The Oregon Cave Tour Near Bend That Belongs On Your Bucket List
By Catherine Armstrong|Published June 10, 2020
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
When you’re up for an adventure, there’s no better place to be than Bend, Oregon. This picturesque town is surrounded by tons of outdoor recreation opportunities, including hiking, biking, swimming, canoeing, fishing, and more. For a unique day excursion, visit the network lava tube caves nearby. They’re fascinating places full of wonder, but they have delicate ecosystems. In order to protect the caves, just one tour company is allowed inside. Check out the cave tours offered by Wanderlust Tours in Bend:
Your caving adventure starts right here in Bend, at the Wanderlust Tours office. You'll meet up with your guide and fellow cavers, then hop in the van and drive to the lava caves.
Make sure to bring some warm clothes along. Even if it's hot in Bend, the caves are very cool - just 45 degrees - so you'll want a jacket and long pants. Wear some sturdy hiking shoes or boots, and pack your camera and a water bottle, too.
It takes about 20 minutes to reach the lava tube caves. Once you arrive, you'll take a metal staircase down to the entrance of the first cave, which is about 60 feet below ground.
Wanderlust Tours will outfit you with a helmet and headlamp, and your knowledgeable guide will tell you about the history of these caves, and give you some safety tips before you enter.
This vast network of lava tube caves was created from a volcano eruption 150,000 years ago, and they're absolutely magnificent. You'll make your way through large, cavernous tubes...
While you're making your way through the tube caves, your guide will tell you about the bats that inhabit some of the caves, point out interesting sights, and show you several secret rooms.
During fall and winter months, the thousands of bats that inhabit most of the caves begin to hibernate, and those caves are closed. Boyd Cave is open year-round, so you can tour even in the winter.
The Lava Tube Caves near Bend are not open to the public in order to protect their fragile ecosystems. The only way to legally explore these caves is with Wanderlust Tours.
Cave tours leave the office twice a day, at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Book your tour today!
Have you explored these fascinating lava tube caves? We’d love to read about your experience in the comments! For more information, and to book your tour, visit the Wanderlust Tours website. You’ll also want to give the company’s Facebook page a follow so you can see what else these tour guides are up to!
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