This out-of-the-way wonder is a stretch of underground tunnel with several openings at the top of the cave. For an hour or two each day, sunlight streams in, leaving spotlights on the cave floor.

Skylight Cave, Oregon isn’t convenient; you have to drive outside Sisters, OR on bumpy forest roads to get there. But once you arrive, it’s totally easy to explore this small Oregon cave. 

And when you time your visit right, you’ll be rewarded with a breathtaking sight. 

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Exploring this Oregon cave near Sisters, OR

When you reach Skylight Cave, you’ll climb down a metal ladder bolted to the stone. (It’s really sturdy, I promise!) This takes you into a natural basin between the two sections of the cave.

Don’t forget your flashlight!

With the ladder at your back, if you turn right, you can walk less than a quarter-mile through this underground tunnel. The ground is uneven, and you’ll have to climb over some stones. The ceiling is very low in a few parts.

You’ll soon reach a dead end. I recommend going this way first if you’re early to the cave, or if there are more people than you’re comfortable with in the other part of Skylight Cave.

To see the star attractions, turn left.

Beams of light in Skylight Cave, Oregon

When you turn left from the ladder, you’ll walk into the main part of Skylight Cave. Step over uneven, rocky ground and you’ll soon reach an open cavern. Here is where Skylight Cave gets its name: Three holes in the cave ceiling let in sunlight from about 8 – 10am during the summer.

This “room” is the largest in the small Skylight Cave underground system. Walk to one side and then the other to get a 360-degree view of the sunbeams. You can see them from every angle. 

Chances are, other visitors will be in the cave with you. I found that people were pretty good at taking turns to get close to the sunbeams. 

Some folks took those iconic standing in light photos or the ones that look like they’re catching sunlight in their hand. Others (like me) simply enjoyed the streams of light from a distance. 

Photography tips to take pictures of cave sunbeams

It’s not easy to take photos inside a cave!

If you’re looking to capture truly amazing photos, you’ll need a tripod. (I own and love this budget tripod). It’s still not easy, though. You’ll have to set up in the dark (of course) and the ground is uneven, making it tricky to get your tripod stable.

If you’re not bringing a tripod, I still have some photography tips for you.

1. Do not take a photograph on auto mode. This will use the flash and blind everyone! On an iphone, click the lightning bolt icon to turn off flash. On a DSLR, use manual mode or shutter speed mode.
2. Adjust your DSLR’s ISO to the highest it can go. This will help you capture more light.
3. Adjust your DSLR’s shutter speed to very slow—i.e. 1/80. This will require your aperture to be set to the widest it can—4.5 or whatever your lens’ limit. You’ll need to take a few practice shots to adjust, getting your settings right.
4. Create a “tripod” with your body. As you hold the camera, tuck your elbows against your torso, which makes your upper body more stable. If you’re kneeling, rest your elbow on your knee, which also makes you more stable.
5. Snap a photo at the end of an exhale. (Yep, your breathing jiggles the camera, too!) This will minimize movement, helping you get a crisper, clearer photograph.

Must-know details to visit Skylight Cave

Flashlights:  The flashlight on your cell phone is straight-up not strong enough. You need at least one legit flashlight to explore Skylight Cave, Oregon. 

I recommend bringing a MagLight or something similar. It’s best to bring a second, backup flashlight as a precaution.

Bottom line: You don’t want to trip or twist an ankle because you didn’t bring a decent flashlight. Come prepared.

Courtesy in the cave: When you’re next to the sunbeams, do your best to keep your flashlight off (as long as it’s safe). That way the flashlight won’t interfere with other people’s enjoyment of the skylights. 

Animals: No pets are allowed inside Skylight Cave. (Even if they were, I don’t know a lot of dogs that could climb the ladder down!)

Food: No eating inside the cave system.

Time to hike Skylight Cave: You’ll probably need 20-40 minutes to explore the cave system. The underground tunnels themselves are quite short but you’ll want to hang out and admire the sunbeams for a while!

Directions to Skylight Cave, Oregon

If you want directions to Skylight Cave, read on—and print them out! You’ll likely lose service on this drive.

