Boulder Cave
Boulder Cave was formed more than 10 million years ago when a series of lava flows with sediment deposits were eroded by Devil Creek. The erosion caused sediment to collapse and Boulder Cave to form. The hike to Boulder Cave is only 2 miles round-trip with very minimal elevation gain. This cave is more of a 400-foot tunnel than a cave and is not hard to walk through, but it does get completely pitch-black. You can either bring a flashlight or use the flashlight on your phone. Also, this area is an important habitat for the Pacific western big-eared bat. Reduce disturbances to this sensitive species by staying as quiet as possible, staying on the trail, not touching the cave walls, and not shining your flashlight light at the ceiling.
You can access the cave either from the east entrance or the west entrance. I chose to go to the end of the trail and enter Boulder Cave from the west entrance. After paralleling Devil Creek for about a mile, the trail ends at the caves above. I didn’t explore the cave in the first picture and am not sure what its name is. The west entrance to Boulder Cave continues on the trail to your left.
I am terrified of the dark, but I wanted to push myself outside of my comfort zone and walk through the cave. I stared into Boulder Cave for about 5 minutes before deciding to try to go in. Once inside, I got scared and went back up to the boardwalk to give myself a pep talk. After mustering up some needed courage, I made a second attempt at walking through the cave. I initially tried to walk through without my phone’s flashlight, but quickly became scared and turned it on. I have an overactive imagination, so being in the dark is one of the worst places I can be. Even though logically I know I’m fine, my mind goes to worst case scenarios and the weirdest places (gotta love intrusive thoughts). Overall, the cave wasn’t too scary. I am sad that I didn’t see or hear any bats.
Note for the reader: I share these locations so that others can see beautiful places and enjoy nature as much as I do. Please be respectful of the outdoors and what condition it is in when you visit. Don’t go off trail, leave no trace, and pack out what you came in with.
