Lava River Cave
| Lava River Cave | |
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Arched ceilings in a typical portion of Lava River Cave. The size of the passage makes for easy walking.
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| Location | Deschutes County, Oregon, United States |
| Length | 5,211 ft.; 1,560 m |
| Geology | Basalt of Bend |
| Entrances | 2 |
| Access | Public |
The Lava River Cave near Bend, Oregon, is part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument, which is managed by the United States Forest Service. The cave is an excellent example of a lava tube. At 5,211 feet (1,588 m) in length, the northwest section of the cave is the longest continuous lava tube in Oregon. While the cave’s discovery in 1889 was officially credited to a pioneer hunter, the presence of obsidian flakes near the cave has led archaeologists to conclude that Native Americans knew about the cave long before settlers arrived in central Oregon.
The cave is located at 43°53′43″N 121°22′08″W / 43.895396°N 121.368917°WCoordinates: 43°53′43″N 121°22′08″W / 43.895396°N 121.368917°W.
The eruption which formed this Lava River Cave occurred about 80,000 years ago. The source is believed to be near Mokst Butte southeast of the entrance. The same volcanic flow that formed the cave underlies much of the Bend area and almost reaches Redmond, Oregon. However, the specific vent that created the cave has been buried by several younger flows.
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Wikipedia