Secondly, make sure your car has decent clearance. You’ll be driving over bumpy forest roads that are minimally maintained. I drove in my Forester and had zero problems. I also saw sedans making the drive.

Here are directions to Skylight Cave:

Directions to Skylight Cave, Oregon

Print

Skylight Cave is an epic, out of the way cave in Central Oregon. But you'll need to look up—and print—directions before you go. Here's how to get to Skylight Cave, Oregon near Sisters and Bend, OR.

Instructions

1. From Highway 126/20, turn south onto McAllister Road. This is directly across from the sign to Camp Sherman. If you're coming from Eugene, you'll turn right onto McAllister; if you're coming from Sisters, you'll turn left onto McAllister.
2. After a quarter-mile, turn right onto Forest Road 2061.
3. Continue 6 miles down Forest Road 2061. You'll pass many turn-offs—some are private land, some are unmarked. Don't turn onto any of these.
4. Look for a wide clearing with trees. Continue downhill around this clearing.
5. Shortly after you pass the clearing, turn left at the fork onto Forest Road 1028.
6. After about a half-mile, turn left onto Forest Road 260. This turns into 2060. The road gets extra-bumpy here.
7. Continue on 260/2060 for about a mile. Look for several unpaved, dirt parking areas on either side of the road. Park in one of these.
8. Continue by walking; Skylight Cave is on your right. You'll see a wooden announcement sign and a visitor's book. You made it!

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Did you try this? What did you think?

Were these instructions helpful? Be a gem and share this info with someone else who could use it!

I’m curious: Have you ever explored an underground cave system? Would you??

PS – Want more? Check out my post on exploring Lava River Cave in Central Oregon near Bend—only an hour away.

The post Skylight Cave Oregon: An off-the-beaten-path gem near Sisters + Bend OR appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

Sustainable family travel is a no-brainer. After all, our children will inherit the environment we leave them. Sustainable travel is all about aligning our family trips—which are so important, considering the gift of time together and new experiences makes kids way happier than a new toy, according to research—with our values of protecting nature for future generations. That’s why when the folks at Visit Bend invited us for a weekend, we agreed it made so much sense to take a trip to Central Oregon and share how we approached sustainable travel for families in Bend.

Early this summer, I took my kids and dog to Bend, Oregon for a weekend. (Hubs was playing in a disc golf tournament so didn’t join us.) I’ve been to Bend many times, starting from when I was a kid. So I was doubly excited to head back to this Central Oregon town with my own kiddos.

In the summer—my favorite time to visit—the city becomes an outdoors lover’s paradise. The Deschutes River runs through town, acting as a hub to cool off and have fun in the hot summer days. The miles of trails, acres of parks and eco-focused local lifestyle make it a natural fit for sustainable travel with families.

If you’re coming to Oregon with kids, here’s how you can make your family vacation align with the principles of sustainable travel. In a place like Bend, that’s a lot easier—and more fun—than you might imagine.

What is sustainable travel, and why does it matter?

Sustainable travel is a bit of a buzzword—many people don’t really know what it means, and different people have varying ideas of what it actually is. Here’s my definition:

Sustainable travel means visiting a location and leaving its environment, economy and community in as good—or better—shape than when you found it.

Sustainable travel is vital to the places we love. After all, if we want to ensure the generations that follow us can also enjoy the destinations we cherish today, we need to take good care of those places.

Let me clear up something: Sustainable travel doesn’t mean denying yourself and your family. It doesn’t entail cutting out fun. Sustainable travel is about finding a balance and planning your trip so that your vacation spot is a great place to be—for visitors and locals now and in the future.

Sustainable travel for families in Bend

Ok, now that we’re all on the same page, I want to share some of the awesome things my kids and I did earlier this summer in Bend, Oregon!

One thing I loved about our time in Central Oregon was how easy the town made it to choose greener options. Take a peek below for ideas on things to do in Bend with families.

Even better, you can apply these tips to pretty much anywhere you visit!

