Subway Cave

While at the Burney Falls campground, I saw a posting about Subway Cave located in Lassen National Forrest. The camp host said it was only about 20 miles south of where we were so we decided to take a different route home on Sunday in order stop for a self-tour.

Subway Cave is a lava tube, a channel where lava travelled underground that is now hollow. It was facinating.


Carley when we first arrived in the area.


This is Carley moments later, crying because she wanted the flashlight that Josh already had.

Most people think Carley is the sweetest, easiest girl ever and she is. Usually. Sometimes she melts down. I had to share another crying fit so all you out there who think she's perfect can see a different side of her.


This is the entrance to the tunnel. It looks like it was a caved in area of the lava tube and a staircase was built on it to access the tunnel. On the other side of this pile of rock is more of the lava tube that isn't accessable to the public. Walt really wanted to check it out but we had to set a good example for the kids.


Just heading in. We had two flashlights. It was so dark. While inside and not being able to see the entrance or exit, we turned off the flashlights for a minute. We couldn't see a thing.


This is with a flash. You can get a sense of what the walls looked like. We couldn't even see that while inside. Maybe just a little when the flashlight was pointed straight at it. This is the corner of the Sanctum Room. It's really hard, even with flashlights, to see where there is a dead end or where the tunnel continued.


Heads in the darkness.


Coming around a corner, we could see where we came in at. Other than leaving the exit, we turned around and walked back to the entrance. It wasn't a very long tunnel and we wanted to enjoy it more before leaving.


Me and the kids sitting on the entrance steps.


This is a map of Subway Cave, like looking down at the tunnel. They were placed at the listed sections inside as well so visitors could see what area they were in.