sign for the cave in .4miles. The is a small parking lot at the trail that leads to the cave a couple hundred yards in. No bathrooms in the area so be prepared!

This may have been the coolest thing we did over the course of our week vacation traveling from Phoenix to SLC. We parked off of US180 and hiked in on Fire Road 245 because the gate was closed. We stepped off at 5:45 pm and it would have been a 4.5-mile hike in, but we ended up going cross country at the first crossroad. Probably saved us about 1.5 miles. We arrived at the cave at around 6:30 pm, just as it was getting dark and hopped right in the cave where it was dark anyways. We were the only ones in the cave and enjoyed taking our time and turning off our lights from time to time to see just how dark, dark can get. On the way out we took Fire Road 171 to 245 and then out. We left the cave at 7:45 pm and got back to the car at 9:15 pm.

I brought my almost 2 year old in a back backpack.. and it was so awesome! Loved it! He also loved it! Not scary at all.. we brought head lamps and dressed appropriately.

The beginning of this is not for the faint of heart, but if you can get past that part, it isn't as difficult from there. Don't forget a light.

Better description of how you enter this cave and what the difficulty level is and exactly what is needed to enter the cave safely. You need to have a headlamp, no flashlight on your phone or a carry one since you will need your hands free to maneuver large rocks on the way to the actual tube area.
One needs to be an experienced hiker that is in good shape and this should be rated experienced not for a beginner at all.
The rocks on the way in all down sloped are huge in size and can be slippery from water dripping from the ceiling and it takes quite awhile to get inside the tube area. If one is claustrophobic do not do this cave at all.

Need to have a headlamp & jacket at a minimum. The road to the cave is very bumpy and felt long, so drive slow. I had to use my phone light and it was not ideal since you may need to use both hands for stability and balance. It was technical going down the rocks to get to the cave. Once you get to the cave, it is not always smooth flooring so be careful. It is cold in the cave so a jacket and gloves will help. You can stand in the cave although there is 1-2 spots where you have to bend down to get through. I expected to see bugs but didn't see any. It is pitch dark so a headlight is needed. If you have a helmet, that is helpful too but not absolutely necessary. Enjoy.

No hiking required to get there but be prepared to do some climbing in the dark!
It's cold down inside so bring a jacket and good shoes along with a dependable light source as its long, dark and cold! We saw a lot of small kids so it should be fine for them! We even saw a couple of dogs down in the cave!

We read quite a few reviews before we went and it was not what we expected. It was very rocky and steep and dangerous. We saw lots of families with crying children. We actually turned around because it was very crowded and we didn’t feel safe with so much foot traffic. We had flashlights and jackets with us, but this was not the relaxing and exciting adventure we were hoping for. The only positive part was the super COOL weather inside the cave.

I have been to the Lava River Cave many times since I have moved to Flagstaff. It is a place that I personally enjoy going to and always share with others. Make sure to bring a flashlight and spare batteries because it gets really dark in the cave. A headlamp or bright light is best and I would not recommend glow sticks. Bring a jacket because it can get a little chilly.

Four of us in our 60's attempted this hike but turned around after having difficulty negotiating all the rocks at the entrance (it was also raining and cold). Be sure to have a strong headlamp so your hands are free to hold on to the rocks as you descend. You might also need a jacket and gloves!

There is a very short walk to the cave from the parking lot. Make sure to wear a long sleeve shirt and pants because it is only about 50 degrees in the cave. Also wear a headlamp if possible, but if you don't have one, then you must have a flashlight as it is completely dark in the cave and the rocky surface is very uneven. Do not bring a dog down here. You scramble down a rocky entrance and then the cave is fairly level but very uneven. Occasionally you will need to duck down so as not to hit your head on the roof of the cave. There are no stalactites or stalagmites or living things in the cave. It is just interesting to walk in a lava tube underground for one mile in and then one mile back. Of course you can turn around at any point.

This is a great hike if you are looking for an intermediate hike. Make sure that when you go you bring proper footwear as the surface is very uneven when you get into the cave, as well as a flash light or headlamp. I definitely recommend this hike.

This is NOT an adventure for the handicapped or feeble. The entrance is a steep climb down over a mound of rocks, and the ones near the cave entrance are wet. We went on a lark, but thankfully had our hiking shoes already on and were warned that each person MUST have a flashlight. Some of us retirees were worn out by the time we finished the long climb down, and climbed back out while we still had the strength, and some continued on to the easier, and impressive, part of the cave.
Not for small children or animals, either, in my opinion, though some take them in.
A worthwhile adventure if you're up for it.

This is a really fun little trip, just make sure that you are dressed for underground temperatures and have an extra light in your group!

This was an awesome drive and off the beaten path to find! We had a great time walking to it and cooling off at the mouth of the cave! It was very romantic in my opinion.

Bring flashlights, sturdy hiking shoes and a light jacket because it gets very cool in the Lava River Cave. Several places open up to larger areas where you can see the patterns of lava after it cooled.

Easy walk TO the cave...very rocky and steep into cave and even more rocky and steep inside cave. This is not a quick walk into a cave but worth the effort to hike to back. Take headband flashlights - you need your hands...colored lights for great photos inside. Gloves...hiking stick recommended...good boots.

We loved it!

Who didn’t love it?
The guy with a baby strapped to his chest.
The baby may not have been super excited either.
Those afraid of the dark.
Little kids who don’t ever go outside.
People without hiking boots.
The girl in bootie shorts and a tank top.
The guy with a crappy headlamp.
The guy with a bad back.

It was an awesome adventure. Very un-American-like. What I mean is that there are no handrails. No caution signs. No attendant. And no fees!! The terrain was super rocky and quite slippery at times. We took the right hand fork at the split and had to just about crawl through (ceiling was maybe 40” high if not less at points) so we took the other path on the way out. Bring a headlamp and a flash light. You’ll appreciate it. Water bottles get tough to carry at points but not a deal breaker. Just don’t say that I didn’t warn you. I definitely appreciated the drink of water at times but I also attached my bottle to my belt to free up my hand for scrambling up some rocks or holding on to the wall.

You do have to travel on a dirt road with only a handful of signs to guide you. We were camping along 222 and decided to take that down to 171 and made a wrong turn when I lost cell reception. Make sure you look at the route and know your turns ahead of time.

All in all, it was great and we’d do it again if we are in the area.

the cave is roughly a mile long. to get in the cave, you have to climb down a good way. getting back out, you have to climb back up the same way you went in. we experienced bats on our way back out.

take a flashlight, water, and wear good shoes. best done in a group. cave temps are low, but after you start the hike, you wont need a jacket.

please take your trash with you when you leave.

On the drive in, I was wondering why there were no cars going to the cave and very few in the parking lot. However, I soon found out that the cave is fairly difficult for young kids and is not scenic at all. Of course, it's not the cave's fault; it just isn't much of an experience in the pitch dark with no reward of a view or anything of note to see.

It is a little rough to get down into but it opens up once you're inside. Brinh headlamps for everyone and hiking boots. Water is recommended but not necessary. The cave is a small walk from the parking area.

Awsome! Can't miss it! Take a good flashlight with you, ideal thing would be a miner hat with headlight. Also be sure to wear good hike shoes

This is a cave that is 1+mile long underground and is other-worldly! Bring head lamps, warm clothes and good shoes. The beginning of the cave is the coldest point at 32 degrees year round. It is a difficult climb into the cave, not recommended for very small children. My 12 year old grandson was fine in there.

We wanted to get a bit more off of the beaten path and this by and far met our criteria. After a bit of a bumpy ride down what seemed like a one lane road we made it to the site. With two 11 year olds and a teen in tow...we started the trek. So worth it. Took about 1 1/2 hours out and back. Definitely need to have proper shoes, NO flip flops. And headlamps and flashlights are a must! Bring a long sleeved layer as the caves are chiiiiily. Beautiful wooded area to walk through before or after.

We went on this adventure with my kids ages 3, 8, 12,and 12. This is too hard for a 3 year old. I would recommend it for ages 5 or 6 and up. If you have any problems with health or your knees just say no. You climb down a bunch of rocks for a long time. Thats all you do and on the way back you climb up a bunch of rocks. Rocks that are big, little, and some unstable. Is this fun if you are in good healthy? YES! My kids had a blast. I went down to just inside the cave with my 3 year old and we sat for a while just watching people come in a out. Bring headlamps! If they are cheapos bring flashlights but expect to possible lose a flashlight. We dropped one and saw someone else drop one and you can't find them after that. Wear a warm jacket...its about 40 something degrees in there. Good shoes!!! No flipflops!
There are NO portapottys or bathrooms anywhere near by. Just a word of warning. Easy and pretty drive to get to the location.

Getting there, a lot of folks said you will need a decent car. That would be the case if it does rain.. A little car may not work here and make sure your Rental comp does allow for you to go onto firetrails.

Getting there is not to hard. Pick up a guide to get there. Or check google maps. It's just outside of flagstaff.

Essentials:
Hands free headlamp. Don;t want to be fidgeting with a flashlight if you take the right path which is a crawl space.
Plenty of water
A jacket because it is about 35-42 degrees.
Spare flashlight
A lightstick
Good pair of hiking shoes.
Trail mix if you decided to stay there longer.

The trail is pretty straight forward once you get through the mouth of the cave.
I would not recommend this for kids under 4 since the slope in can be treacherous. I did see someone bring a little down on a backpack version of the ergo sack. They need to be protected.

If you do have issues with dust, bring something to cover your mouth.. It can be dusty there.

There did not seem to be anyone there collecting for entrance fees or anything of the sort. I did read there a 5 dollar parking in another book.. However, there was nothing around the parking area to leave anything.

The lava river is quote fun and if you are daring, shut the lights off and see how long it takes for you to turn the light back on...
It took me 32 seconds....
Have fun and tread safe.

We decided to go to Lava River Cave and also camp a couple miles from the cave. We went on a Saturday and the road in was dirt and dusty. Your car WILL get dirty. There were lots of cars going in and out and there were pull out along the road so there will be enough passing room. We went about a mile in and found a nice spot to set up camp. There were RVs and tents in different areas. Camping is pack in pack out and free. We did not have a camp fire because warnings were high and there were no fire rings. There are NO bathrooms anywhere go at store before going to cave. Then it was on to the cave, there was parking put there were so many people there it was hard to find a spot. Path to the cave was wide and easy going. Bring a jacket temps are 30's and 40's YES we could see our breath! Take head lamps and small flashlights, its dark. Water is a good idea too. As soon as we got to the mouth of the cave we could feel the cool air. Going in was steep ware good shoes , some rocks are loose be careful. Its a cave watch your head! Take your time enjoy the cave. There were so many people when we went they were rushing and in a hurry...don't know why. If you have to bring your dog it better be use to rock climbing other wise the pup should stay home. And they can NOT poop in the cave either. It was really fun we had a good time. And watch those really little kids too rocks can be slippery..

This cave does not disappoint! It is as nature left it - no electricity, no pavement - but plenty of cool exploration moments.
The trip this year was made extra-adventurous by closed Forest Service roads (thanks 2018 gov't furlough) but we were able to find one that was open and then threaded our way back to connect to the roads we needed. 4-wheel drive for this part in the winter was the only way to go.

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.

Great Hike into a mile deep lava tube/cave! Be sure to bring water, flashlights and headlamps for hands free use. Wear good shoes, preferably long pants and a light jacket. You have to kneel or crawl in a few places. No bathroom facilities so go before you drive out there.

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.

It's a memorable adventure that requires minimal skill or preparation. Pitch black and crawling over rocks while exploring an amazing creation! You MUST have good flashlights, headlamp and good outdoor shoes! I chaperoned for a Jr. High field trip here knowing my claustrophobia would keep me from making a fraction of the 1.5m round trip trek, but I did enjoy climbing around and exploring the semi-darkness until the group returned.

