LAVA TUBE CAVE TOURS
Explore the Lava Caves near Bend, Oregon!
Photo by Chaney Swiney
Did you know there is a vast network of caves near Bend, Oregon? Strap on a helmet and headlamp and join our naturalist guides for a fun, educational, underground adventure! These tours are a great Bend, Oregon family activity.
CARE TO MAKE YOUR TOUR PRIVATE?
Any group tour of 10 or more people (or price equivalent) can be made private and customized to your needs. Learn more >>
About
Adventure: Wanderlust Tours is the premier destination for cave tours in Bend, Oregon! We have been guiding in Central Oregon’s cave systems for over 30 years. Join us on this epic subterranean tour in a cave system within the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Our renowned naturalist guides will highlight sweet bits of these cool caverns that might not initially meet the eye.
Naturalist Guided Experience: During our 2 hours underground, in the darkest, quietest spot earth can provide, we may impart an understanding of the region’s geology- how massive volcanoes created this incredible natural wonder. Or we might share how the cave habitat provides for creatures important to human life. Your crew will be energized with revelations about natural and cultural history that’ll keep your mind humming with delight long after you return home with fond memories of the tour.
The Cave: The cave we guide in is a wild cave, meaning there is no paved path or lighting beyond the staircase into the mouth of the cave. This stunning lava tube is the longest discovered lava tube in the state with a round trip of over 2 miles! Its is also one of the earliest discovered caves in the state of Oregon. Your guide will help you and your group experience this stunning cave ecosystem to the fullest!
Closed toe shoes are a must to navigate the rocky and uneven terrain. We will outfit each guest with a helmet and headlamp as well!
Cave Difficulty: Mother Nature has created a wonderfully diverse array of caves that offer a variety of experiences. All of the caves we visit are wild, meaning other than the staircase to enter them there are no man made improvements put into the caves (walkways or lights). The walking surface is uneven and can be varying degrees of rugged and rocky. In our estimation, this cave presents a moderate degree of difficulty as it involves many fun opportunities for scrambling up/down/around rocky areas and long staircase into the mouth of the cave. On all our cave tours, our guides are attentive to keeping the pace suitable to all members of the group so that everyone can move at a comfortable speed.
Details
$110 per person | $85 children 11 & under
Recommended for children 5 and older
May 1 - 31st: 9:00 AM | 1:30 PM
June 1st - September 15th: 9:00 AM | 2:00 PM
Due to Forest Service closures, we will be unable to offer our Lava Tube Cave Tour from September 16, 2025 - April 30, 2026. We invite you to take advantage of the limited opportunity before we stow away our helmets and headlamps until spring 2026
Transportation: Departing from our office, 20-25 minutes one-way
Includes
Professional naturalist guide & award-winning interpretation
Gear: Helmet, headlamp
Transportation: to the cave
All parking/ visitor fees
Please bring
Layers: Warm layers— the caves are cool!
The caves stay at 45 degrees year round. We recommend sturdy footwear, pants/ jeans, and a fleece jacket.
Miscellaneous Gear: Closed toe shoes, water bottle, camera
Please Note: If you have been on our Lava Tube Cave tour before, this year we will be exploring a new to Wanderlust cave due to Forest Service closures impacting the area where our usual caves are located. The cave we will be guiding in for the summer 2025 season is still a wild cave and your guides will still share incredible interpretation and history during this tour.
Please also note that it is possible that other groups may be in the cave during the tour.
Photo courtesy of Visit Central Oregon
PLEASE READ: WHITE NOSE SYNDROME IN NORTH AMERICA
In March 2016, WNS was found in Washington state. Wanderlust Tours is committed to cooperating with state and federal agencies, as well as conservation groups, to provide information to the public on the value of bats and the threat posed by WNS. Some of our Bend-area caves serve as winter hibernaculum, and we will not visit these caves. We operate year-round cave tours in caves where our bats do not hibernate. WNS does not affect humans in any way. Learn more about WNS in the United State here.
Reviews courtesy of Google & Trip Advisor
My girlfriend and I did the lava tube cave tour as the last major activity to end our weekend in Bend. It was the absolute highlight of our trip by far. Our tour guide Dylan was super friendly, personable, and knowledgeable of the caves. If you’re in Bend, taking this tour is an absolute must do.
- Ben O -