1. Clean up parks, trails and rivers

My family spends much of pretty much every day outside, so of course we went on a hike in Bend! My girls and I took our dog, Finn, to Tumalo State Park. (Note to folks who are planning to visit Bend: Tumalo State Park is not where you hike to Tumalo Falls, the gorgeous waterfall within Bend city limits.)

Whenever we’re on the trail, though, it’s so disheartening to see trash. Bend’s trails are quite clean, but remember what I said about leaving places even better than when you found them?

That’s why my kids and I brought a bag to collect trash as we hiked. We found bottle caps, broken hair ties, bits of plastic and food wrappers—all garbage that was mere feet from being washed into the Deschutes River. Trash isn’t just an eyesore; its poses a health threat to wildlife. Critters on land may eat it, or it may get washed into rivers, where fish mistake it for a tasty bug. And what doesn’t get eaten may get washed into the ocean.

Before getting back into the minivan, I tossed the bag into a dumpster in the parking lot. Another woman on the trail looked at me kind of funny, but I just smiled. If we all picked up just a little bit of garbage, imagine the impact we could have!

Level 10 travel tip: If you didn’t bring a sack to collect garbage, grab a dog waste bag. These little bags are in stations at most trailheads, and they’re the perfect size for collecting trash, too. Can you fill up a whole dog waste bag on your hike?

2. Take shuttles and public transportation

Raise your hand if traffic and parking stress you out. (I knew it wasn’t just me.) That’s just one reason it makes sense to take busses whenever you can.

Plus, if your kids are anything like mine, a bus or train trip might be a highlight of the vacation!

So before you hop in the car (and sweat finding a parking spot), look at the bus schedule. You might find that it’s a lot easier to take public transportation.

3. Ditch the car and go pedal powered

Instead of driving all around Bend, my kids and I pedaled! (Actually, that’s not entirely true. I pedaled. They sat back and enjoyed the ride.) Visit Bend shared a pass for a complementary bike rental from Wheel Fun Rentals in the Old Mill District.

My girls picked out this blue beauty:

For an hour, we rode on the bike trail along both sides of the Deschutes River. Edie put herself in charge of the bike bell and dinged! It whenever we passed someone. Safety first, I guess!

The girls thought our Surrey rental was just the best. To be honest, it was a bit hard to pedal it uphill by myself in a few parts. But with a strategic push from a kind stranger on one bridge, we made it just fine! #ItTakesAVillage

We also stopped partway through so the girls could cool off in the water at Millers Landing Park. Unfortunately, one of Maxine’s shoes fell off the bike after we got back in, so she spent the rest of the weekend wearing her water shoes around town! Oops!

4. Charge your phone with solar

If you’re like me, you use your phone extra on vacation: You find nearby restaurants, follow maps to your next activity and of course take lots of photos.

(Remember, if you want tips to take better pictures of your kids on vacation, go back and read my post on that super-important topic!)

I don’t always remember to bring my charger, though. Luckily, in the plaza at the Old Mill District, there are solar-powered charging stations, complete with cords! If you need a little juice for your phone, let the kids play in the plaza while you charge up—or wander over to the gorgeous mural behind The Gap.

5. Minimize single use items

When you’re out of your home, you have less control over the waste you produce. You might get an iced coffee to go or grab a snack that comes with a plastic fork and paper napkin.

You can avoid a lot of these single use items, which end up in landfills, with a little bit of planning.

When I packed up to go to Bend, I grabbed a few sets of silverware, wrapped them in several cloth napkins, and secured the bundle together with a rubber band. I kept this little kit handy in my glove compartment. When we met a friend for dinner at Crux Fermentation Project, then, my family didn’t have to use plastic utensils or throwaway napkins.  

Think about how much trash we’d save from the landfill if we all said “no thank you” to single use items when we went on vacation!

Level 10 travel tip: Keep a “zero waste kit” in your car so you’re ready at all times! Include silverware, cloth napkins and a mason jar with a lid. The mason jar works great for to-go coffee and for storing leftovers!

6. Donate to local trail organizations

One thing I love about Oregon is that so much of what we do for fun is free! Almost all trails are free for everyone to use (minus a parking fee, though we have an annual state park pass that generally takes care of the cost). That said, traffic can strain the trail infrastructure. In addition to state and federal organizations taking care of the trail, many “friends of” organizations, volunteer groups and nonprofits step in—no pun intended.