Keep your group together! There are plenty of other people down there, and occasionally some that have been drinking. You really can get your foot caught in the rocks or get injured; and it would horrible to be sitting there in the pitch blackness alone waiting for help to come by. It was cool even in summer requiring a light jacket, but bring water anyway of course.

The kids said it was creepy, fun and they thoroughly enjoyed it!

Not just the lava river but all of this area. So much to see and do. Great family event and take a camera!!!

What a fun hike through this lava cave! No matter how hot it is outside (It was a high of 90 in Flagstaff when we went) the temperature inside will always be in the 40s. When we reached the entrance we could feel the cool breeze coming out from the cave. I wore a short sleeved shirt, jacket, jeans and sneakers and was fine for the whole hike.

The cave itself is about 14 miles north of Flagstaff and the path to drive there is a mix of paved and graveled roads. When you turn off of the highway the paths get more narrow and uneven. It helps to have an SUV or more of an off road vehicle but it's not a long drive on uneven surfaces and my compact car did just fine. Driving on those roads reminded me a bit of driving in pot-hole ridden Cleveland actually (But without the speed traps and disgusting weather). We tried getting there using our GPS but we soon found out that it gives us misleading directions so we used the instructions from the official website:

Drive 9 miles north of Flagstaff on US 180 and turn west (left) on FR 245 (at milepost 230). Continue 3 miles to FR171 and turn south 1 mile to where FR 171B turns left a short distance to Lava River Cave.

Coordinates: 35°20'32.2"N 111°50'08.2"W

You'll soon reach the parking area and you'll basically park wherever you can find space. There are some paths to take that are a very short walk to the cave.

We got here in the late morning on a weekend and it was busy! The parking area was nearly full and there were a lot of people descending into the cave. I didn't think I'd encounter lava tube cave traffic but now I know it's a thing haha. I actually had to wait a bit behind some other people to go in. If you want a more isolated/intimate experience it's probably best to go on a weekday or a less busy time. But, the benefit of going at a busier time is that if you lose your light or need help there are more people in the cave that can help you out.

Bring:
-Headlamps
-Bright flashlights
-Back up light or battery
-Shoes with good traction. Hiking boots with ankle coverage if you tend to slip a lot.
-Lightweight gloves for extra traction
(We got our headlamps, gloves and flashlights from Harbor Freight for cheap)

Not recommended:
-Open toed shoes
-Dogs
-Toddlers
-Babies
-Crybabies

You _can_ bring your dog or your toddler, there is really no one stopping you, but I would strongly suggest not to. There are a lot of small, deep crevices that are about the size of a toddler's leg or a dog's foot and rough surfaces where it can be all too easy for them to get trapped, trip, fall, sprain or break something. Add the fact that it's pitch black in the cave without your light, and you might have a recipe for disaster for the little ones. Even if you are carrying them, I think it can still be hazardous because there are a few areas that might be dicey if you don't have full use of your limbs, and with the added weight from carrying someone you could have a bad fall.

For the most part the cave was dry when we went in, but there were a few slippery surfaces to be cautious of. In addition, there were a lot of loose rocks both big and small while we were walking. Also be aware there are areas where you'll have to bend down a bit because there are low ceilings.

It took us about 45 minutes each way. A little over halfway through the cave separates into two paths, left and right. We took the right path. The end of the path was pretty uneventful. I feel like I walked forever to get to the nondescript end of the cave but I felt a sense of accomplishment that I went from one end of the cave to the other! While deciding on which direction to take I did feel like I was in a choose your own adventure story though. I do wonder what the left path held in store for people. Fame? Fortune? Treachery? Aliens? A grue? Or maybe just another long winding hike. I'd love to go back and try out the left side someday!

Went camping for fathers day weekend with daughters volleyball team, piled in the truck and made our way to the cave. So the climb down is a bit challenging, climbing over some large boulders to get down into the entrance. A few moms with some fear of tight spaces had some anxiety and turned around but a few more feet and it opens up into a large tunnel. Think subway, only pitch black and very cold. The cave is 3/4 of mile long and splits and regroups a little over half way in. The left path is easier. It was formed 675,000 years ago when lava flowed through this area and created a tube as it hardened. The rocks within the cave are over a half a million year old. These statistics came from the the plaque at the caves entrance. The floor of the cave is rocky so make sure you wear good shoes, oh and bring a back up flash light, I dropped mine and it broke so thankful I had another one. I didnt make it the entire way this time so we sat at the halfway point to wait for the group until our buts started to get cold. It was every bit of 40 degrees inside if not colder but because you worked up a sweat climbing down you dont feel as cold. Take water and take your time. Great adventure and free fun for all!

Some of our kids loved climbing down into the dark slippery (had ice on rocks) hole, but others did not want to venture very far into the darkness. All in all was a good stop on the way to the Grand Canyon.

We started off our Grand Canyon trip to Arizona with this fun adventure. Intrigued by the idea of hiking through a cave we didn't want to miss this opportunity. We are relatively physically fit and do a lot of hiking (dirt ground, not the rock climbing kind). Making our way through the cave proved to be quite the workout!

We had heard the temperature inside was 30-40 degrees, so layered up with two pairs of pants and four top layers. we were prepared, too prepared. The hike proved strenuous enough that we were sweating and removing layers before we made it to the end of the cave!

Backpack would have been a bit annoying to wear due to some lower ceilings where you need to crouch down quite a bit. Hard hats definitely saved us from some head konks. We affixed our headlamps to the hard hats and then had handheld flashlights. All were needed. We had the cave almost entirely to ourselves. I imagine if there were a lot of people it would be a much different experience.

The entrance had remains of ice, so was very slick to get in and out of. that was the hardest part of the hike itself, as you are truly climbing on and over rocks. The general surface of the cave floor is rocky, there is never a smooth patch. Wear hiking boots and be prepared for sore calves. I worked muscles i didnt know had been dormant for so long! Recommend gloves as well.

Round trip took us about 1hr 45 min. explored on the way in, booked it on the way out. When you get to the fork in the road, left is better as the right tunnel has a low ceiling that you would have to crawl through. the tunnels meet up again farther in the cave.

Traveling to the cave initially was a challenge. We decided not to trust the first navigation route that took us down a dirt road, but instead followed route #2 which then took us on extremely less traveled dirt roads through the woods. Good for the adventurous. Not recommended if it's been raining as there were definite mud areas where you would likely get stuck. But we made it. Small dirt parking lot.

No bathrooms.
No fee to access the cave or parking. Totally free activity.

At the entrance you can sign the visitor log. We did that and then proceeded to accidentally drop our GoPro down the only cavernous hole at the place. Clink Clink.....clink..... So if you find a GoPro3, give me a call? :(

Fun to do in the summer as the cave is cold. Good 3/4 mile hike but took 3-4hours because there as so much to see. Lots of dripping water. Lots of people. No restroom so go before you go in the cave. The cave smells fresh, even though I did see women peeing and leaving toilet paper on the floor in some areas(gross, so don't do it, go by a tree outside in the forest.

Remember good hiking shoes a jacket and a headlamp or flashlight or at last resort the flashlight app on your phone. A cool and cold hike unlike you can take anywhere else

It was cool (and cool, one may want a jacket) to hike thru the cave but there are somethings one should know. It takes roughly 1.5 to hike to the end and back. the terrain is rough so I would suggest hiking type footwear. I wore running shoes and by the end my feet were killing me because of the rough walking surface. I would say to wear a N95 mask, I have been having respiratory issues since entering the cave (coughing, wheezing with a strange flavor left in mouth afterwards that tasted like the air when I was in the cave(moldy)). I say that because I have been exposed to mold in the past.

It was quite busy. I dont like dark confined spaces, but when I saw people of all ages coming out I had to try it. It can get pretty cold down there even in summer. A head flashlight is a must if you have one, but a cheap one is just fine too. Good shoes not flip flops like some teenagers had. The decent is a little hairy and watch your head if you are tall. Its pretty neat as it was formed over 700.000 years ago. You can feel the cold air blasting out, which is amazing. It was 75 F when we got there after being in the tunnel 75 seemed super warm. Neat experience. No bathrooms though, we went for a little hike and people had gone in the woods. Go before you get there, Just an FYI

Bring a good LED flashlight because it is pitch black inside. Wear good hiking boots and explore this lava tube. Even though there were a few places that the ceiling was low, I was surprised how large the tube was in some places. If ypu bear to the left at the half way point, you have an easier hike.

We went here on the recommendation of our waiter the night before. It's a little difficult to find and the roads are gravel. It costs nothing but your gas and whatever light source you bring. Wear shoes with good traction and bring a light source( my preference & recommendation would be headlamps). I am pretty out of shape but I made it through but it is not easy. You have to do a little bouldering and the ground is uneven and wet. Have fun

If you like very dark places that you can't even see your hands in front of you and if you have the nerve to venture to the end then this is for you

If you like hiking but are looking for a slightly different kind of experience, this cave is for you! The cave is not lighted whatsoever. So, it makes for rather a natural and pioneering experience. You'll have to scramble over fallen rocks on your way in and out of the mouth of the cave - not necessarily an easy thing to do in the dark. Surprisingly, there was still ice on some of the rocks when we visited at the end of May, making a jacket or sweatshirt necessary.

Once you get down into the cave, the floor - which is actually the top of a lava flow - levels out and the hiking begins. With fascinating terrain, pitch black darkness, and an eerie echo, this is not your average hike. Try turning off your flashlight for a few minutes! It's certainly something that you can experience in many places.

You can reach the cave either via Fire Road 245 from Highway 180 or via Fire Road 171 from Interstate 40. Neither of these routes is paved. Both usually close in winter. We first tried from Interstate 40; and, the Fire Road was so rough (driving a Prius) that we decided to turn back. However, the approach from Highway 180 is much smoother and better maintained. We had no problem at all even though it was a bit muddy.

Of all the destinations on our itinerary, my kids (aged 7 and 9) seemed to be looking forward to Lava River Cave the most. The roughly mile-long cave was formed by molten lava 700,000 years ago.

We came to the cave each equipped with headlamps and small handheld flashlights. I also packed some extra batteries just in case. We wore long pants and sweatshirts, although climbing/walking through the cave kept us pretty warm.

The initial section of the cave is a very rocky descent and you often have to take some care and watch your footing. While we were there, many of the rocks were wet and could be slippery. Eventually, the ground evens out and the cave opens up to higher ceilings.

About a third of the way through the cave, there is a fork. We chose the right side, which narrows down to a very low ceiling which you have to crawl through. The left side is easier, but both eventually rejoin anyway. There are a few other sections, you'll have to crawl through as well.

Throughout the rest of the walk, we saw melted rock, rippled surfaces from the lava, and cracks in the rock surfaces above and below. At a few points, we turned off our lights and stood motionless to experience the perfect darkness and perfect silence of the cave.

After a pile of rocks, the cave ends pretty unassumingly and you take the same path back out.

It took us a little less than two hours to walk in and out of the cave, although we spent a lot of extra time taking photos and taking in the unique environment. The kids didn't have much of a problem. Come prepared and take your time at the rocky or slippery parts. Well worth the trip.

Final note: We arrived around 3 PM on a Sunday. There were no posted hours at the site and even when we left around 5 PM, people were still arriving and entering the cave. There are hours included in the TripAdvisor profile indicate opening and closing times, but I can't confirm any official hours for the site.

Bring at least 2 flashlights! This is a must. Do a tad of research prior to going. The "climb" down into the cave can be challenging for some...but it can be done.

