DERRICK CAVE: LAVA TUBE CAVE TOURS
AVAILABLE: May 1st - October 31st
Don’t see the date you’re looking for? Call our office at (541) 389-8359 to check availability!
About
Adventure: Wanderlust Tours is the premier destination for cave tours in Bend, Oregon! Join us on this epic subterranean tour through one of the most expansive caves in all of Oregon! Tucked away in an ocean of sagebrush and ponderosa, Derrick Cave features stunning skylights, massive caverns and endless adventure. Wanderlust Tours is the only guiding outfit permitted in this stunning cave.
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, painting a vivid picture of how massive volcanoes created this 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.
Caves: Central Oregon’s lava caves have a delicate ecosystem that few have experienced to the fullest! Wanderlust Tours is the only guide company permitted in these special lava caves. These caves are also wild, meaning they do not have a paved path or lighting. Closed toe shoes are a must for navigating the uneven rocky surfaces. You can learn more about the cave difficulty below.
DETAILS
$130 per person | $85 children 11 & under
Recommended for children 5 and older
This tour runs May through September
Tour Times:
May 1 - May 31:
9:00 AM - 12:00PM | 1:30 PM - 4:30PM
June 1 - September 30:
9:00 AM - 12:00PM | 2:00 PM - 5:00PM
Transportation: Departing from our office, 20-25 minutes one-way
INCLUDES
Professional naturalist guide & award-winning interpretation
Gear: Helmet, headlamp
Transportation: departing from our office
PLEASE BRING
Layers: Warm layers— the caves are cool!
Miscellaneous Gear: Close-toed shoes, water bottle, camera
You can review our Cancellation/Trip Minimum policy here.
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 that there are no man made improvements within 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 is primarily a fairly flat walking surface alongside some fun opportunities for scrambling up/down/around rocky areas.
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.
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
Unfortunately, we cannot allow dogs on our tours. Please reach out to Must Love Paws for your dog-sitting needs.
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 -