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Hiking Through Central Oregon

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Lava River Cave – Bend, OR

Lava River Cave entrance

Source: Lava River Cave | Penelope Peru Photography P³

Visitors are welcome to explore the mile-long lava tube located at the bottom of 55-stairs. Be sure to bundle up! The average temperature inside the cave year-round is 42-degrees Fahrenheit, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

To prevent the spread of White-nose Syndrome to the bats indigenous to the cave, visitors are asked not to wear clothing or gear they have worn to other caves or mines.

Visitors are also encouraged to bring their own source of light or rent one from the visitor’s center prior to entering Lava River Cave.

Bug’s Two Cents

My time in Lava River Cave was compromised, as I made the rookie mistake of going in a tank top. I hadn’t done my research prior, so I had no idea how chilly it would be until the rangers warned my group and I.

At that point, it was too late to turn back. I took the plunge. As someone who’s already sensitive to the cold as it is – intensified by my acute (and somewhat irrational) fear of freezing to death – I can whole-heartedly say my experience would have been 10-times better if I had dressed appropriately.

Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I was also a bit disappointed with how my pictures inside the cave turned out.

Inside of Lava River Cave

Source: Inside Lava River Cave | Penelope Peru Photography P³

Don’t get me wrong – the entrance made for some extraordinary photographs. However, the inside of the lava tube was too dark to capture without shining a flashlight or using my camera’s flash, which added an unpleasant glare or white-washed the formations inside the cave.

Outside of Lava River Cave

Source: Lava River Cave | Penelope Peru Photography P³

On the plus-side, this chipmunk was quite photogenic – and quite friendly, might I add!

Chipmunk at Lava River Cave

Source: Chipmunk | Penelope Peru Photography P³

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burgundy bug

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A cynical optimist and mad scientist undercover, burgundy bug is the editor, graphic designer, webmaster, social media manager, and primary photographer for The Burgundy Zine. Entangled in a web of curiosity, burgundy bug’s work embodies a wide variety of topics including: neuroscience, psychology, ecology, biology, cannabis, reviews, fashion, entertainment, and politics. You can learn more about working with burgundy bug by visiting her portfolio website: burgundybug.com

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