I'm technically reviewing the road, since we didn't actually make it to the cave. We took my Corvette out for a little road trip, but I wasn't expecting about 6+ miles of loose gravel/dirt road with potholes and little room for passing vehicles.
If I would have known, I would have taken a different vehicle, but I turned around after the first 2 or 3 miles of hitting my front spoiler on the road.

Just a heads-up for anyone who's thinking of taking a low-clearance vehicle!

My husband and I took our young nieces here. They had a blast discovering this cave! Make sure to wear comfortable shoes and bring flashlights. It is a fairly easy hike but there are areas that you will be walking bent over to get through the cave. The entrance is the toughest part though becasue you have to navigate some big bolders to get in and you come back out the same way. It is cool in there, so in the summertime be prepared with a light jacket.

We read about the cave in the Arizona Highways magazine. Since we the only other lava cave (tube) experience we'd had was in Hawaii, we did not fully understand the challenges of the cave. To get into the cave, you must traverse large lava rocks. If you are not strong and sure-footed, don't attempt this. Also, be sure to take the advice to have both a head lamp as well as a hand-held flashlight. We climbed down a couple hundred feet and decided that we would go no further.

My family decided to stop at the lava river cave as we were driving to Williams, AZ. It was a great experience. Please note...you MUST take flashlights. The headlamps are best so you have free hands for the entrance of the cave. I used my phone flashlight and it was difficult to get down into the cave because I needed my hands. My kids are 8 and 6 and they didn't have any trouble getting through the full hike.

Hiking around Arizona typically involves mountains and canyons. For a different way to get outside and explore, the lava river cave is a must-see.

To be clear, this is not a proper "hike." It is also something more than what you might expect if your notion of a cave is informed only by cartoons. As the name suggests, this cave is an underground tube originally formed by lava flows. Since it is entirely underground, it stays pretty darn cold year round. It is also COMPLETELY dark. During our visit, a group of high school students was there on a field trip, and when their teacher asked them all to turn off their headlamps, there was a lot of shrieking and squealing.

You will want a headlamp, to be clear. There are areas where you will need to stoop low to pass under low ceilings, and other areas where you will want to use your hands for support and balance. Therefore, a headlamp is better than a hand-held flashlight. Also, it's a good idea to wear some kind of hat. That way, if there are low structures, your hand will bump them before your face or head has the chance.

(Tip: a headlamp that clips to the brim of a cap is best, because a lamp mounted around the hat will not cast light onto the ground directly in front of you; the brim will block it. Similarly, a headlamp under the brim will illuminate the ground, but not the walls and ceiling. This is tricky stuff!)

Bring a picnic and eat before and/or after you explore inside. The entrance is steep, so be careful going down. Go potty before you enter -- there is NO PLACE to relieve yourself once inside.

Remain curious while you are here. Touch the rocks. Crawl around. This is a very cool trip for people of all ages!

As everyone else says make sure to bring plenty of headlamps/flashlights that are bright! Don't go with the cheapest you can find or you'll be sorry! Definitely a fun thing to do especially for a child/teen that isn't really into the whole hiking up a mountain thing! Definitely bring jackets & wear pants! We did this hike in June and it was definitely much cooler inside the cave than outside! I wouldn't recommend bringing a child that must be carried or a dog...there is quite a bit of climbing on rocks and some crawling through tighter spaces! Be sure to not only watch your stepping but your head too!

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!

If you are ready for a physical challenge, and a crazy fun experience, check out the Lava River Cave. You absolutely need a head lamp with full battery capacity for a 2 hour experience, gloves, hiking shoes, pants that can get wet if you sit to take a break, and a fleece or warm top. Do not carry anything in your hands, as you need three or four points of contact to navigate the cave. There are wet and icy spots. There are extremely low points to crawl through. It's not a stroll, it's physically challenging. Since it's not very crowded you can enjoy times where you are alone with your small group - everyone can agree to turn off head lamps and experience true 100% darkness. it's wild! Count on an hour to get to the end, then another hour to retrace your steps and get out. you enter and exit at the same place. Our group of 4 is in good health but we "chickened out" about 75% of the way to the end, we decided to turn back early. I actually got disoriented when in the cave, so, go with a group and be careful. No flip flops and no flashlight app on your cell phone. GEAR UP and do this cave the right way!

I am writing this as a local who has visited Lava River Cave many times over the last 37 years. It is better marked now than back in 1978 when I first visited with a friend. Other than that, it remains the same. I like the remote location. Do make sure to take extra lights, in case one burns out. A lantern is better than a flashlight, as one can see the whole picture, as opposed to the single spot of light from a flashlight. It was once an underground river of lava, as the name implies. When observing the floor along the walk inside, one can see where rocks fell from the ceiling and became imbedded in the lava while it was still molten. Some places it is huge, like an old railroad tunnel. Other places require you to duck. A hardhat can be handy in those low spots. Cool fun in both summer and winter.

It was really dark, and there were loose rocks everywhere. But, it was very fun (more than you would think for a cold hole in the ground). It was cool (temperature wise) and was definitely a great experience.

We went with our headlamps, extra flashlights, extra batteries & warm clothes. When we got there another lady was there that had been there many times in the past years in May. We found a lot of ice right inside the entrance making it hard to proceed for fear that we would not get back up the icy hill on the way back. She had never seen ice there in May.

If you are not in the best of shape you might find entering and exiting to be difficult. We went in a good distance and the entire path is very rocky and requires good balance. Flashlights for everyone in your group is recomended. I would also strongly suggest you wear sturdy shoes with a good grip. It is worth the 7 mine dirt road drive. You truly feel your on an adventure.

great hike for a hot day the cave is nice and cool.
I total recommend a good head lamp, good shoes also I would recommend gloves the rocks will hurt your hands the terrain is very uneven your ankles is going get a good workout but it's all worth it did this with my 22 year daughter

After a week of hiking around Arizona, we decided to "chill out" in Flagstaff for awhile. We learned about the lava cave by searching "things to do in Flagstaff". Being fairly adventurous, we stopped at Walmart to buy headlamps and headed to the cave. The fire roads leading to the cave take you through lava strewn pine forests - very peaceful and pretty. The entrance to the cave is very rocky and you have to scramble over some boulders to get in (and out!). But that's the worst part. The cave floor is never smooth though - it's uneven and bumpy so you still need good footwear and have to be careful not to turn your ankles. In some spots the "roof" is low and you have to squat/crawl to get through. Go all the way to the back of the cave if you can. If no one else is around, turn off your light and let your eyes adapt to the extreme dark. Look at the back of the cave, you can see a bit of light coming in from the surface - very cool!! Wear a jacket and use a headlamp if possible. Flashlights are okay, but it's nice to have your hands free for rock scrambling. Enjoy!!

make sure you have good directions as there are no signs until 2 miles away. It was very tricky walking through, we only went a couple of blocks. definetly need lots of light. I wouldn't recommend for little kids or anyone with trouble getting around.

neat trip if you've never been in a lava tube, its dark and a long ways back so make sure you have a good flashlight, the floor is rough , so wear good shoes!

Flashlight or headlamp. We went in at sunset. Kids has a blast. It gets dark quickly and I wouldn't bring any youngsters.

This place was a little hard to find but well worth it. Just a suggestion though, take a good headlight type flashlight to free up your hands. and take a camera that can go ini your pocket or a back pack.

so glad the salesperson at Babbitt's knew we needed a headlamp to navigate this. I have a vision problem so i need both hands free. he also advised us we would need jackets. This attraction is okay I guess because you can go into the cave so deep. My wife was ready to go back about halfway in but I encouraged her to go the whole way.

Headlamps are a must for each person in your group. The entrance to this natural underground lava river cave is a bit tricky. Hiking shoes make the rocky descent a bit easier to negotiate. Unusual. Family fun. Recommended ages: 7-65. A little tough for little ones and quite challenging for older ones.

A great off the beaten path attraction. We have really enjoyed our hikes in the cave.

Be sure to bring layers. It's chilly year round. You need flashlights (ideally for each person hiking plus a backup).

Beautiful area, excited to visit, but with my back issues really couldn't scramble down the entrance rocks. Met another couple who just loved it and I'm sure kids would really love this hands on adventure. Seriously, bring headlamps, gloves, good shoes and a jacket. On a hot August morning it was cool at the entrance.

We drove up from Williams across the dirt roads and through the trees. It was very beautiful. We have been curious about this lava cave for a while. We arrived at the lava caves and a small group was just leaving. When asked, they told us to wear sturdy shoes and jackets and bring flashlights. This was good advice as the cave had ice on the bottom and was very cold. My husband went in the cave alone (because I have claustrophobia). It is a drop down into the cave which is a hole in the ground. He didn't stay in long because it was slippery and pitch black. It was a great adventure.

Love this spot. Is quite popular so don't expect to be alone. However the caves are so huge you lose them quickly. It's amazing. Make sure to have a jacket and a couple of flashlights per person

Climb around in the darkness of a cave. Best for kids who are a little older because it requires scrambling over rocks at some places. Dress warmly

It was a great hiking spot, a very cool place to explore with the family. We looked crazy in our bike helmets, but 2 of the 5 of us bumped our heads at one point, so glad we had them!

You have to check out Lava River Cave!
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On our last day off before heading home, we took the time to visit and explore more of Arizona. It was a nice time, exploring and making more memories.
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Fun Fact: This is a lava tube in northern Arizona's Coconino National Forest. Approximately 0.75 miles long, it is the longest cave of its kind known in Arizona.
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I was so prepared to see it, but was not prepared for it! Makes sense? LOL
It's a must to have a really good flashlight; we used one plus a head lamp and our phones. You can explore the whole cave on your own but that would be creepy so bring a buddy or group! You should also wear a jacket when down there, it is cold even this time of year.
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We arrived at noon and there were a couple of people mostly leaving rather than entering. It was definitely eerie down there!
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It was truly an adventure exploring the cave, driving on some rugged dirt roads through the national forest on the way there and noticed there was a gravel road that went the whole way to the forest so we took the easier way out! 🤣✌️
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WARNING: Take the same road you took coming in to avoid getting lost in the forest. We took Service Rd 171.
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For more outdoor adventures, follow @Bodintures2

So we first attempted this hike with one little tiny flashlight..We headed down the opening with our two boys and two dogs...we went in down the first part and couldn't see were to go next...we turned around and left..I think we all cried at one point...I few days later we regrouped brought 6 flashlights with extra batteries.. We left the dogs under supervision we headed down the opening, with the extra lights it was easy to find our way. We had a great time hiking with our boys and felt we had conquered a major trip failure. This hike is super(dark as the complete darkness) fun but be prepared..lots of flashlights and water. We were over dressed... it is cool but humid and by the time you get hiking you are warm... i sweated though my shirt. We over came our epic failure so this hike was a special family accomplishment. We are a family of 4 (plus 2 dogs) traveling the USA for a year you can follow our adventures at lifesanadventure.me

This is a large lava river tube. My husband is 6”3 and could walk upright 95% of the ttime. We took our dogs and put LED collars on them. We had headlamps, flashlights, and a couple lanterns. The floor is uneven with lots of loose rock. We were plenty warm with a light jacket and long pants (guessing 45 degrees). Fun and a little different activity.

I loved our trip to the Lava Caves. The drive there thru the Coconino forest was a wonderful experience in itself and when we arrived at the cave we were not disappointed; however, although we had read through several reviews that advised travelers to bring adequate lighting and more specificaly head lamps to leave hands free, we went with two woefully inadequate flashlights and our cell phones. We saw other people who did go with cell phones alone but we were not comfortable doing this. In the end we went in a short distance and decided that we would come back another day better prepared so that we could fully enjoy the experience. We definitely will be back though. Be prepared, head lamps, some type of jacket and good shoes.

Been there long time ago. It was an awesome experience exploring the cave on your own. It was several degrees colder inside than the outside, so be prepared and wear warm clothes. Initial entry would be difficult but then again it will be less strenuous.

