Prohibition CAVE TOURS

Explore the Lava Caves near Bend, Oregon!

Please Note: We do not visit Lava River Cave (operated by the Deschutes National Forest)

CARE TO MAKE YOUR TOUR PRIVATE?

Any group tour of 10 or more people (or price equivalent) can be made private and customized to your needs. Learn more >>

About

Adventure: Wanderlust Tours is the premier destination for cave tours in Bend, Oregon! Join us on this epic subterranean tour on Bend’s ponderosa pine-studded high desert. Our renowned naturalist guides will highlight sweet bits of these cool caverns that might not initially meet the eye. 

Naturalist Guided Experience: In 1916, Oregon reinstated Prohibition, (4 years prior to the National Prohibition). But just like today, Oregonians loved their alcohol and had a passion for producing. We will start the tour by exploring a cave in a system known to have been used to distill spirits (illegally)! Scattered around the sage-covered High Desert lie ancient caves, buried by the volcanic upheavals in centuries known to past peoples.

Caves: We’ll discover the hidden underground world of these large cool caverns in a way that’s safe and fascinating! Leading small groups with headlamps for all, our guides will provide in-depth interpretation on the formation of the lava tubes, the wildlife habitat inside the caves and the many uses of the caves over time from Native American dwellings to cold storage for early Bend residents. Central Oregon’s caves are delicate ecosystems that few have experienced in this way.

Distillery: After caving, we’ll head to a local distillery. Guests will learn both the history and process of distilling (legally). We’ll enjoy local libations and from your most favored spirit we’ve included a happy hour cocktail of your choosing.

PLEASE READ: WHITE NOSE SYNDROME IN NORTH AMERICA

In March 2016, WNS was found in Washington state. Wanderlust Tours is committed to cooperating with state and federal agencies, as well as conservation groups, to provide information to the public on the value of bats and the threat posed by WNS. Some of our Bend-area caves serve as winter hibernaculum, and we will not visit these caves. We operate year-round cave tours in caves where our bats do not hibernate. WNS does not affect humans in any way. Learn more about WNS in the United State here.