Hiking Project Logo

A short hike with a big payoff of crawling through a lava tunnel! Or stay on the lovely boardwalk if you prefer.


Your Rating: Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty:
Your Favorites: Add To-Do · Your List
Zoom in to see details
Map Key

0.2

Miles

0.4

KM

Point to Point

1,893' 577 m

High

1,873' 571 m

Low

13' 4 m

Up

20' 6 m

Down

3%

Avg Grade (2°)

6%

Max Grade (3°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Cave · Wildlife

Family Friendly Bathrooms & picnic area at trailhead, level boardwalk good for strollers, and a LAVA CAVE to crawl through. Caution - crawling through tunnel can be hard and dirty on hands & knees. Bring a headlamp.

Northwest Forest Pass Required; best times to visit are April - November. Stay on the boardwalk except where signs indicate the cave crawl. Flashlight recommended for crawl.

Users should clean their shoes at the trailhead shoe cleaning station to ensure protection of bats in the area.

Description

According to the large trailhead sign, this land of lava walks through ancient forests captured in stone.

Users will follow an ancient lava river that spilled down the flanks of Mount St. Helens nearly 2,000 years ago. Along this loop trail, you'll travel through both an old forest, now cast in stone, and the vibrant forest that now stands tall that has grown from the blank basaltic lava. The old forest left both horizontal and vertical casts (holes) in the stone when it was overtaken by the lava flow.

Halfway through the trail, you'll see signs for 'the crawl,' where adventurous folks can leave the boardwalk and descend 8 ft into the ground by ladder through a vertical cast left by an ancient tree. This cast connects to an 80 ft long horizontal cast that is just large enough for an average adult to crawl through. The crawl is dirty and can be hard on the knees (and the top of your head if you aren't careful). It is very exciting for kids and adults alike. Parents should crawl through first to judge if it is suitable for their children.

Flora & Fauna

Ancient forest casts (holes) in stone, evergreen forest, re-vegetation over ancient lava flow. Interpretive signs along the trail inform users of the unique features that will inspire and delight.

Contacts

Shared By:

Emily R

Trail Ratings

  4.8 from 4 votes

#7131

Overall
  4.8 from 4 votes
5 Star
75%
4 Star
25%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Trail Rankings

#297

in Washington

#7,131

Overall
1 Views Last Month
456 Since May 30, 2017
Easy Easy

100%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%

Photos

Cole (3.5yrs) exiting the cave.
May 30, 2017 near Amboy, WA
Me and Cole (3.5yrs) inside the cave. Grownups and big kids need to crawl on knees to get through.
May 30, 2017 near Amboy, WA
Keeping boots clean by brushing them off at the trailhead. This is critical for bat safety, as a deadly fungus can be spread by dirty boots.
May 30, 2017 near Amboy, WA
This ladder descends to the cave opening.
May 30, 2017 near Amboy, WA

0 Comments

Weather


Current Trail Conditions

Unknown
Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.