It was an unique experience to walk underground. It is pretty wide and tall for most of the hike. It can be slippery in some spots. It is good to bring back-up batteries and/or flashlights.

The first portion of this hike is a tumble of slippery, moving boulders mounding downwards. Your footing levels out after that, but is still rugged and uneven, with many places where you have to clamber over loose rock and lumpy lava. At some points, you will need to duck down and walk bent over to pass through. While it's definitely a cool hike and worth seeing the cave, people need to know their own limitations. Both times that I've done this hike, I've seen people who were struggling to climb back out and people with inadequate lights. Signs are posted that dogs have broken their legs when owners foolishly decided to take them along.
Wear sturdy hiking boots to protect your feet, bring a strong light - preferably a headlamp, wear a jacket, and be prepared to use your hands at least some of the time. Enjoy!

We've been going to Flagstaff for years, but have never gotten to the Lava River Cave. We finally made it last weekend and really enjoyed it. You definitely need a head lamp and some good shoes. Probably not good for anyone with poor balance as there are quite a few areas along the hike with uneven surfaces and large rocks to climb. we loved that it was cool in the caves, since it was in the 90s the day we went. The sign for the turn off is hard to see, so make sure you're paying attention!

The entrance is the most difficult part. Opens up like a subway tunnel. Bring a back up flash light just in case! I am cloister phobic and it didn't bother me. Truly an amazing little place. It goes pretty far back too.

This is definitely a must do! The cave is a mile long and does require alot of climbing over rocks BUT is so worth it! Bring a light jacket or long sleeves because it is chilly in the cave. Bring a headlamp if u have one as it will be needed, actually. u have to have a source of light to maneuver thru the cave. The cave is pitch black without light. GREAT EXPERIENCE

This is not for claustrophobes, requires moderate amount of walking on rough and uneven surfaces but truly worth the trip.

Fun! Wear a headlamp and dress for the chilly temperature in the caves. Have to pay attention to where you step the entire time. Young kids probably will struggle. Some spots are very low, so if you're tall or have a bad back, there are a couple minutes that may be uncomfortable for you.

I was very excited, made sure my husband and I dressed properly (on vacation from St Louis, staying in Scottsdale)... we drove the 7 miles down the gravel road & .5 mile-ish down the dirt road (in our Mustang convertible rental). Got to the parking lot and no one was there (odd, but it was a Thursday)! We found the rock pile (cave). Started heading in. A little tricky to get down since you are going in at an angle and the rocks were slippery. I wore gloves which helped!! Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to the “Y” because my anxiety kicked it- no one was there, in a dark hole, where rocks could fall to the ground. What we saw was amazing! I want to come back with friends, so if something goes wrong there are more people. (Call me crazy, I do)

We used our google maps to pull up the location. There was about 5 miles of dirt roads but nicely maintained. The parking lot was full of cars. Less than a mile of walking to the cave. The beginning is a bit of bottle neck with people coming and going. The first 50 yards were tricky, wet rocks, bending down and climbing over rocks. make sure each person has his own flashlight, head lights are best. The cave finally flattens out and you can stand up. The crowd at the entrance then thins out and you can have time with just your own group in the cave because it is so long. There were kids in there and older couples, but you need to be in good shape to make it through the first 50 yards. There is only one main entrance and you have to go back the same way you came. It is well over a mile long inside. The dirt road is closed during the winter, but you could hike into the caves because they never close it.

Visited the site on 6/29/17 with Grandson who is 9 years old. Getting there was pretty straight forward off of I40. The site is 7 miles on a dirt road but it is pretty smooth and maintained so any type of vehicle can make the trip. Once you find the the parking area just look for a sign on a tree that says 'trail' and follow it and you should get right to the entrance of cave.
My recommendation:
wear boots or at the minimum some tennis shoes that you don't mind getting chewed up. The floor of the cave is completely rough and uneven and unstable in some areas.
wear long pants in case you slip.
wear gloves so that if you do slip your hands don't get messed up.
Bring at least one source of light. This is a must, At the end of cave we shut off our lights and you could not see your hands in front of your face.
Bring some water for hydration.

The walk took us 2 hours round trip but that was at a very slow pace and a few stops to rub some owies when the grandson slipped. Some of rocks and smooth and wet so watch your step. That being said it is very doable.

Several spots have low ceilings so watch your head. I bumped my head several times since I was focused on the floor and forgot about the ceiling.

Overall it was a great experience that came with some bumps, cuts and scrapes. This is not the norm just our experience.

This was a great adventure. No matter how warm it is outside the cave is always cold, so take a sweater. We tried going in the winter however the road was closed. I recommend going in summer. The first 50 yards are the hardest after that the cave had loose rocks and some jagged surfaces but very manageable for children. Its dark inside, a headlamp would be best to keep your hands free when climbing some rocks. The cave does have some tight spaces, not main but beware. You dont want to hit your head like me :)

Great times, I want to do it again

This is a free attraction that is worth checking out. As other reviewers have noted driving in is the hard part. There is a single lane gravel road. You will absolutely need your car washed afterwards.
I'd recommend a headlamp over a flashlight to keep your hands free (headlamps can be found for a low price). But definitely bring one or the other as you will not be able to see otherwise. Also, bring a jacket, it is very chilly. And good shoes.
The initial climb down can be tricky. You will need to use your hands. Once inside it is easier and somewhat flat. Be careful for low ceilings and slippery rocks. This is not for the claustrophobic.
This was among my favorite spots of my whole vacation.

This out-of-the-way site is a 3/4 mile long lava tube one can hike through - probably the only place outside of Hawaii you're likely to find such a feature. We visited, checked out the rugged entrance, and decided against a longer walk for the following reasons: a) it's SUPER dark! You need serious headlamps, not the phone lights some were using, or the little torches they leave at the sign-in kiosk. b) It's SUPER cold - like 35°F even in the summer! If you're going to take a 3/4 mile walk in the dark in that kind of cold, you need some heavier clothing than what's on your back in the summertime. Our brief look suggested a neat adventure the next time, when we'll come fully prepared.

My wife lost her phone at the lava river cave today 10/9/2021. We think someone found it because when we realized it was missing, on our way back we were asking everyone if they seen it and a lady mentioned she heard someone say they found a phone with a wallet which my wife’s is a wallet case.

I went back in three times and didn’t find it. Please if anyone finds an iPhone with a white Disney wallet case call me 6026868145. We don’t care about what’s inside the wallet just want the phone back for the pictures :(

We tried find my phone with no luck.

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

If you like caves this should be on your list. It is a short scramble down some rocks to get in but once you are in it is just a straight shot all the way back, about a mile. The ground is uneven in most places so wear sturdy shoes. I would also recommend a head lamp to keep your hands free as you will want your hands free as you are scrambling down the rocks to get in and to get out.

Came upon the description of this cave on Trip Advisor and thought we'd try it out. Not too far outside of Flagstaff, and well worth going to. Hiking boots a must, and if you can - head lamps. We did it with flashlights and regular batteries. 2 of the flashlights were small and died before we got back. It took us about 1 1/2 hours to go in and out. Good workout climbing over the rocks. So glad we fit this fun activity into our trip.

We tried this out on a recommendation of a friend. It's a pretty cool experience. If you are claustrophobic, maybe just climb into the begining part of it. If you don't have an issue with enclosed spaces, it's wortha walk through. The surface is uneven in places, so be sure to have solid shoes (no flip flops) . In some places you can see where the rock fell into the magma, and in others you see where the rock is on top of it. It's like walking down a river of history. Very cool. And Free- which can't be beat!! A fun afternoon if you walk to the end (about a mile). Bring a snack, and some water, as it's about 20 minutes outside of town off the side of a fire road. Still... Absolutely worth the trip!

Scared of the dark? Don't go. Not good on your feet? Don't go. Driving down some narrow forest access roads you'll come to a small car park for this cave. There's a little walk to the small opening. Once you're in the cave and away from the opening it really is pitch black so good lighting is a must have. I had a very good head torch, a mobile phone torch and the flash on my camera. The floor of the cave is uneven - it's basically rock that's fallen from the roof. It's also very wet and slippy in places - I'd suggest some gloves if you're going to go in any distance as you really can't see where you're putting your hands. It is worth the effort to go deeper into the cave though. I'd say about an hour would be enough to explore the cave, total 2 hours for driving to and from it from the main road.
Children should definitely be supervised, but I'm sure they would love it here - I saw a group of school children gearing up for a trip inside when I was leaving.

You definitely needs to bring a head lamp, hiking shoes and and a flash light Its very dark in there! We were unsure if the street to get to it, was the street but after a while figured it out. There are quite a bit of people going in and out so you wont be alone. The cave its self wasn't strenuous but the first part is a bit challenging(lots of big rocks) especially because we went when it was icy.

It was a cool cave and we were glad we went. There is parking by the cave as well. DO NOT bring your dog. Many people that did turned back bc their dog was too afraid to go in-even big dogs. My dog is small so we carried her in the beginning part but once it starts to even out, she was able to walk.

The cave was warmer then it was outside(we went when there was snow on the ground) but I imagine that in the summer it will be nice and cool.

Total caving time was about 1hr 45 min

Entire family had a great time. Got to climb around a cave. Not easy work, but tons of fun. Make sure to bring good headlamp.

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.

Our kids, 3 and 5, are almost too big for backpacks, too small to climb over the boulders littering the entrance. Would have liked to do the entire route, but kids needed to either be bigger or smaller. Bring spare batteries and have fully charged phones for backup (flashlight option). Rocky tread. Ankle turner. Wish we could have done the whole thing. Still had fun.

Bring a head lamp or flashlight. Tennis shoes are fine unless there has been a heavy rain or snow. It is a very short, flat hike from the parking area. At first the hike into the cave is rocky but the further in you get the easier the walking. In two places the ceiling drops down enough I had the bend down quite a bit but then rises again. I walked upright most of the way to the end. There are no offshoots, you really can't get lost.

I had never heard of lava caves before until we went to visit my sister. My niece goes to NAU so we did a trip to see her and my sister suggested the lava caves. It is about 7 miles of dirt road before you get there and not a tourist attraction site at all. We parked and I was like, so where is it. We followed the signs and all of a sudden, there it was. We definitely were not prepared because we thought we could use our cell phone lights to guide us. You definitely need a high power flashlight. One of the ones that goes on your head would be the best because you are climbing on rocks of various sizes. We only went for and hour in and then turned around because cell phones were dying. Keep in mind flagstaff is above see level so breathing may be difficult. Also, cave stays about 40’F year round. We were definitely cold. So make sure you have warm clothes, flashlights and good shoes. Definitely not flip flops or sandals. Need to be somewhat physically fit. As we left the caves there were elk roaming around. Great Nature experience.

Hiked the cave over Fourth of July weekend and it was packed! The mouth of the cave is the most difficult part and all the people made it a bit more precarious. I've hiked before when there weren't many people and it's definitely nicer without the crowds. Once you make it down the rocky entry area, the caves levels out a bit and winds through different sized areas for about a mile. You definitely need a good flashlight/headlamp as it is completely dark once you get inside. Also, watch your head as the height of the cave varies drastically from one area to the next. This is a unique, fun experience that is worth checking out.

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.

