Tour the Lindgren cabin during the Angora Hiking Club’s hike at Cullaby Lake Wednesday, Sept. 4.

The Angora Hiking Club is hosting hikes on Wednesday, Sept. 4, at Cullaby Lake and on Saturday, Sept. 7, at Ape Cave.

The hike at Cullaby Lake begins with a tour at 1:30 p.m. of the Finnish Lindgren Cabin. The tour is led by Greg Jacob, a member of the Finlandia Foundation. The cabin is a unique, ax-hewn home built in the 1920s with Oregon red cedar. It was built with few nails and fish-taile corner planks. You can also tour the Finnish sauna. This house was originally on Soapstone Creek. The house is now located directly behind the toll booth at Cullaby Lake.

There will be an easy hike around the park after the tour. Hikers can see native trees and other points of interest including the former race track and grave site of Chief Cullaby, whom the lake was named after. Call hike leaders Don and Gwen Burtch at 503- 861-8720 by Tuesday, Sept. 3, if you plan to participate. There is a county park fee of $5 per vehicle. Those who wish to carpool can meet at 1 p.m. in Astoria on Marine Drive between second and third streets.

On Saturday, Sept. 7, hikers participating in the Ape Cave hike will meet at 8 a.m. at the parking lot on Marine drive in Astoria between second and third streets. This is a difficult hike in Washington State full of breathtaking natural wonders. It includes some impressive prehistoric remnants. Ape Cave’s notoriety is more than just a fun hike – it’s also the longest lava tube in the continental United States. The lava flow that created Ape Cave occurred nearly 1,900 years ago.

There are two hike locations at Ape Cave which include upper and lower levels. The club will hike the lower Ape Cave which is approximately 3/4th of a mile and takes an hour to complete down and back. It is most famous for “Meatball,” a block of cooled lava which fell from the lava tube ceiling while lava was still flowing through the cave. Floating on the surface of the lava flow, it was carried downstream until it became wedged in a narrow spot above the present floor.

There are some rules to know before going into the cave. Bring two sets of lights. Head lamps are recommended. The cave is always 42 degrees, so dress accordingly. No smoking or food are allowed.

There is also a second hike on Sept. 7 at Lava Canyon, 18 miles from Ape Cave. This trail begins at the Interpretive Trailhead. It is paved to a waterfall viewpoint. It will take approximately two and a half hours to drive there so bring a lunch and eat breakfast beforehand. Call hike leader Jan Coughlin by Friday, Sept. 6, at 503-791-3521 if you plan to participate. There is a $5 Northwest Forest required parking fee.