Derrick Cave is a lava tube located in the remote northwest corner of Lake County, Oregon. The cave is approximately 1,200 feet long. It is up to 80 feet wide and 46 feet high in places. It was named in honor of H.E. Derrick, a pioneer rancher with a homestead 3 miles southeast of the cave.
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AI.
WORD OF CAUTION: the road to Derrick Cave is poorly marked and very, VERY difficult to traverse in most vehicles. I took a RWD pickup truck, but I will not be going back without a more well-equipped vehicle. There was only one sign that said "Derrick Cave" but it didn't give a direction and the roads branch off in several directions. Google Maps had a hard time getting us there and we didn't have service most of the time. There was a particularly steep part decorated with large rocks that you have to descent where I thought the truck might tip over due to it's unevenness. We got lost for 4 hours trying to find a way around it on our way back. You have been warned.
Once you get there, however, it was by far our favorite cave on our trip! The cave is massive, though not terribly long. But do watch your step as you get deeper. There is more ice here than in the Arnold Ice Cave. You'll be doing a lot of climbing over icy volcanic debris once it gets dark. BRING ADEQUATE LIGHTING TOOLS. It is pitch black. Headlamps are best to keep your hands free for climbing.
It really is an adventure, and skylights at the beginning of the cave make for great photos. Also, the gravel parking lot is well-maintained and we didn't see any vandalism. Be sure to read the information board and check out both sides of the cave. It took us by surprise. ;)
Although we didn't see any, bats do live here. So be sure to change your footwear if you plan on visiting other caves to prevent the...
Read more
Derrick Cave, named after an early rancher, served a unique purpose. In 1963, it was designated as a Cold War fallout shelter, complete with supplies of food and water cached behind a concreted and steel door. At one point, several thousand pounds of steel rails were stashed in a passageway to see if they could be detected by remote sensing. The rails, supplies, and even the door itself, have long since vanished. Today, only the door frame remains.
The main entrance is marked by a large ponderosa pine growing out of the opening. Inside, head to the right and the cave splits into several levels with skylights and open spaces on the upper level, extending some 600 feet. The lowest level on this side was the site of the fallout shelter, and where the door frame can be seen today.
To the left, the cave is taller with no skylights beyond the first section, extending into 1,200 feet...
Read more
WARNING! Extremely remote and the roads are a maze and barely maintained. The cave is not that big and not really worth the drive. The drive is over 30 miles on gravel roads. I got a flat tire on the way out. If you're not comfortable going 30 to 50 mph on gravel then this trip will be a slow torture. The metal door frame at the entrance to the cave is the remains of a Cold War shelter that was once stocked with supplies for people in case of a...
Read more
&promo_pic=/hotel-sample/coolest.webp)
