A lava flow can run many miles, and make passage across the desert difficult when one is on foot. One must have very hard, sturdy boots, or one must walk around a lava flow. This lava flow is located in the Mojave Desert Preserve. There is an ancient, *DRY* waterfall located within this lava flow which I wished to see, so I once hiked over this lava flow. The hike took about two hours one-way, and it was a very dangerous, brutal hike. The edges of this lava is serrated and razor sharp; one can cut open a leg or hand on this lava, and not even know one is bleeding. All things considered, crossing a lava flow such as this one is a vastly stupid thing to do. On the other hand, if one is being chased by outlaws or indians, this may be a good place to hide.

This opening to a lava tube is from a different caldera than the lava flow above, but is from the same magma hot spot. It is located in a group of cinder cones, in the Mojave Desert Preserve. Here the tube's ceiling broke open, exposing the tube. Only a tiny portion of the tube is open, as over the centuries mud has filled in the ends, leaving a lava cave. It is actually cool inside this lava cave; it can be 30 or more degrees cooler than outside, and the dirt on the floor of the cave feels cool and damp. Eventually the ceiling of this tube will collapse completely; that could take another five thousand years, or fifty thousand years. People who have visited this cave generally leave it as they find it; however, now and then people will leave trash in the cave, or use the cave as a toilet.