Lava Beds National Monument is located in northern California and preserves part of the volcanic heritage of the western United States. While many national park sites pertain to the volcanic activity that is part of this area’s history, Lava Beds contains the largest concentration of volcanic caves in the country. Visitors are able to explore a number of these lava tubes throughout the park, which are of varying lengths and difficulty levels. However, visitors don’t have to venture underground to get a sense of the volcanic activity that’s happened here. Among the arid grasslands in the park are black volcanic rocks strewn about and lots of blackened soil.

There’s more to Lava Beds than just volcanoes though. The site also preserves Native American petroglyphs, especially at Petroglyph Point. As a result, Lava Beds provides visitors a history of the Modoc people and their ancestors.

Lava Beds offers a fascinating look at the geological, natural, and cultural history of the area. The park is scenic and interesting to take in, but not so big as to be overwhelming. It’s a great place to visit as part of a trip to northern California national parks, but it’s also a nice park in its own right.