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In Lava Beds National Monument (Northern California), this is the "Hopkins Chocolate Cave" trail, which is a cave and tunnel created when red hot lavas flowed underground. Once the lava drained away, this lava tube cave was left behind. There are over 500 such caves known to exist in Lava Beds National Monument (some are over a mile long), with new ones discovered each year. This shot shows some nice examples of dripstone (rock "running" down the ceiling" as well as lavacicles on the ceiling. (09/30/2004)