That’s why Bend, Oregon has teamed up with 3 other mountain towns in the Pledge for the Wild initiative. This campaign asks people to donate $1 for every hour they enjoy a trail. It’s not a requirement—after all, being in the outdoors is a right everyone should be able to enjoy, regardless of their financial means. But for those of us who can afford it and want to put our money where our values are—namely, protecting the environment—it’s a great way to support the places we love.

So when you hit the trail, and if you’re financially able, donate a few dollars to an organization that provides upkeep for the outdoors you just enjoyed.

7. Shop local

Outdoorsy destinations like Bend, Oregon attract a lot of visitors with hiking, kayaking and exploring nature. That’s awesome! After all, being outside is one of our favorite ways to travel. It’s a challenge for some towns, though, to absorb all that extra traffic—unless we visitors support the local economy with our dollars, too.

That’s why when we vacationed in Bend, I made a point of shopping local. We ate at amazing locally owned restaurants and cafes, such The Sparrow Bakery. It was so easy finding kid-friendly, local places to eat in Bend—I only wish we had more time to eat at all the spots I’d marked on my Bend family travel Google map:

I love knowing that the money we spend supports amazing local entrepreneurs. Research routinely shows that supporting local businesses instead of chains or online shopping keeps 3 to 7 times more money in the local economy. The result: Communities with more locally owned businesses have greater growth in per capita income, generate more jobs and suffer from lower rates of poverty. That’s the kind of impact your travel dollars can support.

Making it easy to plan sustainable family travel in Bend, Oregon

To be 100% honest, I’m already scheming to get back to Central Oregon. A weekend in Bend with my kids was a great start—but we didn’t get to so many of the things we want to do, see and explore. (That’s the thing with family travel, isn’t it: You always do less than you hope!)

My kids insist that we go kayaking or tubing the next time we visit Bend, Oregon. We’ll do some more hikes, including Tumalo Falls. I’m planning a trip disc golfing at Mount Bachelor, where you ride the ski lift to the top of the mountain and then throw your discs all the way down. The list goes on!

And the more my family focuses on reducing our negative impact on the environment, the more important it’ll be to make all our travel sustainable travel.

I want to hear from you. What are your biggest challenges with sustainable travel? Do you have any tips? Please share in the comments!

PS – If you’re in Bend with kids, don’t miss visiting the High Desert Museum. My post details this super kid-friendly spot, where kids can pretend to be homesteaders, watch otters play and admire Native American beadwork.

The post Sustainable travel for families in Bend, Oregon: Eco-friendly fun appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

If you’re headed to Bend, OR or other parts of Central Oregon, don’t miss out on visiting the High Desert Museum with kids—or grown-ups! This gorgeous museum is full of exhibits my kiddos loved, and the information goes in-depth enough that the adults will learn a ton, too.

Most importantly, the High Desert Museum is fun and interactive. Whether you’re planning a trip to Central Oregon soon, or you’re considering going in the future, read on for everything you need to know about exploring the High Desert Museum with kids. And don’t forget to pin this post so you remember where to find these tips later!

An immersive experience at the High Desert Museum with kids

I visited the High Desert Museum with my kids, husband and in-laws in August when we took a family camping trip in Central Oregon. It wasn’t the first time I’d visited: Since I grew up in Oregon, we took a trip the museum when I was little—but today’s museum blew away the vague memories I had from my childhood.

I was beyond impressed by Central Oregon’s High Desert Museum, which is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Bend, OR. Yes, the museum included static displays teaching about the region’s history, but it also included live animals, fine art exhibits, interactive and kid-friendly stations and even live music!

When you’re planning a visit to Central Oregon’s High Desert Museum with kids, you’ll want all the details to map out your trip and take full advantage of this family-friendly destination.

Animals at the High Desert Museum

When I first started to plan our trip to the High Desert Museum with kids, I learned that the museum is also home to a whole bunch of animals! Porcupines, owls, eagles, lizards, tarantulas and even river otters delighted my kids. My girls were thrilled to discover parts of the High Desert Museum were more like the zoo!

