Lava Beds National Monument is a relatively unknown gem nestled in Northern California. It’s chief claim to fame are the dozens of lava-tube caves that snake below it — and occasionally surface. It also boasts expansive views over much of the northeast corner of the state, including Mount Shasta.
(Photo by John Soares)
Download the Whitney Butte/Lava Beds National Monument hike. It’s the PDF of Hike 47 from 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California, third edition, written by me (John Soares) and my brother Marc Soares. It’s also right below:
Whitney Butte
Length: 7 miles round-trip
Hiking time: 4 hours
High point: 5,010 feet
Total elevation gain: 500 feet
Difficulty: easy
Season: mid-April through mid-November
Water: none; bring your own and plenty of it
Map: USGS 7.5′ Lava Beds National Monument
Information: Lava Beds National Monument
Hike through an open landscape past chunks of recently extruded dark lava to the top of a small volcano, where you’ll have sweeping views of Mount Shasta, Lava Beds National Monument, and other volcanic landforms of far northeastern California.
Coming from the north on Highway 139, turn right 5 miles south of the town of Tulelake. Follow Lava Beds National Monument signs for 24 miles, turn right (west) at the sign for Merrill Cave, and continue 0.6 mile to the trailhead. Coming from the south on Highway 139, turn left 26 miles northwest of Canby and follow Lava Beds National Monument signs 16 miles to the visitor center. From the visitor center, go north 1.2 miles, turn left (west) at the sign for Merrill Ice Cave, and drive the final 0.6 mile to the trailhead.
At the trailhead you’ll see a short, paved trail to Merrill Ice Cave. Check with the visitor center for any access restrictions. If you do explore the cave, follow these rules: don’t go alone; carry at least three sources of light; wear sturdy shoes, a hard hat, jacket, pants, and gloves; be careful not to harm rock formations; stay on existing paths; and leave quietly if you encounter bats.
Various bunchgrasses and wildflowers line the path to Whitney Butte, as do sagebrush, bitterbrush, mountain mahogany, and western juniper. These plants can tolerate the dry, desert-like conditions of northeastern California, a region that sees little rainfall.
Along the trail’s first mile lies black basaltic rock, which once oozed as a hot liquid from nearby fissures to eventually cool into the twisted shapes you see around you. You’ll also be treated to views of Tule Lake and the irrigated fields to the lake’s north, as well as 6,618-foot Mount Dome looming to the northwest and 9,495-foot Mount McLoughlin, a cousin of Mount Shasta, far off in southern Oregon.
The first sight of the steep, snow-clad slopes of 14,162-foot Mount Shasta awaits at 1.8 miles. Bear left at a trail fork at 2.2 miles and skirt the north flank of Whitney Butte. At 3.3 miles you’ll see the Medicine Lake highlands just to the south, as well as the massive Black Lava Flow, a sheet of basalt covering several square miles. Your trail ends at the base of the Black Lava Flow, where you’ll see lichens, sagebrush, and a few other plants gaining a tenuous foothold on the 20-foot-high sheet of inhospitable rock.
Be sure to climb to the top of Whitney Butte, a cinder cone. Begin by a trailside ponderosa pine about 3.3 miles from the trailhead, where you get the first good views of the edge of the Black Lava Flow. From the top you can view the cinder cone’s collapsed center and also enjoy a 360-degree view of the entire volcanic landscape.
Consider exploring some of the Lava Beds National Monument‘s lava caves before leaving. Inquire at the visitor center about the best caves and proper safety procedures.
