Thousands of years ago, underground lava flows from the Newberry Volcano worked their way through tubes all over Central Oregon. One of those lava tubes collapsed several millennia ago, leaving behind a handful of caves that are today the heart of the Redmond Caves Recreation Site.
Just southeast of Bend, the quiet Boyd Cave packs a lot of history and fascinating features into one quick trip. Views from the trailhead and parking area include the Three Sisters—and only improve as you descend a short, steel staircase into the cave. The intact lava tube was formed thousands of years ago by Newberry Volcano, and its walls of basalt rock show evidence today of ancient flows.
Most of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument’s attractions show off the aboveground effects of numerous volcanic eruptions; the Lava River Cave, meanwhile, takes visitors underground for a thrilling trip back in time.
