Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve are located in Southern Oregon. The park protects over 4,500 acres including the historic Oregon Caves Chateau.
Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve
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The park is located within the Siskiyou Mountains in Oregon and was named a National Monument in 1909.
In, 2014 the park was expanded with the Oregon Caves Preserve to protect the 4,000 acres of the cave’s watershed.
Oregon Caves National Monument protects a complex marble cave system. The marble cave system was created by natural forces of rainwater dissolving marble over thousands of years. The cave system is home to some of the most complete segment of old oceanic crust in Western America.
Above ground the park is filled with douglas fir forests.
The drive up to Oregon Caves National Monument is on a windy mountain road. If you get car sick or have someone with you who gets car sick you will want to be prepared with ginger or nauzeze.
You will definitely want to dress in layers. It can be quite cool and damp up at the cave. The cave is a constant 44 degrees so you will want to be prepared.
They do not allow bags during the cave tours but you can wear a fanny pack. They have lockers outside for you to store your personal items.
Top things to do at Oregon Caves
Cave Tours at Oregon Caves National Monument
Oregon Caves offers a few different cave tours depending on how adventurous you want to go. Make sure to watch the park video to make sure you are prepared for going into the cave.
There are no self-guided tours of the cave. If you want to visit inside Oregon Caves you have to be on a ranger-guided tour.
It is recommended you make a reservation to tour through the Oregon Caves. There are some tickets available at the park but they normally fill up quickly especially in the summer.
The busiest cave tour times are between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm.
Cave Tour Reservations
Reservations are available online at Recreation.gov up to a day before your visit.
Same-day tour tickets are on sale at the park and in Cave Junction at the Illinois Valley Visitor Center.
To save time the park suggests visiting the Illinois Valley Visitor Center to buy tickets if you have not reserved them before heading up to the park. Wait times can be long during the summer and tours occasionally sell out early. Get your tickets first in Cave Junction.
All ticket holders must check-in at the Oregon Caves Visitor Center desk at the monument no less than 30 minutes prior to the reserved tour time.
Parking lot check-in does not meet reservation check-in requirements.
Cave Tour Safety
Children must be at least 42 inches (107 cm) tall to take a tour.
Visitors age 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult age 16 or over.
Do not wear open-toed shoes, flip-flops, or sandals! Make sure you have closed-toed walking shoes that are comfortable and have great tread.
Make sure to wear warm clothing and layers for the tour. The cave is 44 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius).
Cave Tour visitors must be able to stoop through sections of the cave that are as low as 45 inches (114 cm).
Visitors must also be able to ascend and descend over 500 steps, many of them steep, uneven and/or without handrails.
Visitors are asked to demonstrate their ability to crouch down as low as 45 inches and walk a few steps during the cave tour orientation.
Tours are not recommended if you have a heart condition, breathing issues, poor balance, trouble walking, issues climbing stairs, or have back, knee, hip, ankle, or foot problems.
The following items are prohibited within the cave – Bags (including purses), food, drinks, gum, candy, flashlights, walking sticks, tripods, pets, and tobacco products. Lockers are available at the visitor center.
Visitors going inside the cave are asked to not wear clothes, shoes, or other items worn or carried in another cave or mine to help prevent White-nose Syndrome in bats.
Cave Accessibility
Visitors using wheelchairs, walkers, scooters, and similar devices can visit Watson’s Grotto, the first room of the cave.
Walking sticks are not allowed in the cave except for people that medically require a walking assistance device.
Cave Tour Things to Know!
Do we need flashlights?
You do not need to bring a flashlight with you. The cave has lights and the Park Ranger leading the tour will have a flashlight.
Can we take photos on the Oregon Caves Cave tour?
Yes, Photography is allowed but visitors must be able to turn their flash off. Tripods and camera bags are not allowed to be taken on the tour.
Discovery Cave Tour
The tour is offered throughout the day spring through fall.
90-minutes.
Moderately Strenuous.
Children must be over 42″ tall.
$10.00 Adults, ages 16 and over
$7.00 Juniors, ages 15 and under. Children must be 42 in. (107 cm) tall or taller to take the tour
$5.00 Interagency Senior Pass Cardholders ages 62 and over**
$5.00 Interagency Access Pass Cardholders ages 16 and over**
$3.50 Junior Interagency Access Pass Cardholders ages 15 and under**
Candlelight Cave Tour
Offered at 6:00 PM, Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day.
60-minutes.
Moderately Strenuous.
Children must be 10-years or older.
