Once you leave I-15 and drive through the town of Meadow, the road going to the lava tubes is paved for a few miles then it transitions to a graded dirt road.  Then once you see the sign pointing left for the lava tubes it will turn into more of a very tame Jeep trail.

The lava tubes were very easy to find.  I just typed “Meadow Lava Tubes” into Google maps and it led me right there.  If you need any additional help feel free to use my GPS coordinates or maps on this trek.

For best results you will need a high clearance vehicle.  I got there just fine in a regular low clearance vehicle but there are many potholes and other hazards that could potentially damage your vehicle.  Just go slow.

These lava tubes are a great adventure for the whole family!  Right when I pulled up to the parking area I heard and saw about a dozen children laughing and running around – I didn’t realize how popular this place would be!  In all, I think I counted a total of fifteen different groups/families visiting the lava tubes during my two hour visit.

I also found people camping all over the place in tents and RVs.  I didn’t see any signs for camping restrictions so I guess it’s free!

Below: Here is the entrance to the main lava tube that seemed to be the most popular.  It went in quite a ways and came out the other side!  Some crouching and crawling may be required in some of the tubes.  Also, volcanic rock is very sharp so you will want to wear sturdy shoes and watch every step.

There aren’t any signs or anything pointing you to any of the openings but many of the openings are located within about 200 yards of the main parking area.  If you have any trouble finding some of the lava tubes just use my GPS coordinates above to help navigate to some of the larger ones.

You could begin your adventure by just going to the main lava tube directly north east of the parking lot but I chose to start west.  I found a giant lava tube opening and began my underground exploration.  The tubes that I explored didn’t really require a flashlight beyond what was on my cellphone but I brought one anyway.

I am the type of hiker who says “what’s over there?” and then I hike over there – so this was an enjoyable experience for me!  I loved how this entire area is open and available for exploring.

There are openings all over the place.  Many of the tubes don’t connect with each other so you just go wherever you want!

Just south of the parking lot you will find a short road that goes around a hill and leads you to Tabernacle Crater.  Follow this for an awesome view of the crater.