Lava Beds National Monument (LABE), in Northern California, is home to hundreds of lava tubes of all sizes. The Cave Research Foundation (CRF) conducts frequent expeditions to LABE for the purpose of surveying and inventorying known and recently found tubes, cleanups and restoration of the "commercial" tubes, bat counts, and other volunteer efforts for the park service. The CRF expeditions to Lava Beds typically occur on Presidents' Day Weekend in February, Memorial Day weekend in May, Labor Day weekend in September, and Thanksgiving in November. Additional expeditions are scheduled as time and interest permit. Participation in expeditions is as a Joint Venturer in the Cave Research Foundation, and many SFBC members are also CRF joint venturers and participate regularly in Foundation activities. Activities can include:
  • Preliminary survey and recon of newly found tubes
  • Inventory of known tubes (flora, fauna, speleothems, geology, etc.)
  • Obtaining high-precision GPS location of entrances
  • Detailed survey of inventoried tubes
  • Cleanup and restoration of "commercial" tubes
  • Measurement of ice levels inside tubes
  • Bat counts

The expeditions are suitable for new and experienced cavers alike. Vertical experience isn't required, and basic survey techniques can be taught on site. All you need is basic caving gear, sturdy knee and elbow pads, good boots, and a willingness to help! While these aren't "recreational trips," if you enjoy being underground you're almost guaranteed to have fun. If you're interested in joining the next expedition, drop by the next grotto meeting and ask an executive committee member for more information. Check the calendar of events for the date of the next known expedition. Don't worry if one isn't listed, however, because trips may not always be scheduled in time to make it on the calendar.

If you're interested in visiting Lava Beds National Monument on your own, or want some more information on the park, check out the links below. Please keep in mind, however, that any "non-commercial" lava tubes found or visited during CRF trips may only be visited on subsequent CRF trips! The park service does not desire traffic to increase in the non-commercial tubes as a result of the CRF volunteer efforts. Before visiting any caves, including lava tubes, please brush up on your cave safety and conservation!


Some links are to pages which are not controlled by the SFBC, and as such we can't guarantee their content is consistent with the SFBC's philosophies, however every attempt has been made to screen these web sites for content. If these links vanish or their content is questionable, please let us know and we'll address the problem!

Park Service LABE Pages
Includes information on Lava Beds National Monument, including driving directions, campgrounds, and the tubes themselves. Great starting point for more information on the park and tubes located there.

Lava Beds Research Center
The LABE research station fund raising page.

CRF California LABE
The Pacific/California CRF Website for LABE activity.

Unofficial Lava Beds National Monument Pages
These are some pages put together by a fan of Lava Beds. There is some great information here, including a bunch of photographs. They did a really nice job of giving you a sense of what you will experience when visiting the park.

Other US Volcanic Parks and Monuments
Lava Beds National Monument isn't the only place with lava tubes of course! If you're interested in other parks with lava tubes, or parks in volcanic regions, here is a nice little list.

Lava Tubes on the Moon
The Earth probably isn't the only place with caves! Next time you're on the moon, drive your lunar rover to Mare Imbrium and check out this area of previous volcanic activity and likely site of lava tubes. Or if you prefer, visit this page to see a photo of a potential collapsed lava tube on the moon's surface.

Craters of the Moon National Monument
Not able to get to the Moon any time soon? Try Craters of the Moon National Monument, in Idaho, instead!

Lava Tubes and Lava Tube Caves
How exactly are lava tubes formed? The answer can be found on the USGS web site.

The Virtual Cave : Virtual Lava Tube
Dave Bunnell's photographs of laba tubes.


CRF Lava Beds Report, Thanksgiving 1997 Trip by Robert Mudry
Valentine's Day at Lava Beds by Lysa DeThomas
CRF Lava Beds Feb 1998 by Robert Mudry
CRF Lava Beds Memorial Day 1998 Trip Report by Robert Mudry
CRF Lava Beds Report, Thanksgiving 1998 Trip by Ken Robertson

Photo: (Top) Thanksgiving 1997 by Dave Bunnell

©2008. These pages and their contents are property of the San Francisco Bay Chapter Incorporated, part of the National Speleological Society, except where otherwise noted. Opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the SFBC, its board members, or the NSS.