Walmart has a headlamp, flashlight set that is perfect for this adventure. We took our two teen boys and bought two sets and that gave us each a headlamp and two small flashlights for a cost of about $25. We were super excited to check out this cave but after driving to all entrances and finding them closed the only option we had was to hike 4+ miles each way to get to the cave. We totaled about 10 miles and 6 hours including time in the cave. Entrance is icy and not at all easy. Stay to the left and use your hands on dry spots to get down. You must have a headlamp so you can see and use both hands to climb down. Once you get into the cave it isn't very ice but you do have to watch for patches. It is pitch dark. Very, very little level ground. Picture walking on bubbles the size of a beer can or climbing over large rocks. That is 90% of the journey to the end of the cave. Two long sleeve layers, long pants, gloves, good hiking shoes are appropriate. Many areas you have to duck or crab walk to get thru. This is an awesome experience, but not for unfit or unprepared people. By the time we finished up - I was done - completely exhausted. The road was at least 60% snow covered so we had to off road most of the way there and footing is not good in the forest either. Overall, exhausting but awesome experience and a great workout.

We went on a Wednesday and arrived at a fairly quiet car park founds after driving along a couple of great Forest Service roads (245 then 171) off the main highway (180) - on our way from Flagstaff to El Grand Canyon.

How great to be "off the beaten path". We read it gets busy at weekends, but today we had time alone at the entrance and inside, and were able to get some great photos. It really did feel like an adventure as opposed to following the masses.

I would say this is not for the very young or those in any way infirm on their feet, as the route down to the tube (which is a good way below the entrance you can see) involved clambering over big, dampish boulders.

The colours just inside the "lobby" (before you go down) are wonderful, so make sure you shine your torch everywhere once you've said goodbye to the sun and trees on your descent.

Torches are an absolute necessity, as are sturdy shoes. This is a true experience - and Free!

Interesting cave. Must bring a headlamp in order to keep your hands free. It is cold down there, so bring a jacket. A little hard to find as the signage on the roads are limited. I would bring a couple lights as backups, just incase. Amazing time.

This cave is actually a lava tube. The hike is short but you need good shoes (boots better) as the rocks are many and rough. Don't forget your flashlights and water and you can experience a walk through old molten lava that cooled.

Happened upon this by accident, a local suggested taking the time to check it out. We were pleasantly surprised took about 2 1/2 hours to hike all the way in and back out. Loved it not something you get to see every day. Luckily we were warned to pick up headlamp, because we saw many people struggling with phone flashlights. Spend the $10 and buy a headlamp it will make the experience that much better. If looking for a short trip to see something amazing definately check out the Lava Tubes!

The trip to the Lava Tube/Cave is a journey in itself - unpaved and poorly marked roads until you get right on top of it. Do Not Rely on GPS coordinates but make sure the road you pull down is marked Lava Caves. There is NO fee to enter the caves and people are entering and exiting all the time so it is a shared experience. We came prepared with the right shoes, headlamps and sweaters and still wasn't fully prepared for descending down a rock filled whole in the ground. The surface at no point in the initial part of the cave is flat or easily navigated. There is truly no best way to go down except take the path of most comfort to you. The added water dripping from the roof of the cave to the rocks below adds even more challenge to the adventure. This is not something you attempt if you don't like these types of setting. All of those things considered - We are very glad we did this as part of our trip to Flagstaff.

This is a very nice day trip destination. Beware of rainy days and tall people also might have their problems. Children should wear helmets.

Staying in Flagstaff so my 12 yo daughter and I bought a couple flashlights and sweatshirts and headed to the cave. Off of Rte. 180 north of Flagstaff, then take dirt forest roads to cave. Saw some free range cattle and an elk. Coolest at the entrance -- about 35F on an 90F summer day. Climb down a rock slide to get into cave. A bit wet and icy. Took us about 2 hours to go to the end and back. Some low points that you gave to get on hands and knees if you are tall. We had fun. Nice when nobody else is around and it is completely silent and totally dark. A headlamp would be smart do you have both hands free, but flashlights were OK. Make sure you bring an extra, or extra batteries. Good family outing.

Our family enjoyed exploring this cave. It is pitch black inside we used our phones to guide us through, take flashlights as our phones died as we were leaving the cave. There are areas when you are crawling on all fours. It can be a little chilly inside the cave. Our kids were younger ages 12 and 7 (boys) it was such a different fun family experience.

Been there about 3 times and it's a different experience each time. If you like caves...make sure you visit this one when in Flagstaff.

Went with my wife and two kids-ages 11 and 9. Relatively easy drive to get there on a dirt road. Once there, the entrance is a bit spooky as you just expect something large, furry and mean to come roaring out. Once in, you calm down and enjoy. It was amazing!!! I'm 6'1" and although there's some low areas I fit well.

Recommendations:
- Let your fascination control your fear. There were a few people who were walking away being too spooked. They missed out!
-Bring warm cloths. It's in the 30's down there. Hat and warm gloves will make you a lot happier. It's very dry so they don't have to be waterproof, just warm.
-Bring good lights!!
-Wear good shoes. The bottom is very rocky and you have to weave your way through rock piles and bolders.

My wife and I hiked in here and were surprised at the number of folks that were here ... There was snow on the ground and still plenty of visitors. Please pick up you trash and take it with you ... others do not need to see your rubbish ...

The Lava River Cave is hard to find so get good directions. Do not go if it's expected to rain or snow. Wear warm clothes as the cave will be cold. Wear strong shoes as the cave entrance will be slippery and the inside rocky.Each person should bring two sources of light since the cave will be dark. It doesn't take long to traverse the cave, but it's well worth going to at least once.

Beautiful scenery be prepared to do some climbing over rocks going down into the cave also make sure to watch your head so you do not bump it on the cave ceiling it is well worth the trip take your time make sure to bring flashlights or a headlamp and a hat and water to drink.

We brought head lamps (a MUST) but we did not wear hiking shoes or appreciate clothes. We got inside but had to turn back pretty fast since our shoes were slipping on the wet & icy rocks. Definitely going back as it's awesome inside just got to beore prepared.

The lava caves are fun! These are not as big as Mammoth caves in KY. but hey they are really cool. Best of all they are free. You need to bring some good shoes, light jacket, and lights. Also, you can't get lost. - Have fun!

Dress warm, and be prepared for total darkness (headlamps are an absolute must!). It can get pretty chilly down in the cave (around 45 degrees even in the summer), so bring a hat and gloves if you get cold easily. The descent into the cave is pretty steep, and requires climbing down over large boulders, so be careful because some are wet and slippery. The overall trail once you get into the cave is mostly just walking over more rocks (read: no smooth trail), and at some points the ceiling can be low enough that you have to duck down very low to get past. The whole trail descends about 1.5 miles. Overall, this was a very cool day trip, took about 1-2 hours to complete, the inside of the cave is pretty amazing and is very unique to see how the lava formed the caves below.

The tubes are about a 20 minute drive from Flagstaff. From the highway there is a bumpy dirt road for about three miles, most cars should be fine on it if you drive slow. The entrance to the cave is steep and slick, we noticed an older hiker struggling to get down. Once in the cave the hike is rocky but not difficult, bring some extra flashlights and batteries. I was thankful for having a bright light to see some of the larger caverns. Don't forget to turn out all of your lights at least once to experience how dark it can be. I definitely recommend this hike!

We stopped by the Lava River Cave on our way to Sedona from the Grand Canyon. It was snowing outside, which didn't matter since the inside of the cave was quite cold anyways! It's a fairly rough road to get to the Lava River Cave but we were fine in a smaller car. We arrived around 9:30am and only encountered two other groups. We each had a headlamp which were sufficient for two people. The cave itself is very cool! You crawl through a rock pile to enter, and inside the roof ranged from 3ft to 30ft so there were some spots we had to duck to get through. We went to the end and back and probably spent about 1.5 hours in the cave hiking/exploring/taking pictures. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area, and it's free!

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.

The drive is rather bumpy but don’t let that discourage you. The cave itself was really fun and the kids loved it. Our 8 year old did fall a few times due to uneven terrain (rocks) but that didn’t stop him from finishing the trail. We put our 2.5 year old in a back baby carrier and that was very helpful for most of the cave. There are a few low spots where you have to crouch and get real low so the carrier wasn’t as helpful then but for the overall walk it was a big relief. The trail is very uneven so hiking boots would be better than the tennis shoes we had. It was a lot of fun and the kids really enjoyed it. Would definitely go walk it again.

Amazing!!! Don’t forget to stop and look around the cave as you are walking. I liked this cave because there wasn’t a lot of crouching to go underneath ceilings, and I never had to crawl to go further down the cave. It is steep and rocky getting in and out but the rest of the cave is pretty flat in elevation. The entrance looks intimidating but once you get in, the ceilings open up and I didn’t feel claustrophobic. The cave of the floor is mostly bumpy, unsteadying footing, since it is lava, so if you have bad knees or balance I would not suggest going far. When the cave forks, we took the left route and I would suggest that if you don’t want to crouch as much.
Bring a coat (it gets to the low 30 degrees F in there) and lots of good flashlights/lanterns. We only had one good flashlight which was sufficient since there was only two of us, and we used our weak flashlights/headlamps to compensate. For an optimal experience I suggest a headlamp. And if you bring your dog, please keep them on a leash! At one point we had this person’s big dog approach us which was scary in a dimly lit cave.

We were camping in Flagstaff and included this as a little trip swag from the site. Had our dog and 2 yr old with us too and realized once at the cave it'd be too tough to manage all of that so out 8yr old and my husband went in. They LOVED it! It was 80 in Flag but you could feel the cool air coming up from the cave as soon as you walked up. It was very chilly inside they said. We didn't have headlights just small led flashlights and they worked fine. Lots of people came walking out though with cuts on legs or even heads as it is super dark and easy to fall or not see rocks right in front of you. Can't wait to return when my younger is older so we can all go in. Road in is definetly bumpy but it was fun too!

This naturally formed lava cave was a great experience for those of us in our group who chose to go in because they do not suffer from claustrophobia. Just seeing the entrance was enough for me to decide to wait outside! 2 kids (10 & 11) and 2 adults went in and said it was great. This is not a developed attraction - you need to take your own flashlights in, and wear good shoes for sure (tennis shoes were a little worse for wear after going in!) you are walking on volcanic rock. Added bonus that we took the GPS directions from Williams, so ended up 4 wheeling it through some quite bumpy fire roads. Much easier drive if you leave from Flagstaff and follow directions from there. a little bit of a gravel road, but all in all, pretty easy drive.

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.

This was a great thing to do with my 11 and 14 year old boys (while traveling to the the Grand Canyon) and I highly recommend it. The hardest parts about it are getting to the cave location as you'll be driving on rocky, unpaved roads for a couple of miles (your vehicle will get super dirty) and then actually climbing in and out of the cave (which really isn't difficult, just something to keep in mind). ...neither of these challenges are deal breakers. Like others mention, sweaters and headlamps for each person are preferable and you may even want to bring a good flashlight or two. Even when the cave flattens out, you'll need to see where you are stepping. The ground is "far from flat", will be slippery in some places, and is downright "jagged" in other spots so you'll need LIGHT to safely navigate as well as STURDY SHOES. I had some mesh tennis shoes and where they were comfortable, I could have used even something a bit more. My older son made the same comment. We saw people wearing sandals and using a smart phone flashlight app attempting to come in... and that really isn't going to cut it. You could really hurt yourself down there. Getting to the end was a bit anti-climactic... LOL... not sure what I was expecting but still something that I recommend doing if you are in the area.

You would not believe the beauty of this cave, it is hard to see everything there is so much. The tour guide was great, gave us so much information.

A fun, unique time. Even though we went during the summer, wear pants and a jacket. It’s pretty chilly in there. Also, wear a head lamp. Those in my group who used their cell phones had a harder time because you will need your hands to climb the rocks. My 8 year old nephew was barely coordinated enough to handle this and did need some help so I don’t know that I would take a child younger than that.

This was a fun side trip that took a few hours. I'm glad I did it but don't need to do it again. I think the kids I saw had the most fun.

You will need a good light, very good shoes, some water, and a hiking stick. People say you need a jacket but I was very warm after just a few minutes.

