Mojave Desert's Lava Tube: Epic Photoshoot Spot?

When it comes to photoshoot locations, few things can top a cave. This was a wild photoshoot adventure.

We were looking for the best places to photograph in the Mojave Desert and got so excited when we stumbled across Lava Tube. Lava Tube is one of the most popular attractions at Mojave National Preserve. If you're not familiar with what a lava tube is, don't worry, I wasn't either. 

According to Google:

a lava tube is formed when molten lava flows beneath the hardened surface of a lava flow, creating a hollow tunnel

This particular lava tube is nestled in the heart of the Mojave Desert. You reach it by driving five miles down a narrow, rough, sandy, slightly rocky road. We were road tripping from Las Vegas to Joshua Tree when we saw a photo of Lava Tube and decided we needed to check it out along the way. We were driving a Tesla, and realized pretty immediately that a Tesla was not the best car for this adventure. We drove slowly though, and our Tesla powered through and got us to lava tube safely. However, I would definitely recommend a 4x4 vehicle.

After roughly 30 minutes of driving down the sandy, dirt road, we arrived at the trailhead. Lava Tube is one of the most popular spots for visitors in the Mojave Desert, but when we arrived there was no one in sight. The trail is clearly marked by signs and ends up being about 0.5 mile hike uphill. 

Eventually, we reached a large crater-like hole with a ladder going into it. We climbed down the ladder, used our phones as flashlights and went into the cave. At one point, the cave gets very low, and you almost have to crawl through it. Once I made it through that narrow passageway, my jaw dropped. It was unreal. The way the sunlight pierced through the darkness, illuminating the cave in the middle of the desert, felt heavenly. As cool as the photos of this place look, I’m not even sure they do it justice. A lava tube is one of those crazy natural phenomena you just have to experience in person. 

Here’s What You Need to Know Before Going

• Lava Tube is located about 5 miles east of Kelbaker Road on the unpaved Aiken Mine Road.
• Take a vehicle with four-wheel drive. It’s a bumpy ride.
• You drive five miles down a narrow, rough, sandy, slightly rocky road.
• You have to walk about 0.5 miles uphill in the hot desert sun, so bring water.
• You will be walking over tar-black volcanic rocks.
• You have to go down a ladder that has 16 steps.
• The cave is about 3 feet tall at its shortest part, so be prepared to crawl and dress accordingly.
• Bring a flashlight, it’s dark.
• The best time to go is around midday on a sunny day.
• Kick up dust around the light beams to make photos even cooler.