Very cool place. Just expect it to be about 40 degrees. It was chilly. Very hard to get through the first section, big rocks and some that may not be very sturdy. We hiked with a 2 year old in a hiking backpack. Better than carrying her or letting her walk but just be prepared to do some squatting and crawling through the tighter areas but can be done. When you come to the y in cave take the left if you have kids. Easier not as tight and confined. Overall cool hike read more

We loved this hike. Actually we love the drive there even more. We missed the first right turn off the freeway and took the second right turn and boy was that an adventure in itself. My little 4 banger sedan barely made it through the wet muddy terrain. I recommend bringing your date or love ones to this hike. Oh and use head lamps rather than flashlights to free up your hands so you can brace yourself in case you do fall as some of the rocks are slippery. read more

Absolutely amazing! Make sure you have a jacket, two light sources (headlamp and flashlight) and good shoes. The first 100 m down are the hardest with some tighter spaces down in the tunnel but really worth it! It is slick at times so I recommend hiking shoes! read more

Very cool stroll through the cave, definitely bring a sweater, a beanie, flashlights that are strong! And watch your head!

Maybe this will be the first review from an extremely out of shape person so here goes! I'm no hiker, but I agreed to come along on this hike because I was told by others that it was doable. All it was was basically spooky because you're underground they said. ha ha yeah.... So here are my thoughts. If you have flat feet, no matter how much you weigh or how good your hiking shoes are, your feet are going to hate you. The flattest parts of the cave feel like you're walking on coral that is broken up, trying to grab your shoes and twist your ankles. The worst parts are the boulders that you have to scuttle over like a spider monkey. You're at 8000 elevation- the air will be thin. I would suggest wearing jeans because it gets to be in the 30's in there, and in case you fall, maybe the jeans will protect your skin. I fell twice. The second time I was lucky enough to fall on a craggy piece of rock. It was awesome. Good thing my nethers were cold so I couldn't feel much anyway. Felt pretty violated though. My boyfriend and I actually made it all the way through. Its lonely, cold, silent, and creepy. If you're feeling oxygen-deprived, it can be a bit of a challenge to keep your anxiety level low. Just have to keep telling yourself there are thousands of other crazy people that go back and forth in this cave every year, and hopefully most of them survive. If they didn't, whomever had to drag them out I really feel sorry for, because there's no way to do it really. If you get a panic attack, or you hurt yourself, or have a heart attack, or get dizzy and faint, you are ON YOUR OWN, bro. If you have only one other person with you, they would have to get help somehow and would have to leave you in that cave, surrounded by silence and darkness. For this reason I recommend going in at least groups of 3. Hope you have back up flashlights and batteries. Maybe holy water. Take a picture with your camera phone or digital camera of the map at the entrance, so you can recognize the fork in the path. Just remember: going in, stay to the left. Going out, stay to the right. I recommend doing it in the morning, while other people will be in there also. They wouldn't be able to drag you out but at least they could tell someone what happened to you on their way out. Its good camraderie to say hello to each other. Everyone is pretty nice, you know, being all stuck underground. I'm guessing that if there was a zombie outbreak, this cave might be a good place to hide in. Some reason, it make my stomach upset. That was probably the worst part of it, to be honest. Nothing to do but sit down and wait for your stomach to calm down, then get up and keep going. If any of you reading this go up there and start to have a panic attack, just remember: there is only one way in and one way out so you can't get lost. Take it one step at a time, and you will get through it. You will be so happy to see the entrance again, and you will be proud of yourself for getting through it. If you have to, stop at every large stone that you can sit on and rest for a bit. Bring a jacket, and a bottle of water, or better yet, Gatorade. I give this place 5 stars because its a pretty epic and spooky hike. Its ridiculous, and we are all ridiculous that go through the whole thing. But it makes for a good story. Its been two days and my legs feel like I'm still trying to balance on rocks. Do not bring very young children, and don't bring pets. Better yet, if you are in any doubt, stay home and watch The Goonies. read more

We enjoyed our trip into the cave but I had read a lot about hiking in to it before we went so we were well prepared. We each had a headlight which was perfect because it kept our hands free to steady ourselves. We also each had an extra flashlight in case one of our headlights failed. A couple of us took light jackets with us as the temperature inside the cave is so much cooler. It actually felt a bit warmer because you're moving, climbing over rocks and walking, plus there is no wind. The terrain is very rough the first fifty feet or so. You are absolutely climbing down big boulders. When you reach the bottom, it doesn't really smooth out like I had read from other articles. The floor of the cave is strewn with loose, jagged, sharp rocks and boulders and some water puddles from where it seeps through. There is some spots that are quite slippery. We saw a couple people bring their dogs down with them. I have no idea why someone would make their dogs walk on those sharp rocks. I felt the edges through my running shoes and can't imagine how awful they must feel on their paws. We also saw a few people using their cell phones for light because they didn't bring flashlights. If you come prepared then you will enjoy your trip into the cave! The water droplets on the roof of the cave reflects the light from your flashlights and looks like melted silver. It's quite pretty! read more