I saw both ways on taking dogs. We travel full time and take our two 75 pound dogs everywhere with us (except National Parks). This trail is absolutely NOT for a dog. It's pitch black with rocks of every shape and size - some sharp and slick and unstable. Even where it is reasonably smooth, it is rough and uneven with deep cracks out of nowhere. I can see a dog getting a cut paw or broken leg very easily - and then you have to get yourself and them out. I just wouldn't do it!

It is just a short walk to the cave from the parking lot and only about 2 miles roundtrip if you stay to the left in the cave (the right is very low and you will be on your hands and knees). While it's only 2 miles, it is rough and feels like more when you're done.

Definitely stop at a restroom on the highway because there isn't even a good place to hide behind a tree or hill when you get there.

It may only be a mile or so, but this is definitely not your everyday hike! Regardless of the time of year, be sure to bring a sweater/warm clothes, very sturdy shoes, and reliable headlamps or flashlights. Getting down into the cave from the entrance is a bit steep and slippery, but just go slow and allow yourself time to adjust to the darkness and colder temperature. It is really fun walking around in the big open areas further down!

It’s interesting but not a ‘must do’. If you’re into geology or vulcanology, it’s probably right up your alley. If you do go, good footwear aka hiking shoes are very helpful. It was cool but not cold. There were several areas where you really had to crouch down to get through but most of it was walking- albeit on very rough surfaces.

We visited the cave with our 9 year old daughter. She had a blast. The only bummer is that dogs are allowed (which is understandable considering the nature of the cave), so one of us had to stay out with the dogs. The cave is a bit off the road, bilut totally worth it.

First off, I’m almost 61 and hubby is 70, but we’re both in decent shape. We heeded the advice to bring multiple light sources so we brought headlamps and flashlights (headlamps very handy when scrambling over boulders). There’s a big rock pile you have to traverse right at the entrance—you’ll be going down into a hole, so be super careful. Once inside, the tube becomes horizontal but there are more boulders and sharp rocks to walk/climb over. In many places the rocks were damp, and the traction on my boots was not great. I would recommend trek poles and grippy soles, for sure, especially if you have any balance issues. We also wore gloves, and they were very helpful for gripping the rocks, especially when climbing that rock pile back up to the entrance. Once inside, there are open stretches without rock piles to cross, but even there the floor is not smooth—you still have to watch your footing so you don’t turn an ankle. And if you stop to rest, be very aware of your directions because it’s really easy to get turned around. You can’t really get lost because it’s a tube, but after we stopped and rested at the halfway point we decided to go back to the entrance—and after about 15 minutes of more scrambling we met a couple who let us know we were headed in the opposite direction toward the end of the tube. Very disorienting, but there were plenty of people in there to help us out (and by plenty I mean 5-6). I did a lot of duck-walking over the wet rocks to keep from slipping, so I was pretty sore for a couple of days afterward. I’m glad we went on this adventure, but once is enough for me. Oh, we did run across a little bit of graffiti on the wall—that was disappointing. But otherwise it’s beautiful in an eerie sort of way. Note: there are no restrooms or ports-potties on site, so do your business before you get there. Do NOT use the cave as a toilet!!

We used our GPS to get to the parking area, after that there is a short walk through a beautiful Ponderosa forest to the cave opening. The most difficult part is the first 50 to 100 yards as you descend into the cave. Once you get in it levels out and opens up to 20-30 ft. high ceilings. We took the left fork and there were two areas that tapered down for about 10 to 20 feet of "squat waddling" to get through.

Keep in mind, I'm an out of shape 48 year old who needs to lose about 40lbs... soooo the following descriptions of "strenuous" may not apply to those "younger folks"! :) (not to mention we are from Florida so the 7000ft elevation change had me winded!)

I was surprised at how dry the cave was (although I'm sure that changes at different times) and it was mostly molten rock that you walk on so there was very little mud. (I didn't have to clean my sneakers getting back into the car.)

I will say that good foot wear is a must as the volcanic molten rock formations make for a rather rugged surface, there are lots of small bulbous formations between 1-4 inches high and holes of similar size and shape that form the floor.

We were there in May, 2017, and the outside temp was in the 50's but there was a sheet of ice hanging over the entrance (pretty cool). But after you get in a ways the temp seems to level off somewhere between 35 and 45. It was strenuous enough for me that I went in with two shirts and a flease hoodie and when I came out I had removed the extra shirt and hoodie.

The entire length felt like maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile (taking the left fork). It did end abruptly (felt kinda good to make it to the end.)

SO... If you want my opinion (having raised 3 kids to adulthood) if they are 8+ TAKE THEM! They will LOVE it!

OH yea! IMPORTANT!!! Make SURE you bring three light sources per person! There are no lights, no park rangers, no one to check on you so take WATER and LIGHTS! We used the $15 185 Lumen LED headlamps from Wal-Mart plus two $1.00 LED backup lights each. For those with weak ankles I also recommend taking a hiking pole, saved my behind from slipping at the entrance!

There was no snow, so the road was open when we visited it in January. We bought a headband light before we went along with a flashlight. We just went thru on our own as there is nobody supervising the cave. We spent about 2 hours going in and coming back out. A very enjoyable short hike!

My husband and I took our two sons (13 and 9) here. My oldest son is in excellent physical condition (football player). Younger son is out of shape, as are myself and my husband. I found out just how out of shape my husband is. He made it 10 feet into the cave and was done. That climb down, and back up again (seriously, he went 10 feet) killed him. His legs were sore for days! If you don't partake in at least a small amount of physical activity, this is not for you. There are a lot of large rocks and boulders to climb down just to get into the cave, then the whole way through the cave bottom is bumpy and jagged with areas of more boulders to climb over here and there. And at one point the ceiling is quite low and you need to bend over or squat to get through it. Make sure you have really good running shoes or hiking shoes with a great tread... it's slippery down there. If it wasn't for a small bladder on my youngest son, we would have done the entire length. We had to turn back just before the end because he had to pee really bad. I wore a t-shirt and shorts, and boys had t-shirts and jeans. It was cold down there, but we weren't freezing. You're constantly moving, so you work up a bit of a sweat. Totally doable without a jacket. And it's cold enough you don't get thirsty, so we didn't need to bring water. We each had a very bright flashlight, and brought a few extra batteries just in case (we didn't need them). I am glad I didn't spend money on headlamps that we would never use again. You definitely need as powerful a flashlight as you can find. It's pitch black in there without a light source. There's no restrooms anywhere around there, so make sure you find a restroom before you head over. Finding the cave wasn't easy, but there are a couple of signs along the way, and we used our phones' GPS (although reception wasn't great).

This is a great easy hike a family can do. With kids under 5 it may not work because of the initial drop which is a bit of a tough climb. That will depend on the agility of your kids. Otherwise it's a mostly flat walk over a broken but walkable surface. You walk upright in the tube most of the way with 2 places you need to duck if you're full height. The little guys have no trouble at these places. The temp is quite cold so bring a jacket and make sure you have ample light sources or you will be stuck in pitch black. That said, it's one way in and out and it's heavily trafficked so you wouldn't be stuck long if you find yourself without light. It a fun an unique thing to do so drop in if it's the right season. In winter the forest roads are closed but you could walk in a few miles from highway 180 if you're determined to visit. That isn't a tough walk, just walking dirt roads to get in. It will probably add 1.5-2 hours to your trip time, depending on road conditions.

Went there with a group of friends and had a blast. It took us two hours to get there and back and it was all exciting.

We loved the cave! It was busy, but everyone was polite and waited for their turn. It is good for beginners because there's lots of people and you feel comfortable.

We ventured out to the Lave Cave while visiting Flagstaff my teen son & some friends. Follow the signs to get to your location. The entrance off of I-40 west of Flagstaff seems to be the most car friendly to me, although I drive an SUV.

The entrance is rocky (some are large) and a bit steep, so take your time. Once you're in the cave on flatter ground its about a 1.5 mile hike to the end of the cave. Bring flashlights, headlights, some kind of light so your can see. It's very dark down there. A snack & water might be necessary, if you have little one's. There is a fork at one point, but they both meet back up together after a few hundred feet.

We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and will come back another time.

Its a pretty cool hike. Good for both kids and adults as long as you're not afraid of the dark or small spaces. Its cold once you're inside so wear appropriate clothing. Its very dark once you're inside so you'll definitely need a good headlamp and a hand held one. Its not ideal for people with a bad back or bad knees there are some areas where you have to crawl kind of. There is a lot of pointy rocks so wear appropriate shoes. Also watch your head I hit my head more than once I think but maybe im just clumsy.

I'd read the reviews and thought I'd be prepared for the "entry boulder climbing". NOPE....I climbed (with help) over large boulders for more than 45 minutes before even reaching a relatively level walking path. Not for the faint of heart or anyone with balance issues. It was amazing to be surrounded by the complete darkness and the grandkids loved it. It was MUCH harder for me.

This is a little hard to find, but well worth looking for. You can actually feel the cold air before you even get into the cave.

It was short on the inside, the right tunnel is the one we took it’s a bit easier, only 3 times will you be crouched fully bear walking through; however, the right side is the more difficult side. It’s a pretty good tunnel, not much to the ending, but definitely worth a go. The outside scenery is perfect. Another thing is heading north to the entrance is a rocky road with plenty of potholes, but made it through with our Camaro. You will need a headlamp, and some good nonslip shoes.

This was an adventure like we've never experienced! It is important to come prepared with headlamps for the best and safest experience but alas, all we relied on was our cell phone lights. Mine died about 10 minutes in to the cave, not from lack of a charge but most likely due to the dramatic temperature change. I spent the rest of the time worrying about how long the other two phones would last. Good sneakers or hiking boots are a must. Don't even think of going in there with open toed shoes. Dress warm. Gloves would help when it's necessary to be on your hands and knees. There are a couple of spots where you literally have to crawl to get through. My 12 and 16 year old girls absolutely loved this adventure! Mapquest got us there pretty easily but don't expect much in the way of signage. We were on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere before arriving. I was sure we were lost until I saw a few other cars in a small parking area in the woods.

Bring a light with you, and a jacket. It gets cold in there. helmets also help if you're slightly clumsy like I am.

Without reading the reviews we would not have had flashlights, preferably headgear type because hand holds are important. The cave is most difficult in its entry and exit but there are difficult spots along the 3/4mile passage to the end point. Good shoes, a jacket, and most importantly light will guarantee an exceptional experience.

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.

The entrance goes at a slope and is completely boulders when I visited there was some ice. There were some small children that were frightened and some parents turned back. I saw elderally group on the return and they were sitting trying to scoot themselves down. Once you get down some of the floor has ripples so be sure to have heavy duty shoes. It is very dark and cold. I saw a man trying to sway his dog to enter and the 80 lb dog literally jumped in his arms and started shaking. They say this occurs alot with dogs........... It is worth the trip and best of all it remains free.

This is an old, hollowed out lava tube. Lots of fun to walk through!! It's about a mile to the end of the tube, with a fork towards the middle. Take the left fork when you come to it. It's wider and a little flatter than the path to the right. It is extremely dark so bring a flashlight or a headlamp. A headlamp would be better since you may need both hands to scramble over the rocks. Wear warmer clothing as it is cold in the tube. Also wear something a little more durable since you will be climbing over and around rocks. My husband and I wore hiking gear, complete with hats and gloves. Up top, it was in the mid 60s, in the tube it was about the mid 30s, roughly.

It is a little rough to get down into but it opens up once you're inside. Bring headlamps for everyone and hiking boots and water are recommended but not necessary. The cave is a small walk from the parking area.

