Mushpot Cave – Lava Beds National Monument

Mushpot Cave – Lava Beds National Monument

Location: Tulelake, CA
Length: 0.3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Hiking trails, walking, caves, bird watching, no dogs, wildlife observation, wilderness

About the Mushpot Cave Trail

Mushpot Cave is a 0.5-kilometer high-traffic trail right near Tulelake, California that features spectacular scenery and is good for all hiker levels. The path is mostly used for walking and exploration.

Trails In The Lava Beds National Monument

Mushpot Cave is an excellent location when hiking at the Lava Beds National Monument. It’s an introductory cave that has impressionistic signs and is well-illuminated, thus you don’t need a flashlight to be captivated by its majestic beauty. Although it’s not as spectacular as the others, it’s a great way to get excited about the location.

Before your excitement takes over you, don’t forget to drop by at the visitor center to get the necessary cave permit. Take note that the cave permits don’t cost any extra charge. The trail has interpretative signs. Thus, it will be easy for visitors to stay on track while checking out the cave.

Top 3 Adventure Hacks

1) Follow The Cave Protocols

Aside from the cave permit, there will also be screening permits and decontamination stations that visitors need to comply with. This is required in order to protect the bat population inside the cave from white-nose syndrome.

2) Avoid Being Too Loud

Of course, exploring a cave for the first time is a wonderful experience. However, you should try your best to remain calm and silent as much as possible.

3) The Earlier, The Better

Since the Mushpot cave has a lot of visitors, it will be a good idea to arrive at the location as early as possible to avoid dealing with a large crowd. You can also take bring a quality camera to take photos.