Lava Beds National Monument is a land of turmoil, both geological and
historical. Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the
Medicine Lake shield volcano have created a rugged landscape dotted with
diverse volcanic features. More than 800 caves, Native American rock art
sites, historic battlefields and campsites, and a high desert wilderness
experience await you!

Lava Beds National Monument is a land of turmoil, both geological and historical. Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano have created a rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic features. More than 800 caves, Native American rock art sites, historic battlefields and campsites, and a high desert wilderness experience await you!

## Overview

The Indian Well Campground is in the heart of Lava Beds National Monument. The
campground is comprised of 43 sites available on a first-come, first serve
basis and one group site that is available by reservation April-October.

The monument was established as a national monument on November 21, 1925, and
includes more than 46,000 acres (190 km2).The monument lies on the
northeastern flank of Medicine Lake Volcano, which is the largest volcano by
area in the Cascade Range. The Monument has over 800 lava tubes, with 27
having marked entrances and developed trails for public access and
exploration. The monument also offers trails through the high Great Basin
shrubland desert landscape and vast volcanic fields. Lava Beds National
Monument is the site of the Modoc War, involving a band led by Kintpuash (also
known as Captain Jack).

## Recreation

Lava Beds National Monument has the largest concentration of lava tubes in
North America with over 800 documented in the Monument. 27 caves have marked
entrances and developed trails for public access and exploration. Mushpot Cave
has electrical lighting; the others are illuminated by ceiling collapse
portals or require flashlights. The monument also has 13 hiking trails, all of
which cross or enter the backcountry. The most popular trails are short, but
lead to a number of historic sites as to several geological areas. This
includes sites of the Modoc War that includes Captain Jack's Stronghold.
Birding and wildlife viewing is also a popular activity along the north
boundary of the monument.

## Facilities

Lava Beds National Monument has the largest concentration of lava tubes in
North America with over 800 documented in the Monument. 27 caves have marked
entrances and developed trails for public access and exploration. Mushpot Cave
has electrical lighting; the others are illuminated by ceiling collapse
portals or require flashlights. The monument also has 13 hiking trails, all of
which cross or enter the backcountry. The most popular trails are short, but
lead to a number of historic sites as to several geological areas. This
includes sites of the Modoc War that includes Captain Jack's Stronghold.
Birding and wildlife viewing is also a popular activity along the north
boundary of the monument.

## Natural Features

Lava Beds National Monument lies on the northeastern flank of Medicine Lake
Volcano, which is the largest volcano by area in the Cascade Range. The
Monument is geologically significant because of its wide variety of volcanic
formations, including over 800 lava tubes, fumaroles, cinder cones, spatter
cones, pit craters, hornitos, maars, lava flows, and volcanic fields.The
region in and around Lava Beds National Monument lies at the junction of the
Sierra-Klamath, Cascade, and Great Basin physiographic provinces. The southern
most area of the monument is the highest in elevation and receives the most
precipitation, and supports a Ponderosa Pine forest. Farther to the north of
the monument, the middle elevations are a juniper and shrub woodland.
Extending to the northern boundary are lower grasslands and sagebrush. Despite
semi-arid conditions, native wildlife has adapted to the environmental
constraints and are abundant and diverse.

<h2>Overview</h2>
<p>The Indian Well Campground is in the heart of Lava Beds National Monument. The campground is comprised of 43 sites available on a first-come, first serve basis and one group site that is available by reservation April-October. </p>
<p>The monument was established as a national monument on November 21, 1925, and includes more than 46,000 acres (190 km2).The monument lies on the northeastern flank of Medicine Lake Volcano, which is the largest volcano by area in the Cascade Range. The Monument has over 800 lava tubes, with 27 having marked entrances and developed trails for public access and exploration. The monument also offers trails through the high Great Basin shrubland desert landscape and vast volcanic fields. Lava Beds National Monument is the site of the Modoc War, involving a band led by Kintpuash (also known as Captain Jack). </p>
<h2>Recreation</h2>
<p>Lava Beds National Monument has the largest concentration of lava tubes in North America with over 800 documented in the Monument. 27 caves have marked entrances and developed trails for public access and exploration. Mushpot Cave has electrical lighting; the others are illuminated by ceiling collapse portals or require flashlights. The monument also has 13 hiking trails, all of which cross or enter the backcountry. The most popular trails are short, but lead to a number of historic sites as to several geological areas. This includes sites of the Modoc War that includes Captain Jack's Stronghold. Birding and wildlife viewing is also a popular activity along the north boundary of the monument. </p>
<h2>Facilities</h2>
<p>Lava Beds National Monument has the largest concentration of lava tubes in North America with over 800 documented in the Monument. 27 caves have marked entrances and developed trails for public access and exploration. Mushpot Cave has electrical lighting; the others are illuminated by ceiling collapse portals or require flashlights. The monument also has 13 hiking trails, all of which cross or enter the backcountry. The most popular trails are short, but lead to a number of historic sites as to several geological areas. This includes sites of the Modoc War that includes Captain Jack's Stronghold. Birding and wildlife viewing is also a popular activity along the north boundary of the monument. </p>
<h2>Natural Features</h2>
<p>Lava Beds National Monument lies on the northeastern flank of Medicine Lake Volcano, which is the largest volcano by area in the Cascade Range. The Monument is geologically significant because of its wide variety of volcanic formations, including over 800 lava tubes, fumaroles, cinder cones, spatter cones, pit craters, hornitos, maars, lava flows, and volcanic fields.The region in and around Lava Beds National Monument lies at the junction of the Sierra-Klamath, Cascade, and Great Basin physiographic provinces. The southern most area of the monument is the highest in elevation and receives the most precipitation, and supports a Ponderosa Pine forest. Farther to the north of the monument, the middle elevations are a juniper and shrub woodland. Extending to the northern boundary are lower grasslands and sagebrush. Despite semi-arid conditions, native wildlife has adapted to the environmental constraints and are abundant and diverse. </p>

Milkyway Galaxy at Lava Beds

Sunset over Schonchin Butte

Sunrise

Overview of Lava Beds with Mount Shasta in the background.

