Central Oregon is chockablock with evidence of its volcanic origins. It’s kind of hard to ignore said evidence given how much of it protrudes in the form of mountains to our west and buttes in every direction.

But it’s also underground, in the form of very cool — and literally cold — lava tubes. Many know Boyd Cave, an easy-to-reach spot with an entrance you can drive right up to. But 3 miles farther down China Hat Road is Arnold Ice Cave (closed Sept. 15-April 30), another fine example of Central Oregon’s tubular goodness. Long before electric freezers were the household standard, ice was harvested from the cave and carted and sold in town.

Hidden Forest

About a quarter of a mile down the south-heading trail from Arnold is another cool spot, Hidden Forest Cave, a partially collapsed lava tube with mature ponderosa pines growing from its floor. After a minute or two, you’ll see a pit on the right-hand side but keep going. In a few more minutes, the trail will lead you to the left side of Hidden Forest’s cliff walls. Tread carefully, there are no guardrails here. If you continue along this side of the opening, you’ll come to the hill that leads down past the towering ponderosas and into the cave itself. In winter, it can become slippery from packed snow and freeze-thaw, so wear appropriate shoes for your visit.

The cave’s mouth faces south, and a careful walk across boulders leads one to the covered portion of the tube. During our visit Saturday afternoon, my wife and our daughter, Lucy, enjoyed the low winter sun’s light flooding the interior, warming us slightly and lighting up the jagged rock overhead and on the walls.

A big please don’t

There’s something magical about this spot, where at present there is unfortunately more graffiti than the zero amount we would have enjoyed seeing far more. When it comes to such places and the long view of history, you’re not so special you should leave any trace of your presence. That includes garbage, including the wrapper of a Costco granola bar someone had stuck in a cranny along the trail. My wife fished it out and carried it with her because someone else was too lazy and uncaring.

On our way back to the car, enjoying the sunny day so much we didn’t want our visit to be over, we added a few more steps to our day by turning east for a short out-and-back on the forest road that transects the trail between Hidden Forest and Arnold, avoiding the many cowpies we were also surprised to find.

Getting there: From Knott Road in Bend, head southeast on China Hat Road 11 miles and turn right on Forest Road 300. Continue a half mile to the trailhead, which starts behind the boulders separating the parking area from the trail. A high-clearance vehicle is advisable.