Heading to the lava caves near Flagstaff was one of the highlights of our trip. We bought headlamps at a Walmart in Cottonwood, AZ specifically for this adventure. From there it took about 30 minutes to reach the turnoff for the cave, followed by another 20 minutes on a very bumpy dirt road. The rough drive was worth it once we arrived.
The cave stays around 40°F (about 4–5°C) even in summer, so warm clothing is recommended. Some of our group dressed accordingly; others did not. Finding the entrance took a bit of time because there are no signs. I waited until I saw other people approaching and followed their direction. The approach through the forest is memorable: you walk among trees and suddenly come upon a large, round opening in the ground, rimmed with rock.
Access into the cave requires scrambling down sizeable boulders into the mouth of the opening. As you get closer you begin to feel the chill and will definitely need a headlamp or flashlight. Because you need both hands to steady yourself on the rocks, a headlamp is far more convenient than holding a flashlight. The cave interior is roughly a mile round trip, depending on how far you explore, and the passageways are uneven and rocky.
Many visitors linger near the entrance to take photos rather than moving deeper inside, which keeps the front area busy. I chose to turn around and climb back out from the cave mouth after spending some time inside. I noticed a few people bringing dogs; the rocky floor can be hard on paws, so extra caution is necessary if you bring a pet. Despite the challenging footing, everyone in our group enjoyed the experience and agreed it was worth the drive.