Campground Map

Cave Entrance with Stairs

Indian Well Campground

Bird's eye view of the campground

Bird's eye view of the park

Lava Beds National Monument

Tule Lake National Monument includes both Tule Lake Segregation Center, the
largest and most controversial of the sites where Japanese Americans were
incarcerated during World War II, and Camp Tulelake, which was first a
Civilian Conservation Corps camp, then an additional facility to detain
Japanese Americans, and finally a prisoner of war camp.

Tule Lake National Monument includes both Tule Lake Segregation Center, the largest and most controversial of the sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II, and Camp Tulelake, which was first a Civilian Conservation Corps camp, then an additional facility to detain Japanese Americans, and finally a prisoner of war camp.

Tule Lake National Monument

Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1928 by President Calvin
Coolidge “as a preserve and breeding ground for wild birds and animals.” Today
it is part of a complex of six National Wildlife Refuges in the Klamath Basin
that include Tule Lake, Upper Klamath, Lower Klamath, Klamath Marsh, Bear
Valley, and Clear Lake, whose combined mission is to protect what remains of
what once was the largest wetlands area west of the Mississippi River. These
surviving wetlands remain a highly managed yet critical part of the Pacific
Flyway, a place where migrating waterfowl can rest and refuel during their
transcontinental spring and fall migrations.

<p><span>Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1928 by President Calvin Coolidge “as a preserve and breeding ground for wild birds and animals.”  Today it is part of a complex of six National Wildlife Refuges in the Klamath Basin that include Tule Lake, Upper Klamath, Lower Klamath, Klamath Marsh, Bear Valley, and Clear Lake, whose combined mission is to protect what remains of what once was the largest  wetlands area west of the Mississippi River. These surviving wetlands remain a highly managed yet critical part of the Pacific Flyway, a place where migrating waterfowl can rest and refuel during their transcontinental spring and fall migrations.</span></p>

Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge, with a backdrop of 14,000-foot Mount Shasta to the southwest, is
listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic
Landmark.

The 50,092-acre refuge is a varied mix of intensively managed shallow marshes,
open water, grassy uplands, and croplands that provide feeding, resting,
nesting, and brood-rearing habitat for waterfowl and other water birds. This
refuge is one of the most biologically productive refuges within the Pacific
Flyway.Approximately 80 percent of the flyway's migrating waterfowl pass
through the Klamath Basin on both spring and fall migrations, with 50 percent
using the refuge. Peak waterfowl populations can reach 1.8 million birds,
which represent 15 to 45 percent of the total birds wintering in California.
The refuge produces between 30,000 and 60,000 waterfowl annually.The refuge is
also a fall staging area for 20 to 30 percent of the central valley population
of sandhill crane. From 20,000 to 100,000 shorebirds use refuge wetlands
during the spring migration. Wintering wildlife populations include 500 bald
eagle and 30,000 tundra swan. Spring and summer nesting wildlife include many
colonial water birds, such as white-faced ibis, heron, egret, cormorant,
grebe, white pelican, and gulls.

In all, the refuge provides habitat for 25 species of special concern listed
as threatened or sensitive by California and Oregon. All refuge waters are
delivered through a system of diversion or irrigation canals associated with
the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Klamath Project. Consequently this leaves the
refuge vulnerable to periodic water shortages due to an over-allocated system

<p>The refuge, with a backdrop of 14,000-foot Mount Shasta to the southwest, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places as a National Historic Landmark.</p><p>The 50,092-acre refuge is a varied mix of intensively managed shallow marshes, open water, grassy uplands, and croplands that provide feeding, resting, nesting, and brood-rearing habitat for waterfowl and other water birds. This refuge is one of the most biologically productive refuges within the Pacific Flyway.Approximately 80 percent of the flyway's migrating waterfowl pass through the Klamath Basin on both spring and fall migrations, with 50 percent using the refuge. Peak waterfowl populations can reach 1.8 million birds, which represent 15 to 45 percent of the total birds wintering in California. The refuge produces between 30,000 and 60,000 waterfowl annually.The refuge is also a fall staging area for 20 to 30 percent of the central valley population of sandhill crane. From 20,000 to 100,000 shorebirds use refuge wetlands during the spring migration. Wintering wildlife populations include 500 bald eagle and 30,000 tundra swan. Spring and summer nesting wildlife include many colonial water birds, such as white-faced ibis, heron, egret, cormorant, grebe, white pelican, and gulls.</p><p>In all, the refuge provides habitat for 25 species of special concern listed as threatened or sensitive by California and Oregon. All refuge waters are delivered through a system of diversion or irrigation canals associated with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's Klamath Project. Consequently this leaves the refuge vulnerable to periodic water shortages due to an over-allocated system</p>

Lava Beds National Monument

Directions

Reviews

Campgrounds

Indian Well Campground

Nearby Parks

Tule Lake National Monument

Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge