Tucked away in Lassen National Forest, not too far from the Northwest Entrance (Manzanita Lake) of Lassen Volcanic National Park, Subway Cave Lava Tubes is one of the most accessible lava caves in the world, unlike the Tabernacle Hill Lava Tubes. About 0.25 miles long, the Subway Cave Lava Tubes are the perfect place to explore the inside of an ancient lava tunnel. There are interpretive panels along the way with more information about the lava tubes.
Subway Cave Lava Tubes Trailhead:
40.685284, -121.419013
There is a small paved parking lot in front of the trailhead.
Subway Cave Lava Tubes is free to visit.
Vault toilet at the trailhead.
Pets are NOT allowed in the cave.
1/3 miles loop
The cave is flat, but you have to go down a set of stairs.
Easy
30 minutes
Subway Cave Lava Tubes is located in Old Station, CA. It is about ¼ mile north of the Highway 44 and 89 intersection. The cave is directly across from the Cave Campground. You can use the GPS coordinates above to navigate your way there. There is a small to moderate-sized parking lot at the trailhead.
From the parking lot, we could see the signage for the Subway Cave Lava Tubes. The whole loop through the cave is ⅓ mile. If you just want to go through the cave and back, it is ¼ mile. Before getting to the entrance of the Subway Cave Lava Tubes, there is a short walk. From the top, we could see a long staircase leading down to a wide-open mouth of the cave. This reminds us of the Natural Entrance of the Carlsbad Caverns.
As we made our way down the stairs and into the Subway Cave Lava Tubes, the scenery got more interesting. There are mossy boulders stacked on top of each other on both sides of the stairs, similar to Kanauma Caves, but not as green. Once we got inside, the cave opened up to a wide space. It stays like this the entire time. While it makes the lava tubes pretty easy to navigate, we missed all the cool features of Goshute Cave.
The Subway Cave Lava Tubes are very easy to navigate. It is just one way through with a short detour on the left. In each area of the tube, you can find interpretive panels with informative information. The cave gets pitch-black, so make sure you have a good headlight. Also, watch your footing. The ground is uneven.
At the end of the main tunnel, there is another opening. It is smaller than the first entrance, but not by much. There is another set of stairs leading back up to the main surface. Here, you can either return the same way or go up the stairs to complete the loop. We went up the stairs to check it out.
Once you’re up the stairs, make sure to turn right to follow the small trail back to the parking lot. This short section meanders between shrubberies and manzanita trees. From here, you’re pretty much walking on top of the lava tubes below. It’s kind of cool to see this area both ways. After a short distance, the trail meets up with the main trail. From here, you’ll return the same way.
If you’re in this area, don’t forget to check out Lassen Volcanic National Park. Some of our favourite hikes here are the Manzanita Lake Loop, Kings Creek Falls, Paradise Meadow, and Mill Creek Falls. You’re also not too far from Burney Falls, known as the 8th wonder of the world. If you love caves, check out Bear Gulch Cave and Balconies Caves in Pinnacles National Park. Shasta Caverns is also in the area.
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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