Exploring Subway Cave | Lava Tube Hike

Subway Cave is an incredible lava tube to explore near Lassen Volcanic National Park. As the name implies, evidence of volcanism, both past and present, can be seen all throughout Lassen Volcanic National Park and the surrounding area. These volcanic features are beautiful and captivating, sparking curiosity and excitement. Subway Cave is another interesting feature to explore and learn more about the areas volcanic past. Exploring Subway Cave is a short but fun and unique hike through a long dark lava tube.

Quick Info

Directions: From Manzanita Lake in northwestern Lassen Volcanic National Park follow the CA-89 N for 1.2 miles. Then turn right onto CA-44 E for 13.8 miles before turning right at the sign for Subway Cave.

Distance: 0.6 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: The hike is rated as easy but beware of the rough uneven floor and low ceiling.

Season of Use: Subway Cave is closed during winter months. It is typically open from late May-October.

Know Before You Go:

• The temperature inside of the lava tube remains at 46 degrees year round, so grab a jacket.
• Bring a flashlight, parts of the lava tube are pitch black.

Amenities: There is a decent sized parking area and vault toilets

Bonus!: As you hike through Subway Cave there are informative signs explaining the features of the lava tubes as you’re experiencing them!

Our Experience Exploring Subway Cave

The trail starts near the restrooms. The path is in great condition and is easy to follow as it passes through beautiful manzanita. The trail led us a short ways before it climbed up a staircase. And just a little further we descended a staircase into the mouth of the lava tube.

Here we marveled at the vibrant green moss clinging to the smooth gray rocks and cave walls.

Then we entered the cave and began excitedly noticing the features of the lava tubes walls, ceilings and floor.

The information signs throughout the lava tubes showed us where we were in the cave and explained some of the features surrounding us at the moment.

We enjoyed reading these signs so that we had a better understanding of the formation and its features.

The lava tube varied in width and height as we meandered through it. The signs gave names to these various sections such as “Stub Toe Hall”, “Lucifer’s Cul-de-sac”, and “Wind Tunnel”.

Liking this article? Pin it!

Walking through Subway Cave was exciting because it wasn’t just a stroll. It was dark, we had to take care with our steps and watch our heads, and our curiosity guided us from sign to sign, wall to wall, checking out all of the features we could see! It was a really fun experience.

Eventually the trail through the cave reached its end at another staircase. Here you can follow a trail up above the lava tube back to the parking area. But we chose to follow the trail back through the cave, give it one more go.

The Formation of Subway Cave

Less than 20,000 years ago a river of lava from Hat Creek Flow was released through cracks in the Earth near the town of Old Station. The lava crawled northward 16 miles, covering the floor of Hat Creek Valley. The top of this lava flow cooled and hardened insulating the hot lava within, allowing it to continue flowing. The flowing lava drained away leaving the cool hardened crust behind. And as a result, left behind these hollow tube like formations. Then part of the lava tube ceiling collapsed creating the entrance into Subway Cave.

Volcanic Features Are So Interesting!

Subway Cave is a super cool quick stop if you’re in the area. There are probably many other volcanic features to explore in this area of Lassen National Forest but we only had time for Subway Cave on this trip.

Not far from here is Lassen Volcanic National Park. While we were in the national park we saw several phenomenal examples of the areas volcanic activity, both past and present. It was incredible being able to learn about the volcanic features while experiencing them on the trail. Here are some of our favorites:

• Warner Valley Trailhead
• Backpacking Lassen Volcanic National Park: Lava Beds and Cinder Cone
• Bumpass Hell + Cold Boiling Lake and Crumbaugh Lake

To sustain our full time travel lifestyle we create one of a kind hand painted longboards and screen print our own T-shirts! Head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding shop to see our latest board lineup and T-shirt designs.

And if you shop on Amazon – please do us a favor and click the image below to get to Amazon and then shop as you normally would! That’s it. Easy as that only it helps us out a bit!