TULELAKE, CA – Lava Beds is great place to visit during the fall and winter, but there are a few things you should know before you visit.
Starting October 1, 2024, the Lava Beds Visitor Center will be open 9:30 am – 4:00 pm daily. Also starting October 1st , camping will now be $20 per night, per site. At least half of the campground stays open all year, with “B” loop of the campground and the group campsite typically close late-November.
When visiting Lava Beds National Monument, visitors are reminded that a cave permit and an entrance fee are required. While entrance fees can be handled via a self-pay station outside the visitor center, or online, a cave permit can only be obtained from the visitor center. Visitors should arrive within visitor center hours if they are planning to visit a cave. Winter cave closures to protect hibernating bats, typically go into effect on October 15th.
During the winter snowy season, the monument’s maintenance staff will keep the main park road open from the northern boundary entrances to Valentine Cave. Forest Service Rd 49 going towards Medicine Lake and Forest Service Rd 10 between Lava Beds and Tionesta are not plowed during the winter and can become impassable.