Down Into the Mouth of the Cave : Full Time RV Traveler Braves the Dark

Allie • October 14, 2022 • Day Hiking

10.14.22 Flagstaff, Arizona

Have you ever been in the pitch black? Where you truly can’t see even when your eyes are open. I have once years and years ago in a cave tour in California called Black Diamond Mines. It was rather eerie and I didn’t enjoy the darkness enveloping me.

Yet today I decided to do that again yet this time – ALONE.

A Little About the Lava River Cave

Ok, I lied. I wasn’t truly alone but I was solo in a cave – a 700,000 year old lava cave!

Just outside of Flagstaff, Arizona is the Lava River Cave. Created 700,000 years ago by cooled lava from a volcanic explosion.

Click here to read more about the Lava River Cave.

I’m camped just 4.5 miles from the cave so I decided to ride my bike to check it out.

A Little Worried About Going Solo to the Lava River Cave

I’m mostly comfortable doing many things solo like live in my RV, hike, bike, go out to a meal, visit a national park, etc, you get the idea. But going into a pitch black cave was not something I wanted to do alone.

Whether I did it or not, I had to at least see the cave for myself before making the decision to chicken out. (Actually it wasn’t chickening out, I wanted to be sure I was safe.)

I rode my bike the 4.5 miles to the mouth of the cave. It was a beautiful ride with yellow flowers and pine trees. The sun was shining and clouds were nowhere to be seen.

Upon getting there I noticed cars and people in the parking lot. The usual Allison would worry about too many people on the trail but this time was different, I wanted people in that dark chamber with me.
The mouth of the cave is a short walk, or for me a ride, from the parking lot. I locked my bike, grabbed my headlamp and walked over to check it out.

I’ll admit, I expected it to be scary steep or a small opening yet neither applied. Sure there were large rocks to scramble but that just makes this more of an adventure!

Exploring the Lava River Caves in Flagstaff, Arizona

Lucky for me I arrived at the right time, 1 couple went in front of me and one behind – perfect. I’m solo but not alone. And they were all very friendly.

It’s not long, maybe 50 feet in, until the darkness surrounds you and a headlamp is necessary. It’s also very cold! I believe freezing. I was wearing shorts, my hiking shoes and a light long sleeve shirt and never felt cold in the cave. I think the excitement kept me warm.

The first 50 feet or so are also the sketchiest, having to scramble large, wet boulders in the dark is something not many people are used to, including myself. Once past the opening and boulders that leads down into the cave you find it relatively flat with a few rocks here and there as well as dampness.

As I walked I kept noticing I could see the air around me, like dust. How odd, I thought the dampness would keep dust down. It was not dust but my cold breath! I wasn’t cold but my breath was. I’m accustomed to shivering when I can see my breath.

I probably explored about 1/3 of the way in when the couple I was following decided to turn around so I did too. I didn’t realize the cave was 3/4 mile long and it takes a very long time to make that distance in the dark.

Before turning around I sat for a bit waiting for their voices and lights to diminish into the darkness. Then I turned off my headlamp.

The blackness is deafening or was it just that there’s no sound down there except for the occasional drip of water but that is extremely faint. I thought the extreme dark and silence would be scary but honestly, it was meditative. I could clear my mind of sights and sounds that would normally distract me and simply be in the moment. It was almost magical!

I got back to the mouth of the cave pretty quickly. As much as I loved it down there humans aren’t made for that darkness and the sun felt glorious on my skin!

I’m enjoying the camping location in this area so I’ll be back. And when I do I’ll be sure to visit the Lava River Cave and try some meditation.

Here is the video version of my story above on Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjsn1K6DSYj/