09 – Kuna Cave
Kuna Caves, located just south of Kuna, Idaho, are a fascinating example of lava tube formations resulting from ancient volcanic activity. The main cavern is accessible via a caged ladder descending approximately 50 feet (15 meters) into the earth. Extending about a quarter mile north and roughly 1,000 feet (300 meters) south from the entrance, the cave maintains a comfortable year-round temperature of around 56°F (13°C), making it an inviting spot for exploration.Wikipedia
While the cave has faced challenges such as graffiti and littering, local efforts are underway to preserve and enhance this natural wonder. In 2021, the Bureau of Land Management proposed the “Kuna Cave Recreation Site Improvement Project,” aiming to improve public facilities by adding a road leading to the caves, a parking lot, an improved ladder, and a new grate to deter vandalism. Visitors are encouraged to respect the site by following Leave No Trace principles, ensuring that the caves remain a pristine and enjoyable destination for all.
More Information
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuna_Caves
Coordinates: 43.412093, -116.449814
Elevation: 2881 ft
Difficulty: 2
What to Expect: No info
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the Last bit of road in had big ruts. I stayed on top for a while but finished riding in the rut. I only had a small flashlight so didn’t go down the hole.
July 22, was out and figured why not? Several people out there and a bunch of kids. Many of whom just could not figure out why in the world a motorcycle was out there (Obviously never seen a dirt bike before). Hot and dusty but otherwise a fun little jaunt.
May 3rd. 3rd stop of the day on a fast ride to catch up with Sam’s Poker Run
Bumpy riding in. Just a hole in the ground.
A very unexpected hole in the ground.
Interesting spot! It’d be very easy to miss if you didn’t know it was there. A lot of ruts, but easy enough to navigate on a dry day. I probably wouldn’t visit in early spring when this area is really muddy.
The cave itself is larger than I remembered, and quite cool compared to the 90 degree day above ground. Be sure to bring a flashlight if you intend to climb down that ladder, wandering around in there is a very different experience when you’re by yourself, haha.
Nice day for a Sunday ride! Road was a bit rutted but dry. LOTS of nails from all the pallet burning parties out there, and a bit of trash 🙁 The cave itself is cool though. 🙂
We rode around the back of Lake Lowell from Caldwell to Kuna Cave today.
road has dried up a lot, bottopmed out the 650 a few times
We didn’t go past this point, but we could see the destination. Too muddy and rutted-looking.
Wasn’t too bad
Dry and hard packed dirt, lots of ruts and holes but not too bad. I’m sure it’s awful when muddy. I was here a few months ago with a group of folks packing out bags of trash: fireworks, paint cans, beer cans, broken glass, etc.
Wind was just right for Eau Du Bovine from the nearby feed lots 🙁
Haven’t been here since my kids were little.
Mud crossing was slick as snot and ended up tipping over. The mud is the hardest part
Thank you @Brandon for the tip about the navigation and turning at the house not the dairy. Everyone- Apple Maps will send you on the wrong route but Google has it right. Also, with irrigation season in full swing there is a mud bog to pass through. That mud is like skating and can raise difficulty to a 3 for a very brief stretch.
There was a couple guys there cleaning out the furniture that someone had dropped in. I had been down in years ago.
Our last stop of the day was Kuna Caves, and sadly, we didn’t complete this challenge either. Again, as a less-experienced rider, this was more than a 2 for me. The ruts were pretty gnarly, and after a long day, we didn’t have it in us to cross that muddy bit.
A jeep was stuck in the mud the while time i was here. Watch your rut path, I was headed towards the mud.
Alternate route due to my confusion.
smells like cows here 😉
1st time here
Easy enough road in just took it slow given the bikes we were on. The cattle guard has a nice little step off but no drama. Went down in the cave and went back until the point were you would need to actually crawl, didn’t want to mess up the fresh digs so turned around.
I did not go in that hole
Smells like feedlot out here. I didn’t go down in because there were a bunch of kids there going up and down the ladder. Pretty easy ride. Compacted dirt and ruts the last few hundred yards is all.
Cave Dwelling
Glad I could be of service Chilly! I included a picture of Chilly “At least it’s not windy down here” Philly from the floor of the cave. Remember to take a flashlight and explore when you get down there. This is a cool spot. Another one of those places that I’ve been by a hundred times and never stopped to check it out. Thanks for putting this on the list of places this year!
We came in from the north. A little nasty water filled in the road here and there we had to dodge around, but the road wasn’t terrible aside from the potholes.
Spent a short time in the cave. Came back out (it was a cold and windy morning) and my little Princess decided she wouldn’t start because, well, it was too cold. Fortunately FW190Pilot had a strap and came to the rescue. He was able to tow me out to the main road and pull started the delicate girl. Thanks FW190Pilot!
First time here not a bad road but very rutty. A smelly ride though past all the ranches.
Mistook Kuna cave for Higby’s cave that I slept in as a youth. First visit for me.
There are some ruts, and you might be careful if it’s wet outside. Otherwise not too bad. Easily doable on a big bike.
I highly recommend exploring the cave if you have time. Brittan and I climbed to the bottom but didn’t have any lights to go further.
I suggest not attempting this if it is muddy. Deep ruts are manageable otherwise.
It’s been a few years since I’ve been out to this cave. The road is short and a lot more rutted then I remember.
This is a tricky find. My phone tried to take me through an operational cattle ranch. Rancher was super nice, and directed me to it. Traveling west on Kuna Cave Road, *JUST PAST* the second house on the left is a gravel road, take that over the cattle guard, and what you are looking for is just off to the left. This one was tricky!
Needed GPS to find the location as there are no signs posted that I could locate. The main dirt road was in good shape, but the closer you get to the site the road is full of deep ruts and other debris.
Went here on the way to the picnic. Never been before, cool little spot out in a field.
Didn’t have my bandana yet since it was on the way. Hopefully I get credit😁