We planned our trip to the High Desert Museum around the otter feeding time. There, one of the animal keepers tossed fish to the playful creatures in their gorgeous outdoor habitat while explaining river otter behavior.

For example, did you know a group of otters is a romp of otters? Use that tidbit on your next trivia night!

Level 10 travel tip: The otter habitat gets crowded during weekend feeding times, which makes it hard for kids to see. Instead of standing around the outdoor exhibit, go underground, which is much more spacious—and where kids can watch the river otters underwater.

We also loved the aviary, which is home to birds of prey such as owls, eagles and the like. These are birds that have either been injured or imprinted on humans, so they can’t survive in the wild. They live at the High Desert Museum so we can learn about these magnificent animals.

The museum hosts a bird show, Raptors of the Desert Sky. We didn’t go to it this time, but it’ll be a fun addition to our trip on our next visit to the High Desert Museum with kids. Admission is between $3 and $5, and tickets need to be purchased at least a half-hour before the show.

We didn’t want to miss the porcupine family, either. The exhibit is just to the right of the main entryway. For some reason, my kids love porcupines.

Check the High Desert Museum schedule on their website or when you arrive for other animal talks, like the ones about fish, reptiles and other critters.

Hands-on learning at the High Desert Museum

One of the first things we saw in the High Desert Museum with kids was the Hall of Plateau Indians. The girls were fascinated by the teepee and of course wanted to climb in—which they couldn’t do.

They did have an opportunity to learn by touch and asking questions at a volunteer-run station next to the exhibit. There, the girls could touch and ask questions about common plants different Plains tribes relied on for food; they also had a chance to handle arrowheads and other artifacts.

Throughout the museum, you’ll find hands-on learning experiences to engage young kids.

Learn through play at the High Desert Museum

The High Desert Museum is one of many that have come a long way from the old model where kids are told to learn passively—and not touch!

The High Desert Museum has three phenomenal ways kids can learn through play. These interactive areas let kids be kids and expend some serious energy, all while exploring what a high desert habitat is.

Dig, Crawl, Climb!

Just outside the indoor section of the museum, follow a short path past a covered wagon to the Dig, Crawl, Climb! outdoor play space. My girls were beyond excited to find this playground-like area. We had been walking around inside the museum for about 45 minutes, and they were ready to play!

Hands-down, their favorite part of the outdoor play space at the museum was the gigantic spider web. We played spiders and flies with some other families who visited the High Desert Museum with kids.

This area also has a sand pit where kids can dig and a long tunnel kids can crawl through, just like many of the animals who live in the high desert.

Level 10 travel tip: Make sure you have wipes or are ready to return to the bathroom indoors if your kids dig. They’ll be covered in a fine layer of dust.

Miller Family Ranch and Sawmill

Talk about bringing history to life: At the High Desert Museum’s Miller Family Ranch and Sawmill, volunteer actors in period costumes were working on chores and tasks just as their turn-of-the-century counterparts would have done.

My girls were obsessed with washing laundry the old-fashioned way. They took socks and bloomers from the clothesline, agitated them in soapy water, then wrung them out.

Their enthusiasm made me hope they’d be a little more proactive with laundry at home, but so far, no luck…

They also got to draw water from a well and use it to water a garden. This activity was more familiar since they help me in our garden at home.

Finally, we got to see how someone would have used an old-fashioned fireplace to bake! A reenactor was making chocolate chip cookies—though unfortunately she didn’t share the delicious-smelling results.

All the volunteers were in character, so they spoke to us as if they were really living in 1904. The girls are still a bit young to totally grasp that, but they did love the hands-on aspects of this outdoor area of the High Desert Museum.

Whose Home? indoor playground

We think of deserts being hot, but Central Oregon’s High Desert region actually gets a ton of snow in the winter. That’s why having an indoor educational play area is so clutch.

The weather was warm when we visited the High Desert Museum with kids, but my girls loved the Whose Home? play area just the same. There, they could climb pretend cliffs and explore rocky outcroppings—perfect for my littles, as they will seriously climb anything.

