Located in northern California, 105 miles south of Crater Lake, the Lava Beds National Monument, administered by the Crater Lake National Park staff since 1933, covers an area of 45,967 acres, noteworthy for volcanic, historical, and archeological features of distinctive importance.

The monument is usually open to travel the entire year, although winter storms are liable to make dirt roads in and approaching the area difficult to travel. The Lava Beds are 70 miles from Alturas, Calif., and 45 miles from Klamath Falls, Oreg., with the last few miles of each route served by passable dirt roads. It can also be reached over unimproved roads from Bieber, Calif., on the Redding-Alturas Highway, and Bartle via Medicine Lake.

A vast field for geologic study is included in this area where at intervals over a period of thousands of years volcanic activity seethed in lava rivers issuing forth from fissures scattered over the entire section. Geologically, the region is considered young, the age of the last lava flows and the last cinder cones being estimated at 500 years or slightly less.

Viewed from a distance, the monument appears as a fairly level terrain, with a northeasterly slope interspersed with symmetrical cinder cones. The lava rocks of the area are so porous and broken with shrinkage cracks that water from scant rainfall passes immediately underground, hence causing no erosion and leaving the monument features in the same condition as they were when first constructed. While volcanic activity has continued until modern times, the oldest formations are believed to date back some 20,000 to 60,000 years.

Except in the southern third of the monument where cindery pumice covers the surface, the visitor walks on solid lava. The small recent flows of billowy lava, or the pahoehoe type, have spread out like thick molasses or tar. It is in this type of lava that the caves and tunnels of the monument are found. These were formed by the hardening of the surface and sides of lava flows, becoming tubes when the molten lava core drained out. They range from a few feet to several miles in length and from 10 to 75 feet in height. Collapsed portions form long serpentlike trenches of broken rock 20 to 100 feet deep and from 50 to 250 feet wide, while narrow unbroken roof strips serve as natural bridges.

The caves being of volcanic origin, lava stalactites are in evidence in some of them. Ice formations, the result of constantly freezing temperatures and presence of moisture, are found in others. Over 300 caves have been located in the monument, but of this number only 130 have been explored. A small number of the more interesting caves are open to the public. In exploring these caverns, visitors are given the services of guides without cost during the summer months.

Two types of symbolic Indian writings add a touch of mystery to the monument, suggesting the presence of ancient aborigines many centuries ago. One type is made up of paintings (pictographs) on the walls of a number of the caves and sides of natural bridges. The other type is composed of carvings (petroglyphs) confined entirely to rocky bluffs where the material was sufficiently soft to be cut out by stone tools. The petroglyphs, located in an isolated portion of the monument, are deeply carved and have successfully withstood the ravages of time.

Historical features of the monument recall the only major Indian war ever fought on California soil and one of the most costly of its kind in United States history. In 1872-73 a small band of Modoc Indians under the leadership of Keintpoos, commonly known as Captain Jack, clashed with a body of United States cavalry just north of the California line following a rampage during which several settlers were killed. A short time later, the Modocs established themselves in a natural lava fortress in the northern part of the monument where they withstood a superior force of soldiers for 5 months.

During this time several peace negotiations were attempted, reaching their climax in an ill-fated peace parley a short distance from the Indian stronghold. A number of Indians, including Captain Jack, gathered with a peace commission, headed by General R. E. S. Canby, commander of the besieging soldiers. During the truce parley, the Indians without warning killed General Canby and one other member of the commission, after which the Modocs fled to their stronghold. A cross, erected by Canby’s soldiers on the spot, still stands.

It was not long after the killings that the Indians were subdued, marking the end of Indian warfare in this section. The stronghold today is much as it was over 60 years ago. Points of interest are plainly marked; bleaching bones and rotting bits of leather are reminiscent of the last stand of the Modocs.

Interesting to monument visitors also is the presence of wildlife. During winter and spring seasons, mule deer can be seen in large numbers, with 20 to 30 individual herds remaining in the area until the arrival of warmer summer weather. Hundreds of birds are observed, particularly valley quail and an abundance of raptores. Large numbers of small mammals are seen throughout the year. Lava Reds bighorn formerly roamed the monument but were exterminated by unrestricted hunting and competition for the range by sheep and cattle 20 years ago. However, their trails are still visible.