We hiked with 10, 9, and 7 year old. They loved it. It’s Good to have a flashlight or headlamp for each person, but Two people to one flashlight is ok if you stay close.
Getting to the tubes is easy but not very marked and in the middle of nowhere. The trip advisor page makes it sound like it’s only open Mon-Fri. It’s open everyday 24/7. Again, it’s in the middle of the forest and all natural. A little sign to tell you what it is, and that’s it. No fees, And it was really cool! Wear a jacket and leggings and you are good!
The whole family loved it. I would totally recommend it for families! Great daytime activity!!

The descent into the cave is a little tricky and more than my wife could handle, so sadly, see remained by the car. Once inside the cave, the first section is a little rough under foot so be careful. But it soon gets quite smooth and it is a fun stroll through the rest of the cave. There are a couple of spots where you must duck under the roof but for the most part, you can walk upright the whole way. However, it was still easy to bump your hear so I recommend wearing a hat or cap of some description. Hard helmet are definitely not required. But like many reviewers, make sure you have spare flashlights. And check the batteries before going. We made the mistake of not checking batteries and one of our head lamps was too weak to be of any use. We did however, have spare flashlights. Head lamps are much better since you can keep your hands free in the sections where you need to scramble up or over rocks.

Finally, please do not leave any thing behind - normal rules of "pack it in, pack it out" apply. We picked up some trash left by previous visitors including three crushed coke cans that someone had tried to hide under a rock.

Fun and free. Bring your head lights or have your iPhones charged. Roads are not super well marked out of Flagstaff, just plug it into your phone. Kids didn't have a problem but not a super easy hike, don't take the grandparents.

Says 45 degrees in the summer...I believe it. Jacket and headlamp/flashlight pretty much a must. Google the road you need to turn on cause there are no signs from the main hwy (FR171 N from I-40, exit 185) Not really sure why people were holding thier kids walking over these huge bloulders down hill. I wouldn't recomend droppin my kid. Not an easy walk/hike into the cave.Just take it slow and watch your hear levels out then gets rough. A little over two hrs end and back. Gets crowded on the weekends...kinda surprising. Beautiful natural place.

A must for all NAU students... and they do get there. Out on the road somewhere on the way to Snow bowl is a turnoff that leads you to a rocky area. Underneath the rocks is a tube formed when lava came through years ago.. It is pitch black in there so brin good light sources. Also the lava rocks are sharp so bring good boots. But on a hot day it is the place to be in the desert!

It is a fun cave. Please note take good shoes it's rough terrain and slippery. It's a cave so it's dark so take flashlights and extra batteries take water and pace yourselves. It is doable for most people. Don't go if afraid of dark or confined spaces. Don't take kids that can't walk by themselves over a mile. Please keep it clean for others to enjoy and if you see trash pick it up so others can enjoy such a beautiful natural treasure

Drive down a forest road, park in the lot and take the short trail back to this unusual natural feature. Flashlights or headlamps are a must! The floor of the cave is very uneven. We did not venture very far into the cave as we did not come prepared with flashlights. Must return some day. Also, add a jacket. It's mighty cool in the cave.

The cave itself is super cool. At the entrance there are very large rocks you have to manoeuvr around and there is nothing to hold on to. We thought once we got through the entrance it would get easier, that was not the case, as you manoeuvr your way down into the cave there are tons of rocks big and small and it doesn't get easier. I am generally in good shape, I weigh 170lbs, it was very difficult for me, huge workout for sure, i constantly worried about falling and breaking an ankle, the rocks are very slippery and some are loose. I just want to advise folks that it is a different and difficult hike and it's very dangerous. This cave is perfect for folks in their twentys...the cave itself is really cool and if you do hike it you'll be glad you did. Oh and, dont bring your dogs, it's very hard for their little feet to manoeuvr around plus you have to look after your pet while your trying to manoeuvr around rocks of all sizes. The cave is chilly but the workout heats you up and you'll be glad it is cold in the cave. Headlamp is a must because you need your arms to help with balance. Highly recommend hiking shoes/good shoes, take some water, and, a defibrillator....haha;)

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 :)

As a city dweller, underground caves just aren't locally accessible. Lava Cave is a great way to see an underground cave. The entrance is a bit tough, but otherwise the hike is an easy one. Wear boots to protect your ankles, the floor is very uneven. Bring multiple flashlights to cya in case of burnout. Both forest roads are accessible by car, but might be tough on the suspensions. The roads are hard packed dirt/gravel, but with no major pot holes or ledges to climb.

Even though reviews said to not bring kids, we still brought our 4, 6, 8 and 11 year old kids with us. Easy to find with GPS even though some reviews said it was difficult, GPS took us straight to the parking area and then it's a very short walk following the trail markers. While I can see why some families did not like bringing young kids, we have an adventurous family and they loved it. We climbed all the way down the cave with the little one's. My 6 year old went all on his own and we just had to hold hands of the others occasionally. As others have said, it is good to have a head lamp, but if you forget or can't find one just use your cell phone. We used our phone's, but it does limit your use of a hand and you take the risk of dropping it (my wife did!, but didn't break of lose it Woo hoo!) You won't spend much time here, but a good quick trip for the family. BTW, no bathrooms so stop at the gas station at the freeway off ramp before of use nature as needed!

This is a self guided tour and you need to bring a couple of light sources. It is very dark (pitch dark) and the entrance is the hardest part. You will drop down about 30 feet into the cave by climbing down large boulders. It can get slippery so watch your footing. It is also cold inside (about 40 degrees) so bring some warm clothes. If you have a hard hat, bring it because there are a few areas that get low and you might hit your head on the ceiling rock. There are no facilities here whatsoever. You reach it by going to Flagstaff, getting on 180 going west, after mile marker 230, on the left is FR245. It is a dirt road (any car can go on it). Go down it till you get to FR71 and make a left (there now is a sign here as well). Go down FR71 to FR71b and you are there. Park in the lot and walk about 200 feet to the open pit area. Have fun.

By way of introduction, I am a geologist. Lava tubes are formed when an active lava flow skins over on the top because it cools first, and the hotter lava underneath flows away and leaves behind a void. This is a interesting place, but you absolutely must bring a really good flashlight and a light coat.

Don't go in this place without one or two working flashlights. This is a one of many examples in the Flagstaff area of lava caves, but it is probably the longest one and the best known. If you have claustrophobia, don't even think about going into this place.

Also remember you are on the Forest Service land, which means the land belongs to all of it. Be sure that you bring you take back out with you. :-)

Very busy in the summer months, lines to get in on the weekend. Go in the winter and you;ll have the place to yourself during the week.

Had a fun time visiting this sizeable geologic attraction.

Air temp is definitely cool, but wasn't the 45 degrees that other reviews have mentioned. I wore jeans, T-shirt and a light jacket, and was sweating after awhile.

Recommend shoes, not flip flops, water, and you must have a light source(s). Cheap headlamps work fine, and will keep you hands free for some sections where you will need to crouch down low. Flashlights would also be much better than nothing. Saw some people using phones for light- remember that everything around you is super abrasive. Also don't recommend bringing your dog as some others did (where is it going to go potty, and you will need to lift the dog over some difficult areas).

The cave is a mile long (one way) but you can turn around whenever you like and head back. Good adventure!

It was dark, it was refreshingly cold, the rocks were slippery and some loose, lots of parking, no cell connection.

Went with a group of 5, only had 3 flashlights and 2 cell phone flashlights, we were able to do it no problem. It’s super cool and a very unique experience. I would highly recommend it.

It takes a bit to get too, but once there and once the initial 100 ft entrance is over it’s super cool to be down there. Not crowded when we went. I’d wear something warm, but don’t over do it, long pants is perfected, and good hiking shoes.

Don’t miss out on this adventure.

The Flagstaff Lava Tubes are amazing ! But...be certain to have good tennis shoes that allow you to grip while climbing over large, smooth rocks, socks to protect your ankles, jeans if possible, a light jacket, a head lamp and flash light....for certain. At the mouth of the cave you will be climbing over and through large and mid sized rocks...easy to break an ankle. Once you are past the opening of the lava tube you will be in utter darkness and I mean black out conditions. It is an amazing adventure back into time. I took my 13 and 15 year old grandchildren, we all had great time. It is chilly down there but forge ahead. Your head lamp and flashlight will help light the uneven and very rocky path.
The lava tube eventually opens into the grand ballroom. I understand it goes on and on but we only went this far. There are no rangers so be careful and be well prepared...
Jeans were a big help to protect our ankles against the rocks...

This was a new and different experience for us. It was more physical than I expected but we were able to complete it. Be sure to use the bathroom before going out that way as there is no bathroom anywhere close. Also, good light sources are needed.

Travel underground - into a dark cave and hike in for almost an hour. This is one way to catch your kids attention and take them on an unexpected adventure. This was the most unusual hike we have ever taken. Bring a coat and flashlight- these are musts for this underground experience

It was fun and something out of the norm. Good shoes, flashlights and warm clothing is a must have. The tube is challenging at entrance but smooths out later down the line. Be careful, watch your step and enjoy yourself.

you can plan here like a 30 min visit, but it still worth to go. for me it was interesting.
very cold inside so be prepared. headlights is a must because you need to use your hands while climbing over the rocks to get in/out and move in the cave. also recommend closed shoes.

Myself, boyfriend and our teens rallied for this Flag adventure. Fairly easy to get to-dirt road wasn’t too bad and it was well traveled. Parking was available near the site. We read beforehand to bring headlamps, but we just brought flashlights and they worked just fine. A bit difficult to maneuver rocks at the entrance so be careful! Especially if you bring younger children! But once deep in the cave, the floor becomes easier to walk on. We brought sweatshirts but didn’t really need them. This was a super fun adventure and I recommend! And-it’s FREE!

Drive to Lava Cave from Walnut Canyon was through Route 22 which took us through some residential areas. Turning to the Lava cave from the highway the road was all gravel.
Our intention was to explore the caves but could not as we did not think of jackets, gloves, and headlamps. The cave entrance is almost covered by large rocks and you have to climb over them to enter the cave. Obviously, we did not get it as it was very cold. Temperature dips down to 28 in the caves and it is almost a mile long

A mystery unknown cave hidden in the middle of a field of forest trees. This cave is a "whole in the ground about 3/4 mile long. you are climbing down rocks into the ground. It is very dark so depend on a good flashlight or head light (NOT YOUR PHONE FLASHLIGHT) It is always cold in there too; like 45 -50 degrees, take a jacket too.

Caves like this make me really nervous, not because I have a problem with the dark or with tight spaces, but because I am sure I'm going to break an ankle. The initial quick decent is a steep scramble over rough boulders, the next long stretch is over slick, uneven, unstable rocks, and then it eventually smooths out. Equipped with a head lamp, good shoes, and gloves, it's manageable and kind of a cool adventure (literally and figuratively). The people carrying propane lanterns in one hand and using the other to hold the hand of children in flip-flops and shorts are doomed. I really wonder how many injuries they see every year from people who think they can get by with the light on their cell phones. I am glad I did it once, but I even am more glad that, having checked it off the list, I never have to do it again.

We did a lot of fun stuff on a recent family vacation, but this was our kids' favorite thing. We almost didn't do it, but we needed to fill up our last evening with an activity and decided to give it a try. So glad we didn't skip it! It was a very fun adventure. Make sure you have good flashlights, shoes, and a jacket.

DO not bring, Children, dogs, babies, anyone un able to squat and bend and walk for long periods of time. It is hard for the first 5 miles. then is is awesome. It turns into an adventure. Bring your hiking boots, spandex, knee pads, head lamp (a high beam one) and flash light. it will take you 4 hrs to complete. Don't forget to sign in before you begin. and BE PATIENT.

