Adventure • Fun • Fascination

The Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve

Oregon Cave Tours are OPEN! 


Tickets & Tours: Recreation.gov

or the Illinois Valley Visitor Center

Cave Tours

Join an adventurous, fun and fascinating guided exploration of the “Marble Halls of Oregon”. Your park guide will lead you on a 90 minute journey into mysterious dark passages. You will learn about what goes on inside the earth. The route is moderately strenuous. You can expect lots of twisting, bending and stooping. Wear warm clothes, it’s 44* (7*C ) inside the cave.

Summer tours - now running 7 days a week from 10 AM - 4 PM. Kids and Family tour, Discovery Tour, Candlelight Tours and Off-Trail Cave Tour.



Reservations are available at www.recreation.gov. Same day tickets are available at the Illinois Valley Visitor Center at 201 Caves Highway in Cave Junction as the official starting point for planning trips before making the scenic 45 minute drive to the Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve -- Phone 541-592-5125.

Hiking Trails for All Skill Levels



Whether you're a seasoned hiker looking for a full-day adventure or a casual walker seeking a short, scenic stroll, the monument’s trail system offers options for every level of fitness and experience. The Cliff Nature Trail is a shorter, moderate trail perfect for those wanting to experience the park's beauty without spending too much time on the trail. With its relatively low elevation gain and easy accessibility from the Visitor Center, it’s a popular option for families and those new to hiking.

For a more challenging hike, the Big Tree Trail and Bigelow Lakes – Mt. Elijah Loop provide longer routes that take you deep into the park’s wilderness. These trails involve steeper climbs, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Hikers can explore dense forests, pass by serene mountain lakes, and reach the summit of Mt. Elijah, where they’ll find some of the most stunning views in the region.

Along the Big Tree Trail, you’ll encounter the park’s namesake feature—the largest Douglas fir in Oregon by girth, a towering testament to the longevity and grandeur of the Pacific Northwest’s old-growth forests.

The Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is not just a Josephine County treasure, it is an amazing Oregon story and even a national one. 


In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act into law. Three years later, President William Howard Taft used it to designate the Oregon Caves as a National Monument in 1909, one of the earliest in the American West.

Before a road even reached the site in 1927, more than 20,000 visitors made the journey on horseback from Williams to camp and tour the Oregon Caves. Tents gave way to cabins, and in 1934, the Historic Chateau was built, as part of a vision to create a true resort destination nestled in the wilderness of Southern Oregon. The Chateau served visitors for over 84 years. Today, the Chateau is temporarily closed as funding for its full historic restoration comes together.

The story of what it was and what it can be again is well worth exploring -- Watch for more about the Chateau in the upcoming newsletters.



Sue Densmore
Executive Director

Friends of the Oregon Caves and Chateau

is a non-profit organization cooperating

with the National Park Service

in the preservation, stewardship and

improvement of the cultural and

natural resources of the

Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve.

Your support is always appreciated:

The Friends raise funds to continue our collaboration with the NPS to leverage the resources necessary to fully complete the restoration of the historic Chateau.

Make your gift today!

We continue to be honored by your generous response

and appreciate you! Thank you so much!

Oregon Caves Chateau Named as one of 11 Most 
announcement by Oregon Governor Tina Kotek