September 22,2018 Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho

All these little plants burst into bloom in the spring on the cinders. We hiked to the Lava Tubes today. Lava rivers become lava tubes when the exterior of the flows cools allowing hot , fluid lava to continue to flow beneath the surface. this photo from Hawaii shows a modern example of a lava tube in formation. Within these insulated underground passages the molten lava can continue to flow  for many miles until the source  of the lava gets cut off leaving behind a ‘cave’.

The trail crosses  the Blue Dragon lava field punctuated by cave entrances. The caves are actually lava tubes where hot streams of lava  drained away and portions of the ceiling collapsed. John at the entrance of dew drop  lava tube. The sign says warning dangerous pit opening near by. Watch children and husbands carefully. Well not the husband part, but that is who is by the sign right now.

The Blue Dragon lava flow here traveled a total distance of 18 miles when it flowed from it’s source the Spatter Cones approximately 2000 years ago making miles of lava tubes.  The volume of lava was so great  eventually it covered an area of 100 square miles.  The entrance to the Indian Tunnel. The large size of the tube-30 feet high, 50 feet wide and  800 feet long allows you to walk  comfortably through most of it’s length.  If you are willing to scramble over a large rock pile  and climb through a small opening , you can exit the cave at the far end. Enough sunlight enters the cave through openings in the roof to allow travel without a flash light. 

Entering the Indian Tunnel. Closer to the end you can see John- a small dot on the left side of the rubble pile. 

Attention cave access by permit only. Our permit consisted of these dragon stamps on our hands, looks more like a bruise.  A small opening into a lava tube, Wild Caves Beware of Hazards. Unstable footing, falling rocks, low ceilings and dark areas. Proceed with care. Where the light got in and shined on the walls there were colorful lichen , like this yellow stuff, growing on the walls. John climbing though the small opening at the end of the cave to exit. 

  In places the lava is iridescent blue  the result of titanium magnetite crystals suspended in the glassy rock surface.  An early explorer thought the lava resembled a scaly blue reptile, and named this the Blue Dragon Flow. John entering Boy Scout Cave which has lava and ice stalactites (lavacicles) on the ceiling and walls. They were formed by dripping hot lava and melting ice. Born of fire this cave now retains ice year round-a cool place to visit on a hot summers day.  

It was also pitch black inside  and so big that my flashlight did not illuminate the walls or ceiling, the floor was tumbled with rocks. John went all the 800 feet to the  back, but I came out.  I am claustrophobic and don’t enjoy stumbling around  in the dark in a cave I can’t even see. Green  algae growing on the walls where the light reaches in. You can go left or right from the entrance. Left you have to crawl. Lots of beautiful rabbit bush flowers in areas.

Lava stalactites, unlike other stalactites these are not the result of dripping water. Receding lava leaves molten rock on the ceiling , heat within the tube may cause the ceiling to remelt  , or lava may be splashed onto the ceiling. The molten rock drips and hardens forming small, sharp stalactites.  Dangerous pit opening nearby, watch children carefully.  These two chipmunks were raiding the limber pine cones in our campsite for pine nuts while we ate dinner at the picnic table. Sunset was fast and brilliant.  

 The blue lava dragon holds an almost full moon  in front of his nose for a sniff.