The Whose Home? indoor playground showed kids that different animals live in different habitats and find their own niches in the same space. The play area had puppets and even costumes (Maxine was dressed up as an eagle for much of our time here).

Edie’s favorite part was moving little rocks throughout the cliff to find metal replicas of animals, from lizards to spiders. There are so many animals to discover in a real desert, and the Whose Home? play area was a safe way to explore that idea—through play!

Food at the High Desert Museum

We stayed at the High Desert Museum with kids for a half-day, which meant we were all hungry! I didn’t want to risk hangry meltdowns on the way back to our campsite, so we stopped for lunch at the museum’s Rimrock Cafe.

I was quite impressed with the museum cafe menu. Not only did they have kid-friendly food like sandwiches and yogurt parfait cups; they had food that I actually wanted to eat!

I ordered a gluten-free Southwest quinoa salad and fruit; Hubs got a caesar chicken wrap. Remarkably, my kids actually ate a full meal here—I’m not sure if that’s testament to the quality of the food or just that they were worn out and starving from all our play and exploration! Either way, it was a major win. (You guys know already that my kids are picky eaters and that I’ve shared the many ways we encourage them to eat on vacation.)

The Rimrock Cafe has a spacious outdoor seating area. It’s shaded and lets in a comfortable breeze. I’d absolutely recommend eating outdoors here if weather allows.

You can bring in your own food, but the museum asks that you not eat it in the cafe, but rather in Classroom A so cafe patrons have room to sit.

Native cultures at the High Desert Museum

Out West, relationships between Native peoples and settlers were/are complicated—and often violent and repressive. At the permanent exhibit By Hand Through Memory, you can introduce your kids to the real history of how the reservation system affected Native Americans in the High Desert.

I appreciate that in addition to highlighting Native culture by showing beading, headdresses, lodging and other Native traditions, the museum also addresses the exploitative treatment of Native Americans.

This conversation might continue in your travels through Central Oregon. For example, when we drove to Central Oregon from Portland, we passed through the Warm Springs Reservation. The drive gave us a chance to talk to the girls about independent Native nations within our country. It was hard to explain in a way that made sense to them, but starting these difficult conversations early is absolutely crucial in raising culturally sensitive, compassionate and aware young citizens.

More tips to visit the High Desert Museum with kids

Don’t feed the animals—people food makes chipmunks and ground squirrels sick.

Pick your trails wisely—a few of the paths in the museum’s outdoor grounds are steep and rough. Especially if you’re using a stroller or have mobility limitations, stick to the paths marked as easy to navigate on your museum map.

Plan for outdoor exploration. About half of the museum is outdoors, which is amazing: That way, you learn about the High Desert while actually being in that environment! But you’ll need to plan accordingly. On sunny days, lather the kids with sunscreen, and dress in layers. In the winter, you’ll need coats and boots.

Whether you go in the summer, winter, or anytime in between, visiting the High Desert Museum with kids is a wonderful and fun way to get to know Central Oregon.

PS – Looking for more kid-friendly activities in Central Oregon? Read my post on hiking Lava River Cave, the coolest underground lava tunnel you’ll ever visit!

The post Hands-on play at Central Oregon’s High Desert Museum with kids appeared first on To & Fro Fam.

My in-laws stayed with us this summer but recently left to begin their mega adventure, aka traveling the country full-time in their RV after selling their home and all their belongings. (#lifegoals) To send them off properly, we did a family camping trip in Central Oregon, where we let the kids stay up way past their bedtime to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower under a big sky. During the day, though, we wanted kid-friendly activities in Central Oregon, which is how I discovered the Lava River Cave—a mile-long underground lava tube.

It was incredible.

Hiking the lava tubes in Oregon with kids was one of the most unique family activities I’ve done in my beautiful home state. And even though I grew up in Oregon, I’d never heard of this underground cave, which is just a 20-minute drive from Bend, OR.

If you’re looking for an undiscovered gem your friends and family have never tried, knock their socks off with the Lava River Cave near La Pine in Central Oregon. Read on for all the details you need to explore the otherworldly lava tubes in Oregon—and discover a whole new side of Bend, OR!

