Oregon Caves National Monument



Oregon Caves National Monument is a 4,558-acre national monument in Southern Oregon that protects a 3-mile-long (5-km) cave in the marble rock within the Siskiyou Mountains.

History
The first person known to have entered the cave was Elijah Davidson, who followed his dog Bruno into the cave while pursuing a bear in late November 1874. After venturing into the cave and exhausting his supply of matches the hunter was forced to crawl in darkness out of the cave, following the underground river for guidance. At the urging of his brother, Davidson returned to the cave in 1877, this time with more light, to further explore the cave.

While few people visited the cave in the ten years after its discovery, the following two decades saw several private investors try (and fail) to turn the cave into a tourist attraction. President Taft declared the area a national monument in 1909, and the construction of the Caves Highway in 1922 resulted in a huge increase in visitors to the caves.

Landscape
Oregon Caves are unusual due to the fact that the rock is marble, although the caves were formed from the common process of slightly acidic water seeping through cracks. It is believed that the cave is at least one million years old, and possibly several million years in age.

Flora and fauna
Trees in the monument include Douglas fir, oak, white fir, and alder, including "Big Tree", which at 42 feet (12 m) in diameter is the largest Douglas fir in Oregon.

The park is home to approximately 50 species of mammals, 86 species of birds, and 11 species of reptiles and amphibians. Nearly 160 species are found inside the cave, including 8 species of bats. The most commonly seen animals include black-tailed deer and Townsend's chipmunk, but lucky visitors may see black bear, cougar, northern flying squirrel, and Pacific giant salamander.

Climate
The monument is located at 4,000 feet (1,220 m) elevation and experiences summer temperatures between 65-85°F (18-29°C). The area gets over 50 inches (127 cm) of rain per year, much of it in the fall. Winters are snowy and chains may be required on the park highway, and the road may be temporarily closed during winter storms.

Visitor information

 * Park website (NPS)

Get in
The only road to the park is Oregon Route 46, a winding mountain road that travels 20 miles (32 km) east from the town of Cave Junction. The road is not recommended for trailers and RVs beyond milepost 12.

Fees and permits
There is no park entry fee, but fees are charged for cave tours.

Get around
The park is compact, so visitors park at the lower parking lot and then walk. The Chateau and Visitors Center are about one-quarter mile up a paved roadway from the main parking lot, and trails are well-maintained.

See




Cave tours
Reservations for cave tours are on a first come, first served basis and are available from the visitor center. The busiest times are between 11AM and 3PM, when waits can be up to two hours; early arrival is recommended. Children shorter than 42 in (107 cm) in height are not allowed on cave tours. Due to technical difficulties credit cards may not always be accepted, so ensure you can pay in cash if necessary. Tours are not available from November through mid-March in order to protect hibernating bats. Backpacks, food, drinks, gum, tobacco, canes, flashlights and tripods are not allowed in the cave. Temperatures in the cave average 44°F (7°C) year-round, so a jacket is recommended.



Camping
There are no campgrounds within the park, but there are two forest service campgrounds on the park road just outside of the park borders.





Backcountry
There is no camping allowed within the monument, but backcountry camping is allowed outside of the park borders in designated areas within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

Go next

 * Cave Junction - The only town accessible from the park is 20 miles (32 km) west of the park on Oregon Route 46.