hikespeak

One of the coolest things to do anywhere there are lava flows is hike through lava tubes. This makes Caves Trail the most exciting hike in Craters of the Moon National Monument. The 1.6-mile hike visits four lava tubes, that each provide a unique experience. A sign at the trailhead explains: The Craters of the Moon landscape is more than just surface volcanic features. Below ground there... Read more.

Bronson Cave is one of Hollywood's favorite filming locations. The man-made tunnel is carved into the rock wall of an old quarry in Griffith Park. Bronson Cave‘s most famous role came in the 1960s, playing the entrance of the Batcave in the Batman TV series. The cave continues to be cast in television shows and movies. Thanks to a very short trail, it is about as easy to see Bronson Cave... Read more.

Do you want to go on a long hike in a dark tunnel? Ape Cave is the place. Ape Cave is one of the longest lava tubes in the world, measuring approximately 2.5 miles from end to end. Hikers may travel unguided through the lava tube. Make just a few preparations and Ape Cave will deliver a one-of-a-kind adventure. From the cave's main entrance, visitors have two options: Head down to... Read more.

A short hike to a fascinating destination overlooking the Carrizo Badlands begins on the far east side of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This 1.25-mile round trip hike climbs 250 feet to a sandstone formation with wind-eroded pockets that insist on being explored. The hike begins with a quick ascent up the east side of Split Mountain Wash. Climb a series of rocky steps. With each gain,... Read more.

The short interesting hike to Bear Gulch Reservoir ascends a beautiful boulder-filled gorge on the east side of Pinnacles National Park (known as Pinnacles National Monument prior to 2013). A split in the trail offers two parallel routes to reach the reservoir. Bear Gulch Cave Trail climbs through a talus cave, while Moses Spring Trail takes a scenic but less daring course along the rim of... Read more.

A field of cinder cones stands out dramatically from the surrounding Mojave Desert between the city of Baker and Kelso Depot Visitor Center in Mojave National Preserve. Within the lava field is a short trail leading to a tube formed long ago by molten lava. A ladder takes hikers down into the tube where skylights (holes in the rock ceiling) illuminate a subterranean world. From the... Read more.

The Gaviota Wind Caves are a sandstone formation located a mile from the Pacific Ocean in the Santa Ynez Mountains west of Santa Barbara. The hike to the wind-swept caves is 2.5 miles round trip with 600 feet of elevation gain. One good thing about the Gaviota Wild Caves is that they are easy to get to from the 101. In fact, the wind caves can be seen from the freeway. The bad thing... Read more.