Reservations Recommended: Recreation.gov
$10.00 Adults, ages 16 and over
$7.00 Juniors, ages 10 to 15.
$5.00 Interagency Senior Pass Cardholders ages 62 and over**
$5.00 Interagency Access Pass Cardholders ages 16 and over**
$3.50 Junior Interagency Access Pass Cardholders ages 15 and under*
Kids and Family Tour
Offered at 10:30 and 3:00, June 13 to September 7.
90-minutes.
Moderately Strenuous.
Children must be over 42″ tall.
Reservations Required: Recreation.gov
$10.00 Adults, ages 16 and over
$7.00 Juniors, ages 15 and under. Children must be 42 in. (107 cm) tall or taller to take the tour
$5.00 Interagency Senior Pass Cardholders ages 62 and over**
$5.00 Interagency Access Pass Cardholders ages 16 and over**
$3.50 Junior Interagency Access Pass Cardholders ages 15 and under*
Off-Trail Caving Tour
$45.00
Ages 15 years and over
2020 season dates coming soon!
3-hours
Strenuous
Reservations Required: Recreation.gov
Visitor Center
The visitor center is the perfect place to start your visit to the park. You can pick up National Park Service brochures and find out what is happening in the park.
Oregon Caves Chateau
The historic 1930’s lodge is currently undergoing renovations until at least 2021.
Oregon Caves Chateau has 23 rooms available for staying overnight.
The Chateau at Oregon Caves is one of the National Park’s Historic Lodges and a National Historic Landmark.
Become an Oregon Caves Junior Ranger
You can print your Junior Ranger program before visiting the park or pick one up at the visitor center. Once you complete the program you can turn it in at the visitor center to receive your junior ranger badge.
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Chickaree, ages 6 and under, 4000 KB
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Townsend, ages 7-10 years old, 1700 KB
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Grizzly, ages 11 and older, 21,000 KB
The park also has the Junior Cave Scientist program.
Hiking Trails at Oregon Caves
There are six trails within Oregon Caves National Monument.
You can print these great hiking trail maps before your visit.
- Oregon Caves Hiking Trails Handout, 708 KB pdf file
- Oregon Caves Hiking Trails Map, 1,300 KB pdf file
Caves Creek Campground
Cave Creek Campground is located four miles from the visitor center. The campground has 17 sites that are first come-first serve.
The spaces are too small for large RVs or trailers and no pull-through sites.
Maximum vehicle length: 20 feet.
Check out our post on Cave Creek Campground to see site photos and detailed information on the campground.
Things to know when planning a visit to Oregon Caves NM
Large RVs and Travel Trailers are not recommended. Vehicles over 46′ prohibited.
Oregon Caves NM is approximately an hour away from Grants Pass, Oregon. While the map says it is only 48.6 miles away you will want to plan for windy roads.
Cave Junction is listed as being 20 miles away but the road is twisty and turny! You want to plan for a minimum of an hour to reach the visitor center.
Entrance Fee – Entrance to the park is free but there is a fee for a cave tour.
Directions to the park – DO NOT trust Google Map, GPS devices, and similar applications!!!
These programs can send you over scary mountain roads.
It could take up to 60 minutes to reach the caves from the intersection of US-199 and OR-46 in Cave Junction.
Oregon Caves National Monument Distances
Bend, OR 240 miles / 386 km (approximately 5.5 hours)
Crater Lake, OR 150 miles / 240 km (approximately 3.5 hours)
Crescent City, OR 75 miles / 120 km (approximately 2 hours)
Eugene, OR 200 miles / 320 km (approximately 4 hours)
Grants Pass, OR 55 miles / 90 km (approximately 1.5 hours)
Portland, OR 300 miles / 480 km (approximately 5 hours)
San Francisco, CA 450 miles / 725 km (approximately 8 hours)
What is in Cave Junction, Oregon
Cave Junction is the small town near Oregon Caves NM. There are not a ton of great hotels in town but there are quick and easy restaurant options.
During our last drive through town, we saw Dairy Queen, Dutch Bros, Subway, Wild River Pizza and Brewery.
They also have a Grocery Outlet and Dollar General if you need basic supplies.
National Park Sites near Oregon Caves
Crater Lake National Park – 3 hours/130 miles
Redwood National Park – 2 hours/70 miles to Crescent City, Calif
Lassen Volcanic National Park – 5 hours/258 miles
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area – 4½ hours/233 miles
Tule Lake National Monument – 3½ hours/174 miles
Lava Beds National Monument – 4 hours/191 miles
Check out all of the National Parks in Oregon along with neighboring Washington National Parks and National Parks in California.
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