For most hikes, the destination -- whether it be thetop of a dramatic cliffor the foot of a tall waterfall-- is the reward. But then there are lava tube hikes, where passing through and exploring the mysterious and alluring cavesis the reward. Lava tubes are cavernous tunnels thatformed long agowhen the outermost layer of a lava stream crusted, enclosing the fiery flow beneath. When the lava flow eventually drainedby oozing through natural openings or rupturing through the surface, it left behind dark passageways with twists, turns and eerie formations. From the lava fields of Hawaii to the lava river beds of Arizona, America has a variety of these fascinating grottos, each one unique in its own way. Some lava tubes, like the N'huku tube on Hawaii's Big Island,are short, easy to access and surrounded by lush forests. Others, likethe tubes beneath Lava Beds National Monumentin California, are caves deep in the Earth, just waiting to be explored. Just be careful, some lava tube hikes require a flashlight, hard hat, climbing gear or knee pads-- always come prepared and always exercise caution. Below are seven lava tubes you can hike through, each one as eerie as it is beautiful. 1. Ka'eleku Caverns, Maui These caves are a worthy detour off the island's scenic and remote Road to Hana. A photo posted by @hike_explore_photograph on Jan 8, 2015 at 3:45pm PST 2. Lava Beds National Monument, California This remote park near the Oregon border holds the largest concentration of lava tubes in the United States. A photo posted by Katie Lewellyn (@queenoftheshire) on Aug 12, 2013 at 2:51am PDT 3.Lava River Cavein Newberry National Volcanic Monument, Oregon It takes 90 minutes to explore this mile-long cave south of Bend. Beware of bats! A photo posted by Kelly Loeffler (@kellyloeffler88) on Jul 5, 2015 at 3:12pm PDT 4. N'huku (aka Thurston Lava Tube), Hawaii Island A short and sweet walk in a lush forest takes you to one of the country's younger lava tubes. A photo posted by Dan (@danielpoulsen) on Jul 24, 2015 at 2:51pm PDT 5.Ape Cave, Washington At 13,042 feet long, Ape Cave is the third longest lava tubein North America. It's just south ofMount St. Helens. A photo posted by Nick Couts (@lovecinema) on Aug 30, 2015 at 10:52pm PDT A photo posted by Arizona Hiking Community (@arizona_hiking) on Jul 8, 2015 at 8:09am PDT 6. Coconino National Forest'sLava River Cave, Arizona This 700,000-year-old lava tube near Flagstaff still has ripples frozen into the floorfrom the lava that flowed there long ago. A photo posted by Arizona Hiking Community (@arizona_hiking) on Jul 8, 2015 at 8:09am PDT A photo posted by @dcol06 on Jul 5, 2015 at 6:55am PDT 7. Kazumura Cave, Hawaii's Big Island One of the longestand most intricatelava tubes in the world, Kazumura Cave has 40 miles of pure exploration bliss.''Also on HuffPost: -- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.
Click here to read full news..
