Cougar, Washington -
Ape Cave Lava Tube

Ape Cave Lava Tube

I grew up in the area, so I've been to the Ape Caves numerous times, and each time is just as fun and exciting as the last.

It's very dark and cold - you will need light! Also bring a sweatshirt and good sturdy shoes; you will get hot on your way through so you can always just tie your sweatshirt around your waist. There are two ways to venture -- one is harder than the other but both are great. Remember to always watch your step and rest when needed. Once you get to the end, you climb up a ladder into the beautiful forest. You will have a decent hike back. [Luke, 01/21/2010]

Ape Cave (Lava Tubes)

Natives of Washington state know these tubes as the "ape caves." For young people (college age) and those in good shape, this is a challenging but very doable fun thing. Wear warm clothes, bring lots of light. If you are afraid of the dark, or small spaces, I would not recommend this. [Jen, 02/14/2004]

Underground Volcano Tour

This is actually part of Mt. St. Helens National Park. You can rent big gas lanterns for the easy path, or flashlights for the hard path. The easy route is paved; The hard path feels like you're climbing into the Gates of Hell. It's about a mile of underground travel, clambering over boulders and up sheer rock walls. No path is marked and you're never really sure if you're going the right way or if you're just going to disappear forever in the bowels of a dormant volcano. They recommend that you take two or three flashlights if you take the hard route, and when I dropped one of mine off a ten-foot rock ledge, I was glad I listened.

Some parts are like climbing over an avalanche, others are smooth and wide-open as a highway tunnel. Sometimes the lava hardened while flowing and is permanently in liquid ripples. I felt like I was in the giant ant tunnels in the movie "THEM!" Everything is damp and eerily silent. [Jason Smith, 03/06/2000]