Exploring the inside of the earth at Central Oregon’s Lava River Cave

If you’re anything like my family, you like adventure—but the kind of safe, family-friendly adventure where you won’t actually risk losing a limb. Exploring Oregon’s Lava River Cave with kids absolutely fits that bill: It combines lava, underground caves, high-powered flashlights and having zero idea of what’s coming around the next bend for the perfect mix of excitement, anticipation and fun.

These lava tubes in Oregon was formed about 100,000 years ago, when 2,000-degree lava bubbled up from one of Central Oregon’s many volcanic features. After the lava cooled and dried, some of it collapsed—leaving the mile-long tunnel intact. In fact, Lava River Cave is Oregon’s longest lava tube. How lucky are we that we get to explore it?!

The Lava River Cave is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, full of geologic and cultural highlights shaped by Central Oregon’s volcanic past. It includes lava flows, calderas, lakes, waterfalls and of course lava tubes!

When you hike Lava River Cave near Bend, Oregon, you’ll first descend a set of stairs with a railing into the mouth of the cave. About 40 feet in, you’ll absolutely rely on your flashlight because it gets completely dark—fast!

The first part of the trail is on a metal grate path the forest service built over the collapsed rock on the cave floor. Soon, though, you’ll be walking on the cave itself.

The first stretch of the Lava River Cave hike goes slow, as you’ll pick your way carefully over raised rock and fallen stones. You’ll also go downhill, though there are railings built into the path on the most difficult stretches. For context, my 5-year-old managed this section just fine; my 3-year-old did fine while holding our hand. My mother-in-law has two replaced knees and managed fine, though she had to go slowly.

Soon, you’ll pass the section with rocks on the ground, where some of the ceiling fell off the cave when ice in the cracks loosened the stone. (Don’t worry, the cave is stable now!) The path evens out and becomes mostly flat and smooth. I couldn’t believe we were walking on the same surface that formed 100,000 years ago in these lava tubes!

You may feel an occasional drip of water from above. In fact, when you look down, you’ll notice little divots in the stone, where the water droplets have carved out indentations after hundreds of years. Now that’s patience.

Level 10 travel tip: As you hike these lava tubes near Bend, Oregon, don’t forget to pause often and look around. Shine your flashlight up and to the sides. You’ll notice many different kinds of stone, which are formed depending on how quickly or slowly the lava cools.

Farther along in the cave, you’ll see stalactites. Some of the stalactites are hollow, formed by escaping gases; others were made when the lava remelted and dripped down from the ceiling. These “lavacicles” are thrilling to see, especially for kids! (And for me. #sciencenerdforever)

There is also a section of the mile-long lava tube where the ceiling is very low. Tall adults will have to crouch as they hike along, but you won’t have to crawl.

As you hike deeper into the Lava River Cave, you’ll start to notice sand on the floor of the tunnel. The sand has been left there gradually over the centuries as droplets of water carry bits of volcanic ash and dirt from the ground above.

The cave continues for a mile, though admittedly, my family didn’t make it that far. Groups going at a steady pace will need 1.5 hours to hike the length of Lava River Cave; my girls lasted about 45 minutes.

Although we didn’t get to see the entirety of the tunnel, hiking the lava tubes in Oregon was absolutely something I recommend for your family! I didn’t mind turning back early because it just leaves an excellent reason to return to this family-friendly activity in Central Oregon sooner rather than later.

Hiking the lava tubes in Oregon—everything you need to know

Visiting Lava River Cave with kids (or people of any age) requires just a little bit of planning. Here’s what you need to know:

Bundle up

Lava River Cave is cold: The underground lava tube is a constant 42 degrees year-round, so dress warmly—even if it’s hot summer above-ground. You’ll also need to wear close-toed shoes—no flip flops!—to keep your footing in the cave.

Bring flashlights—and backups

The lava tubes near Bend, Oregon are dark, as in pitch-black. Regardless if you bring your own flashlights, I recommend you also rent at least two from the visitor center at the Lava River Cave. They’re super-bright, and for safety you want at least two (in case one malfunctions).

