When exploring Southern California, you may be mostly drawn to the rivers, lakes, beaches and mountains. But, there are other areas to explore within those locations that are underground.
According to Visit California, underground exploration is part of California’s history. “In the late 1840s, emigrants in search of their fortunes flooded the Sierra foothills before the state was even created. Some of these “forty-niners” panned for gold; others dug mines deep into the earth in search of the Mother Lode. You can go there too, on special guided tours that take you down, down, down.”
With that in mind, here are a few places to explore.
Bronson Caves
The Bronson Caves in Griffith Park have been featured in many films including Batman, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Scorpion King and Star Trek VI. It is probably most famous as the entrance to the Batcave in the Batman television show.
While the cave is closed, you can hike up to it. It is more of a tunnel through the hill rather than a cave with a dark den. To get there, it’s a short 0.7-mile out- and back-trail that takes about 15 minutes to complete.
For more information, visit laparks.org/park/bronson-canyon. It is open from 5 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Burro Schmidt Tunnel
Lava Tube
The Lava Tube, located in Mojave National Preserve “was formed by hot, molten lava oozing across the desert floor 27,000 years ago,” says the National Park Service. Visitors can go inside the tube to enjoy the unique underground “haven with cooler summer temperatures and fantastic photography opportunities.”
The park service advises checking current road conditions at www.nps.gov/moja/road-conditions.
htm to confirm your vehicle can navigate the route. There is a walking trail from the parking lot to the tube. It’s a half-mile trail over rocky terrain. For more information, visit bit.ly/3Y6PNX0.
Leo Carrillo State Beach Coastal Caves
Besides the beach for swimming, surfing and exploring, Leo Carrillo State Beach has tide pools, reefs and coastal caves. The caves are more like tunnels that will lead you from one part of the beach to another. But they’re fun to explore while also checking out the tide pools.
If you want to make more of a day of it, there are campgrounds available. Leo Carrillo has 1.5 miles of beach. Giant sycamore trees shade the main campgrounds. For more information, visit www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=616.
Mud Caves at Arroyo Tapiado
These caves are located in the Carrizo Badlands, which is part of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. The caves were created by water flowing through the silt. There are 22 caves and nine slot canyons, which are narrow channels with sheer rock walls. The highest cave ceiling is 1,000 feet.
Travel to the caves require 4WD, according to AllTrails. “The road is often covered in washboards. There are numerous mud caves in this area so pick your route. You will likely get pretty dirty as you make your way through the caves and narrow tunnels, so be prepared.”
For more information, visit bit.ly/4eNYZET.
The Cave of Munits
Legend has it that the Cave of Munits, which is located in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, was once the home of a mythical Chumash Shaman, whose name was Munits. It is said that Munits was killed by an eagle after he murdered the son of a Chumash chief. The trail is 1.6-miles out and back and is considered a moderately challenging route. The cave is a chimney cave, which is a vertical shaft.
According to AllTrails, it is a good hike up to the cave and onto Castle Peak. If you climb up through the cave, you can continue up the side of the mountain. “The trail is not very clear here, so just keep scrambling upwards until you get to the top of the ridge and then continue toward Castle Peak. From there will be a marked trail with a steep descent. An adventurous hike well worth the scrambling.”
For more information, visit bit.ly/3XGLNL6.
The La Jolla Sea Caves
There are seven caves that together are known as the La Jolla Sea Caves, all which can be viewed by kayaks. The caves are part of a sandstone sea cliff. One cave, the Sunny Jim Cave, can be viewed on land through a man-made tunnel that has been carved into the rock for land-based viewing.
There are a couple of companies that offer kayaking tours of the caves. On the tours, you will be able to explore the La Jolla Ecological Reserve that is filled with sea life including sea lions, leopard sharks, shovelnose guitarfish and garibaldi.
There is also a self-guided tour of Sunny Jim’s Sea Cave. It is said that bootleggers smuggled alcohol and opium into San Diego through the tunnel during Prohibition. For more information, visit cavestore.com.
