Pluto's Cave

Pluto's Cave is a partially collapsed lava tube on the northern outskirts of Mount Shasta. The tube is roughly 190,000 years old, which is quite old for a lava tube, as they normally collapse quickly (in geological terms), having ceilings only a few metres thick. However, Pluto's Cave is located in a semi-arid climate, where erosion is restricted, which contributes to its survival.The cave was first explored in 1863 by Nelson Cash, who came upon it while looking for stray cattle. He named it Pluto's Cave after Pluto, the Greek God of the underworld. Evidence was found of its use by Pre-Columbian peoples. Visitors can safely hike into the cave about 1200 feet (350 m).