Oregon Caves National Monument Travel Information
Tucked in Oregon's southwest corner near the town of Cave Junction,
about 15 miles from the California border, the 488-acre Oregon Caves
National Monument features a marble cavern system decorated with
natural mineral sculptures including helicites, draperies, and soda
straws. Discovered in 1874, the Oregon Caves are a
three-and-a-half-mile winding tunnel of caverns set deep in the
heavily wooded Siskiyou National Forest. Pleistocene-aged jaguar and
grizzly bear fossils have recently been found in some of the deeper
chambers of the cave system. Besides the cavern system, the monument
also includes old-growth coniferous forest and a historic
lodge. Although the caves are only accessible spring through fall,
the monument is open year-round and includes several trails through
the old-growth forest. The aptly named Big Tree Trail traverses
beautiful mountain meadows to pass the Douglas fir tree with the
widest known girth in Oregon. Trails wind in and out of the monument,
and some connect with the Pacific Crest Trail. Oregon Caves National
Monument is located in southwest Oregon. To learn more about the area,
please select a topic of interest from the navigation bar on the left.
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