We decided to go to the caves for father's day. We had 2 headlamps and 3 flashlights. It was very cold, but didn't really feel it til an hour in. I was actually sweating with my sweater on. I had my youngest son in the Ergo and he did amazing! If you're taking littles, make sure you bring warm clothes. And really good hiking shoes. The ground is sharp in many places.
There are a few really low points that made it difficult for me since I had a 25lb kid on my back, but I made it through.
There are no bathrooms so be prepared to find a bush.

Be kind to this gem as more people find it. Cart out all trash and bring head lamps if possible. Adults and kids must be nimble but not overly challenging.

It's a mile out and back underground. Kind of creepy if you're out there by yourself. Make sure to bring more than a phone flashlight, it's a long hike and pitch black if your light goes out.

Cool experience. Be sure to bring headlights (better than flashlights and phone lights because you will need your hands), if you get to the portion to go left or right, go left (also you are closer to the end), the right side is a little detour (you will end up on the left side) and you will need to bend down for 1 minute (maybe).
Bring shoes with good grip, it gets cold, went 8/4/2023 and didn’t use a jacket at all (but others were using jackets). Enjoy! The end 🙃

Not far from Snow Bowl, you travel on well-kept forestry roads to a parking lot and walk about a block to a large circle of boulders. I recommend you take a look at the map of the cave before entering so you know what to look for inside. You can feel the chilled (35-40 degree) air escaping up out of the whole in the center. The pathway down soon becomes a maze of large boulders, smaller rocks and uneven surfaces to climb down and over to enter into the cave. There are some damp/slippery rocks, some wobbly rocks, some large rocks to go around - I spent much of the time trying to figure out a way through on stable ground. Some areas of the cave are very tall and wide and open, other areas you need to crouch down and watch your head. You must be somewhat physically fit to get yourself in and out. School age children, Church and Boy and Girl Scout troops were making their way through and having a great time. Wear a light jacket or sweatshirt, carry a flashlight or wear a headlamp, and you will need good traction shoes. It is pitch black inside and has not been "groomed" to have easier pathways - it is challenging to maneuver. Great place to escape the Arizona heat for a couple of hours.

This is such a fun experience and a neat way to see the geological structure of the area. We went all the way to the end and it can get a little hairy so bring a few flashlights. It gets pitch black quick. There are other people in the cave including kids so it's nothing to be scared of. We had more fun hiking around there then we did battling the crowds at the grand canyon! It's a rare experience that you can't miss!

Great hike for the adventurous. Highly recommend a headlamp, sturdy shoes and gloves. The lowest temp in the cave is 32F. Bring a light jacket. Plan two hours to go the mile in and then back out. It's free. Just a hole in the ground in the forest. No guides just explore it on your own.

We enjoyed, had our 3 year old was not too easy on him, was not able to finish with him, very busy today, probably due to be being a holiday weekend. Very crowded hard to get around everyone, seems as everyone in a rush. We will be returning next year, we really want to do the whole cave! Its a little rough in the beginning, we had a light sweater and shorts temperature was great, nice and cool. Parking is walking distance very close to cave. Excited for our next trip

This is a nice cool spot to visit if you are passing through. Not a spot that you spend much time. Bring a flashlight.

Went here with a few friends visiting Flag, after purchasing flashlights (headlights and cheap gloves would have been much, much better). It's only about 15 miles from downtown Flagstaff, but the last 5 miles are on pot-holed dirt service roads and the turnoff to the cave can be missed (the sign is small). After parking next to the short trail to the cave entrance (can't miss it, it's surrounded by a circular stone short wall), one can feel the cold air (40 degrees or less) coming from the one person entrance to the dark cave. However, once pass the narrow entrance, it gets really challenging if you are not used to climbing down and around wet rocks (some loose and slippery) and all sizes of boulders, with varying heights (wear a hat). This went on for 10 minutes and when we couldn't see where this stretch ended, we turned back. It was just a bit too tough for us (65-70 years old). But some of us made it to the less than 1 mile trek to the end and they told us that if we continued for another 5 minutes or so, it opened up to a cavernous area with ceilings up to 30 feet high and a relatively flat surface. This was an experience that was too hard for me to complete (hence the 3 stars), but I recommend it anyway. But I just want to caution anyone that it is not an EASY hike at all. The first 15 minutes are a killer. But getting out was a lot easier.

The Lava Tube caves just outside of Flagstaff are a little off the beaten path, but these undeveloped lava tubes offer a relatively safe DIY adventure your kids are sure to love. A short drive on a gravel road and little hike through a beautiful pine forest will bring you to the small and rocky opening of this nearly mile long underground excursion. The entrance to the cave is by far the most treacherous part of the journey and will require scurrying over sometimes loose and icy rocks. Once at the bottom things get easier, but it can never fully be considered hazard free walking so take care. The cave is pretty much a straight shot with one fork in the path that comes back together after a short distance. The inside temps are around 30°-40° year round so long pants, coats and even gloves and hats for the little ones is recommended (though I did hike it in shorts and a light jacket and was fine so it can be done). The caves are undeveloped and very dark, flash lights are a necessity. Head lamps are also a good idea to keep your hands free for climbing. Bike helmets for the littles is also not a bad idea as ceiling get head bumpingly low and slips and falls do happen.

Having been at the lava cave many years ago and loved it, I wanted to bring the family. The 5yo liked it but needed a bit of help climbing down into the cave. The 2yo needed a lot of help climbing and thought the darkness was scary, in spite of flashlights. Overall we didn't venture very far into the cave but still had a good family outing. Would not recommend it for under 5yo though.... (had remembered it being easier)...

I've been to many attractions, parks etc. where they have various advisories. This place actually understates the dangers. First off you access this place by way of forest service roads which are gravel and packed dirt. So it it's going to rain, don't even attempt to go there in a car. The roads are hard packed, but I advise going in a pickup or SUV. The parking area is several hundred yards away from the cave entrance. Just follow the signs that are nailed to the trees. We were the only people at the cave, and it's the last week of March. There was plenty of ice and frozen black ice on top of rocks. Because we were the only ones there our light were the only light sources. Please note that there is NOT any form of staircase, trail, or railing to hold onto. You literally climb over various size boulders to access the cave. If you have back, hip, knee or any other of joint issues, I strongly advise against going inside. The cave itself is something worth seeing, but you MUST have ample lights. I suggest wearing head worn lights so your hands are free to assist with your climbing over rocks. I'm talking good quality head lamps too, not a $10 cheap one. If you have a large group of people this might not be as much of an issue, but we had only two people in our party, without our good lights this would've been dangerous. Be sure to wear good shoes, no sandals or flip flops. Good hiking boots because some of the smaller rocks that you step on will rock back and forth. You can fall quite easily. There are absolutely no facilities at this place, no restrooms, drinking fountains etc. You will need to bring your own water.

A great thing to do while in Flagstaff. About an hour and a half hike round trip. Multiple flashlights are a must and headlamps are highky recommended. Literall pitch black without any light. Some parts get low so you have to crouch, while other parts get really high so you're fine. Dress for the cold (long sleeve, sweatshirt, pants) but you get used to the cold after a little bit. Long dirt road to the cave off the main highway so be prepared. Overall, a really fun and different experience.

The main purpose of our trip was the Grand Canyon but stumbled upon this gem when looking for other things to do. Kind of hard to find but trust Google maps, it'll get you there. The cave was either #1 or #2 on everyone's list of favorites after our trip was complete. We hiked in shorts, t-shirs & tennis shoes and were fine. But the cave is very chilly so you may want to bring a jacket and gloves. A flashlight for everyone in your party is a must! (possibly extra batteries) The ground is very uneven and at times you have to crouch so I wouldn't recommend this for anyone who has difficulty with walking/balance.

We didn’t go all the way to the end of the cave because we are scaredy cats when it came to the dark 😅 our flashlights weren’t too bright. But! It was cool nonetheless, just being able to sit in there knowing it was formed by molten rock was a neat experience on its own 😁

This is a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon. Allow about 45 minutes each way for the trip in the car out to the entrance, especially if you want to drive slow on the dirt roads. The entrance is a big gapping hole in the ground and then down some steep rocks before it levels off. A head lamp would be great as well as a handheld flashlight, it is nice to have your hands free at the entrance. Once you are inside the surface is still quite bumpy so a hiking stick might be nice. Keep going until you come to the very end, turn off your flashlight and enjoy the stillness for a moment. Always pack out all your trash and leave no trace. Enjoy!!

If you want a unique, fun and a little challenging experience, take some headlamps, warm cloths and extra batteries and go and explore this amazing cave. I found peace and absolute serenity down this dark lava tube and would like to explore more next time.

This lava "tube" is a wonderful underground cave that is very exhilarating to explore. With a temperature somewhere in the mid-40s in the summer, make sure you dress warmly. Also, there is no light in the cave, so flashlights, or preferably head lanterns, are a must. The WalMart in Flagstaff has a nice selection to choose from. A 6-pack, with 4 mini flashlights & 2 lights with elastic headbands that strap to your head are under $15. You need to have both hands free to climb over large, slippery, and sometimes sharp rocks to get down into the cave, so a hands-free light & durable shoes with good tread on them, is most helpful. The cave is primitive, with no paved trails or lighting, so you really feel like you're exploring an uncharted cave!! The national forest service has provided wide, dirt or gravel roads, and a big parking lot, but there are no bathroom facilities, so plan accordingly! Allow 2-3 hours.

not worth the long drive out there - just a shallow, dark, musty hole in the earth I found depressing

We tried the Lava River Cave today and it was a fun and unique hike. I highly recommend headlamps as you are constantly squatting and it's pitch black. The hardest part is going in and out of the cave. I'm 10 weeks post op from hip surgery and had no issues. As long as you're fit you should have no issues.

I should rate this down to discourage people and preserve it for the future. If it wasn't for this being on national forest land, somebody would charge a healthy admission for this lava tube. Pretty easy access (some climbing in the access hole) and then easy walking on a pretty flat floor below an arched ceiling. At places, a very large room and at other places a tight fit best done with a hard hat.

Fun family hike/adventure that's not too far from Flagstaff. Since there is no clear path and you're traversing boulders and uneven ground in the dark, please do not try to take your dog with you.

It is an easy hike to get there. Very close to where you park. I have been to caves that have more going on inside..this is pretty much a straight shot ..you walk in it about a mile and then turn around and come back. But it is worth checking out. Where good climbing shoes and dress for warmth. It gets nippy down there..but it felt good. The temperature was probably my favorite part.

Bring gloves, jacket, and a flashlight/head lamp. Very unique underground hike! The road getting here is rough and all dirt for many miles but my little sedan made it fine.

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!

I went here with my young boys and it was a bit scary because of all the rocks and tight spaces. I've been to caves where the openings are large and the surface is easier to walk on. But this is a really cool cave if you are not going with children under age 8.

It’s a cool spot to hike. It was crowded when we got there and there were too many kids for this “kid-free” vacation so we didn’t hang out long. It’s really cool, definitely recommend a headlamp.

First, wear boots with strongankle support. Wear gloves. Wear a head lamp, you will both hands free.
This is a difficult descent. Very challenging. Super interesting.

This place is amazing, climbing on big uneven rocks to get in so not for very young or old. The walls look like liquid silver in your flashlight (bring flashlights and headlamps if you have them). We only went about half way in, it is cold and awesome in there! There are no posted people there so be careful, and have fun!

Rather tough climb down into the subway-sized tunnel, especially in cold weather--there may be ice over a tumbled rock pile. This is not at all a "commercial cave" experience but a wild cave with no improvements. The lava features are exceptional, including large slabs that fell from the ceiling into the running lava. You will walk upright most of the way once you scramble down the entrance pile. Very few seniors (except high school seniors) would want to try this adventure.

Park is closed as of 8/15

Park is located on route 180 15 minutes north of Flagstaff

The current address takes you to a random road in the business district