Level 10 travel tip: Rent a flashlight from the Lava River Cave visitor center for $5. It’s bright enough for you to shine on the lava tube’s walls and ceiling (some of which reach 75 feet high!); your average flashlight isn’t’ powerful enough to reach that far.

Arrive early

You can visit the Lava River Cave with kids from May to October, but it’s busiest during summer vacation. Especially in the busiest months of July and August, arrive before 10 to get a parking spot—and get in.

On a recent August weekend when we visited, we got one of a few final spots—at 9:50am, less than an hour after the cave opened. All the parking spots were full by 10am.

The park ranger explained to me the Lava River Cave has no overflow parking because the limited lot is a way of controlling how many people are in the cave at one time. This prevents overcrowding (so you’re not bumping into a million people underground when you really want a unique, quiet family-friendly activity in Central Oregon) and it would help with rescue efforts in case of an emergency.

Watch your step

This seems like a no-brainer, but when you’re underground in the Lava River Cave, watch your footing and hold hands with your children. Some of the floor of these Oregon lava tubes is smooth and flat, but other parts are rock-strewn and downhill.

The cave has metal stairs with railings in some parts, but in other sections you have to step your way around rocks that fell from the ceiling hundreds of years ago. I recommend that you wear/backpack carry all children under three years old. I wouldn’t have been comfortable with visiting Lava River Cave with kids any younger than 3, unless they weren’t walking on their own, because the terrain is hard to navigate in some parts.

Protect the bats

Lava River Cave is home to a small population of bats, though you won’t see them when you visit—they tuck themselves into cracks in the cave’s ceiling to sleep during the day. Even still, they’re susceptible to White Nose Syndrome, a devastating fungal disease that decimates bat populations.

To protect them, you need to make sure none of your clothing or gear has been worn or used in any other cave. Spores can get on your clothes and gear, then contaminate the next cave you visit—and the spores aren’t completely removed, even after cleaning and washing. And you definitely want to prevent the spread of White Nose Syndrome.

Why should you care? Well, bats are an important species for pest control, among many other reasons. Did you know just one bat can eat 1,000 mosquitoes an hour? Thank you, bats!

So far, the vulnerable bat population in the lava tubes near Bend, Oregon is healthy and free of White Nose Syndrome. Let’s keep it that way.

Visiting Lava River Cave near Bend: The details

• Lava River Cave is open May through the end of September.
• Hours depend on the month you visit; the park opens at 9am during peak months and 10am in the spring and fall.
• A daily visitor pass is $5 per car. They also honor these park passes.
• You can rent high-powered flashlights from the visitor center for $5 apiece. The last rental is at 4pm daily.
• Lava River Cave is about 20 minutes outside of Bend, Oregon on Highway 97.
• There are two sets of vault toilets near the visitor center but no restrooms inside the cave. Make sure you and your kids use the facilities before going into the lava tubes!
• Don’t bring your dog—pets are not allowed in the cave, and it’s unsafe to leave them in the car.

A family-friendly activity in Central Oregon you’ll never forget

Before we visited the Lava River Cave near La Pine, Oregon, my girls were beyond excited: “Is it real lava?” “Did it come from a volcano?” “Will we be underground?” They were full of questions.

Once we stepped underground, they were just as enthusiastic. They had never done anything like this—and it’s something they won’t soon forget.

(In fact, my older daughter drew a picture of us exploring this underground cave in Oregon for her “memory book,” a collection of drawings she made about our family camping trip.)

We will 100% for sure be revisiting the lava tubes in Oregon, and I’m so thrilled to share this adventure with you. This family-friendly activity near Bend, OR is unlike any other, and I’m pretty certain you and your kids will love it.

In fact, I’d appreciate your sharing this post by pinning, posting or tweeting because your friends will want to add the Lava River Caves to their adventure bucket list, too. Thank you!

Have you ever visited lava tubes in Oregon, or any other underground cave? What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve done with your kids?

PS – If you’re in Central Oregon with kids, check out nearby Paulina Creek Falls, which has a terrific family-friendly hike, as well as the High Desert Museum just outside Bend.

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