TULELAKE NEWS | SISKIYOU COUNTY | OCTOBER 18, 2026. A northern California conservation crew has completed unusual preservation work underground at Skull Cave in Lava Beds National Monument. In an October 14 report, the California Conservation Corps (CCC) described members of its Siskiyou Center installing new protective barriers and improving visitor railings inside the volcanic cave.
Unlike a conventional above-ground trail repair, the assignment required working in a cold lava tube containing delicate ice, historic material and animal remains. The state report describes a new fence intended to keep visitors from touching sensitive features, as well as railing improvements to make movement along the designated route safer.
Why Skull Cave needs special care
The National Park Service describes Skull Cave as a 580-foot lava tube formed in layers. Its comparatively open main passage is less confined than many of the monument’s caves, but steps and a descent to a lower platform are still part of the visit. Cold air becomes trapped inside, preserving ice on the lower level. The site takes its name from remains discovered there, including bones of bighorn sheep and pronghorn and human skeletal remains.
These are not objects that visitors are permitted to collect, touch or disturb. Cultural resources and the history of Modoc people should be treated with particular respect.
What the California Conservation Corps said it changed
The CCC report explains that participants installed fencing intended to protect bones, ice and other relics. They also secured secondary poles to a railing that previously had only a top bar, reducing gaps and improving the defined visitor route. The work involved hands-on conservation and construction experience for young adults from the Siskiyou Center, which is based in Yreka.
The state agency cited 143,659 visits to Lava Beds National Monument during 2025, attributing that park-wide figure to the National Park Service. That is not a count of people visiting Skull Cave alone, and it should not be interpreted as a forecast for 2026.
Can visitors go inside?
The cave work does not mean every passage in Lava Beds is open without restrictions. The National Park Service says visitors need a free cave permit before entering caves. A visitor center screening helps prevent the spread of the fungus associated with white-nose syndrome, a dangerous disease for bats. The park’s caving guide lists seasonal and other closures, and those restrictions must be checked for the intended travel date.
Park officials list the visitor center’s usual operating hours as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but conditions and closures can change. In cold weather, snow can affect roads and cave access. For the latest park information contact Lava Beds National Monument at 530-667-8113 or check the official hours and conditions page.
Why this matters to the Tulelake area
Regional destinations often depend on maintenance work the public rarely sees. The cave project combines protection of natural and cultural resources with safer public access, while also giving local young adults practical experience. Residents can follow conservation results rather than treating a government announcement as a promise that every cave is open or risk-free.
More local reporting: Read our existing Tule Lake National Monument winter visitor coverage for the separate historic-site system. The Tule Lake National Monument and Lava Beds National Monument are different National Park Service units.
Sources: California Conservation Corps, October 14, 2026; National Park Service Skull Cave, caving permit and operating-hours guides. The newsroom did not independently inspect the completed work. Confirm park access before travel.
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