Loess caves are a special but widespread geological hazard in the Loess Plateau region. Due to its complex spatial characteristics, hidden development location, and various influencing factors, the early identification of loess caves currently faces many challenges. This paper briefly introduces the types, development characteristics and formation mechanism of loess caves by using the method of literature review. Then, it summaries the existing methods for early identification of loess caves from traditional manual field survey, rapid identification of caves in small watersheds and geophysical exploration of underground caves, and reviews the advantages, disadvantages and application effects of various methods, pointing out that the early identification of loess caves currently faces great difficulty in identification. It is noted that the early identification of loess caves is currently facing many challenges, such as the difficulty of identification, the low accuracy of identification and the fragmentation of identification methods. The study concludes that the 3D measurement and modeling endoscopy has a broad prospect in identifying the internal structure and spatial morphology of caves. Strengthening the basic research on the physical properties of loess and developing efficient interpretation software and algorithms are the key links to improve the existing geophysical detection accuracy and realize accurate modeling of loess caves.The establishment of an integrated“Sky-Air-Surface-Subsurface” system for early identification of loess caves is the best choice for rapid and refined identification of loess caves in watersheds in the future. The research results provide a reference for the early identification of loess caves and the monitoring and early warning of geological hazards caused by subduction of loess caves in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]