Lava River Cave - Inside the lava tube. Light reflecting off water droplets - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Flagstaff, Arizona

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Was awesome inside cave except for the very low parts we went there at 930 at night with cell phone flashlights and a small one didn't finish cave batteries died in a couple flashlights and when we got out of cave at 1045 pm walked thru the forest something growled twice at us it was an exciting adventure thought I was in a horror movie lol so bring xtra batteries for flashlights n wear a headband flashlight you'll need both hands ps go in the daytime for sure night is a little scary read more

Awesome place to explore. Does not cost anything to enter. Challenging hike. This cave is not improved on, which is what we liked about it. Cave floor is covered in jagged rocks and smooth wet rocks. Cave has no electrical lighting. Bring your own lights. Preferably a hat light. This place is a must to explore. Very fun. read more

Hella of an experience!!! Bring a light jacket, flashlights an good hiking shoes!

Awesome experience the entrance to the cave is quite steep and rocky ..I would not recommend bringing toddlers or animals . Head lamps work the best read more

Wear good shoes, have a reliable light source, and do not expect an easy hike. I have vertigo and found out that it really doesn't work to climb rocks in the dark when you are dizzy, so if you have that problem, you may wish to pass on this experience. But the rest of the family had a great time. I personally wouldn't take any small kids on this hike. read more

Great place to go for a hike and rock clime all in one location I don't recommend this place if you are claustrophobic and head lights are a must read more

I absolutely loved this cave adventure!!! Don't get me wrong I had a mini panic attack climbing down into the rocky dark entrance. But after taking my time getting down the initial rock climb descent, it really opens up and is a super enjoyable and exciting hike! I would highly suggest this to anyone remotely near flagstaff. BUT be prepared for rock climbing, unsteady footing, and pitch black with out a flashlight. Not for super young kids or elderly as the entrance is climbing down rocks. But we will be back!! read more

My review is: Overall a very dark and damp cave. Very rocky as well. If traveling without a light source, expect a few falls. If traveling with small children, be sure to leave them behind. Small children especially did not thrive in this environment from what I could tell. Falls in this cave could result in injuries as minor as a scrape and as major as a broken cheekbone, but I am no doctor. I encountered several separate groups pretending to have an Australian accent. Unsure why this occurred. Very upsetting. There were many people wearing sleeveless shirts throughout this cave. Entirely inappropriate. Feces could be seen and smelled throughout the cave, inciting major doubts in regards to my faith in human decency. My favorite parts of the cave were the large and open spaces in the middle of the hike, though meditation was interrupted by hooligan screeches elsewhere in the cave. Overall: great place to spy and scare, but bad bad bad. 3 stars. read more

Excellent adventure for the family! Our 7 year old made it with a lot of hand holding, but wouldn't recommend for younger than that. Be prepared for 40 degrees and wear hiking boots or tennis shoes. We had headlamps for all, which works better than flashlights. read more

Exhilarating! Amazing for sure. Couple of tid bits you should know that no one really lays out. HEAD lamp is a must. Hiking boots are a must. Gloves help. I don't recommend it for younger kids. My girl is 6 and it was quite challenging for her and scary for us to watch her. Hubby and I will be back on a day date to conquer it again!! read more

Cool temps year round. If you've never seen anything like this it's great! Great for kids. Wear hard hat if you got it and headlamps. Little bit of rough drive to get there but worth the drive. read more

1.. Dogs should not be taken in the cave since there are only limited and very slow biological processes to render their urine and feces unobjectionable. 2. This is clearly a cold, dark, damp, slippery, sharp, steep, precarious place. Not fit for young children, pets, or anyone not in decent shape. 3. Be smart and do research prior to embarking on things. read more

Pictures make no justice for this amazing place. A must do if you're in the area. Make sure to bring headlamps, you will need your hands to climb on over rocks. Pretty cold in there. read more

