Explore Skull Cave, Lava Beds National Monument, California

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If time for just two caves, make this the second one! It is massive, and a good contrast to Valentine Cave in how this one is mostly "breakdown," or boulders that fell from the original ceiling and covered the floor. There's a nice trail orignially built by the CCC. As an added bonus, take the long stairways down to the chilly bottom where a year-round ice floor can be viewed. Wonderful on a hot summer day! Skull Cave (580 ft / 177 m) is one of the "Least Challenging Caves" The wide open feel of this cave makes it an excellent choice for those who do not like tight, closed-in spaces. It is a remnant of three very large lava tubes, one on top of the other. This allows cold winter air to be trapped inside and create a year-round ice floor on the lower level, accessible via a smooth trail, down a metal stairway to a platform. It is named for the bones of pronghorn, bighorn sheep, and two human skeletons discovered inside. Length: 580 feet.  Distance from visitor center: 2.4 mile drive You can walk completely upright on main path.  Cave has stairs/steps.  Cave has a relatively "smooth" path.  The caves found here were created by flows of smooth lava 10,500 to 65,000 years ago. As the lava cooled, caves formed and created homes for unique cave life to thrive. These fantastic underground worlds can be visited on your own or by guided tour in the summer. Please “take only pictures, leave only footprints” so others have a chance to discover what you have during your trip.

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