This cave is really poorly maintained. I went in the summer wearing a tank top and shorts and i guess they don't turn on the heat in the summer because it was freezing in there. Must have been about 40 degrees. Maybe the heater was just broken the day I went. Also, there is no overhead lighting. They could at least put a skylight in or something!! Thank goodness for the flashlight app on my iPhone or else I wouldn't have been able to see a thing! Whoever built the cave did a terrible job. Some of the roofs were way too low. I had to crawl on my hands and knees at some parts and I am only 5'2". That is unacceptable. Also, some of the rocks are not cemented into the ground and I almost fell on several occasions. The ground is really rocky and uneven too. Its like the guys who dug out the cave wanted to watch people trip and fall. There was no restroom or water fountain in the cave either. And they should really build stairs with a railing to get in and out of the cave. That was a nightmare having to climb out of that thing. I had to get my hands dirty and the rocks were wet near the entrance of the cave. Gross. read more

Just a heads up the road to the cave is very bumpy. we had a car so it was just a bit more bumpy and the road can get narrow keep in mind to go slow.There isn't much reviews on dogs so I will focus on that. We have a med size dog and a small chihuahua they both did fine except the first part where you enter the cave is very rocky so we picked them up. After that my med size dog would walk. Make sure you bring good lighting for yourself and for the dogs they only got hesitant when they couldn't see. There are spaces where you will have to crouch down, But there and back it isn't bad and isn't as Rocky as you would think. I recommend going especially when it's Hott it's nice to feel the difference. read more

This place is amazing!! It's free and a must see!! My family and I really enjoyed it. You definitely need a bright headlight or flashlight. And a sweater- it's chilly (even in the summer) read more

It wasn't super "Oh my god" amazing but if you're in the area it's definitely worth the trip. It's unlike anything I've seen before so it gets a little bonus. If I could give it 3.5 stars that would be more accurate. read more

This was a great hike. I would definitely recommend hiking boots if you are unstable at all. As others have documented it is pitch black so sufficient lighting is critical. We hit a dead end by taking the left side tunnel and did not have enough light to explore the other side of the cave. I would certainly recommend this hike to others. It is a neat experience and free. read more

I would definitely recommend wearing a helmet with headlamp. I hit my head on a low area early into the walk and it knocked me flat on my back, on a pile of rocks of course. I hurt my tailbone bad and by the grace of God narrowly missed hitting my head on a pointy rock. It would have killed me for sure. This was day two into our week long visit to AZ and the pain from the fall made the rest of our week more challenging. I would definitely recommend visiting, with a helmet. read more

did it today .... was a tough hike down into the cave opening and def. took some effort to make it all the way to the back.. it was a bit tougher for my wife but she was a trooper and made it all the way in and all the way out on her own..... just some good advice about doing this trip... TAKE YOUR OWN LIGHT (flashlight NOT your cellphone !!!) real flashlight but a LED headlamp would even work better so you can use both your hands..... do NOT DEPEND ON SOMEONE ELSE TO LIGHT YOUR PATH.... WATCH YOUR STEP (lots and lots and lots of places to break a leg/ankle/arm etc.) DO NOT TAKE YOUR 2-3-4-5yr old kids into the cave with you ... this is NOT A PLACE FOR KIDS THAT YOUNG !!! GOOD SOLID SOLE SHOES COAT (not -40* type coat but something that will be comfy in 32* for a few hours) i used a regular sweatshirt and was ok.... read more

This is a great place to take the kids who are old enough to climb and explore on their own! The cavern is looped (like the eye of a needle) so there is little opportunity to get truly lost. Beware adults (& taller kids) of the steep, rocky, slippery & wet entrance, the low ceiling in places requires extensive stooping or bent over walking. Adults bringing kids should avoid taking smaller children who would require being carried or hefted through the more difficult spots. ALSO, LEAVE YOUR PETS AT HOME. It is torturous to drag them down the steep, sharply rocky jagged cold & wet debris pile leading down into the tube and the pee and poop they leave along the way lasts forever along with the smell. I have seen way too many people drag their pet wincingly down into the hole only to turn around and haul them out with the dog struggling and falling and crying the entire way. Please don't do this to your pet. They also disturb the other folks exploring when they are not properly socialized and bark or aggressively approach others not in your party. Additional advice for adults bringing kids into the cave; Be sure to get everyone in your party to use the restroom BEFORE entering. Take plenty of flashlights (& bring extra) as it is pitch black. Chem-Stiks are worthless other than to spot the person directly in front of you in the dark. COME PREPARED and bring a light jacket or sweater as this is an ice cave cold enough to foster ice year round. For gosh sakes, wear decent shoes. Thongs & sandals will get a person killed down there! Haul out anything you take in. If you can deal with all of that it's a very enjoyable experience. Allow a minimum of 1-1.5 hours to fully explore the interior. read more