What are the opening hours?

Monday 9:30am - 5pm Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm Thursday 9:30am - 5pm Friday 9:30am - 5pm Saturday 9:30am - 5pm Sunday 9:30am - 5pm

Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve

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Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve

This is the official page of Oregon Caves National Monument.
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“The stalagmite and stalactite formations of this cave surpass anything ever dreamed of … nothing I ever beheld in Nature before so completely overcame me with suggestions of sublimity and beauty.” —William Fidler 1877 on his first trip to the cave.

09/14/2026

September 13th, 2026, marks the first International Day of Caves and Karst (IDCK), the United Nation's newest holiday!

But why celebrate caves?

Caves and karst landscapes provide water to more than a billion people, supporting communities all around the world. These spaces are home to endangered critters ranging from tiny flatworms to massive colonies of bats. 🦇 On top of that, nearly 25% of the Earth's land surface is covered by karst, including the Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve!

Interested in supporting caves and karst in your community?

The easiest way to get involved is by visiting nearby caves, including Oregon Caves! Another way to help is to tell your friends- the more our communities know about caves, the easier it is to preserve their splendor.

09/04/2026

Please join us at Oregon Caves for a ranger-led night sky talk on September 12th at 8pm! (weather permitting) We will be meeting in the parking lot to learn about the different nocturnal animals that call Oregon Caves home. Dress appropriately for the weather, bring a camp chair, and use a red-light headlamp if you have one.

08/28/2026

Alert!!! Tonight's bat program has been cancelled due to weather. The colder rainy weather is not conducive to a successful bat capture and program. We are truly sorry for any inconvenience.
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Event reminder! Join us at Oregon Caves on August 30 and September 13 to learn about the many kinds of bats that call this park home. You'll see our experts capture and study a variety of bat species as well! There will be a short presentation outlining bat facts and the work we do at the caves.

The public events will last from around 6:30pm to 10pm, though bat capture may go on until midnight. Be sure to dress for cool weather, and we're excited to see you there!

08/26/2026

Today is a very special day as we continue our celebration of National Park Week. Today is the 110th birthday of the National Park Service! For over a century, the NPS has been protecting and preserving our amazing public lands for all to enjoy. Since National Park sites are always 10 out of 10 experiences, below we have highlighted a list of 10 things to do at Oregon Caves.

1. Go on a guided tour of the cave.
2. Take a hike!
3. Explore the Blind Leads.
4. Look for wildlife.
5. Admire the wildflowers.
6. Check out the historic buildings.
7. Listen to the peaceful sounds of Cave Creek and the River Styx.
8. Have a picnic.
9. Watch the sunset from the top of the Cliff Nature Trail.
10. Go stargazing.

08/24/2026

Happy America in Motion Monday! What’s your favorite way to explore our national parks? At Oregon Caves, visitors have the unique opportunity to join our off-trail caving tour and receive a rugged, guided experience of rarely seen sections of the cave. Whether on the off-trail or discovery tour, or hiking one of our six scenic trails, we encourage you to stay active and experience everything our national parks have to offer!

08/23/2026

Safety Sunday at Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve 🦇✨

104°F on the valley floor… 44°F underground!
When summer heat hits Cave Junction, there’s no cooler escape than exploring Oregon’s marble halls. Whether you're celebrating an NPS 250th event, vacationing with family, or simply wandering for the day, let the cave be your refuge—and let safety guide your adventure.

Above Ground: Stay Ready for the Heat
• Prepare for hot temps! Surface temperatures in summer and early fall often climb into the high 80s and low 90s—bring water, sun protection, and warm‑weather layers!
• Expect varied terrain. Trails can be steep, uneven, and exposed, so move with care and stay on designated routes.
• Plan ahead. Cell service is limited, so let someone know your itinerary and check conditions before you arrive.

Below Ground: Embrace the Cool Cave
• Layer up! Even when it’s blazing outside, the cave stays a crisp 44°F year‑round—bring cozy layers to stay comfortable!
• Watch your footing. Narrow passages, slick surfaces, and low ceilings mean slow and steady is the best way to explore.
• Respect wildlife. Give bats and cave creatures plenty of space and help protect delicate cave formations.

And our most important safety tip: Follow Ranger Guidance!

Rangers are here to help you explore responsibly and get the most out of your visit. No matter how you celebrate, recreating responsibly keeps Oregon Caves safe for everyone—and protects this remarkable part of the Siskiyou mountains for generations to come.

Photo credits I. Ekblom

08/21/2026

Who are these two little puffballs tucking their heads into their baby fluff? You might be surprised to find that these are two turkey vulture chicks! These two were discovered nesting at our preserve and have been growing up quickly before our eyes. They have been spotted squabbling over food dropped off by their parent (maybe not unlike you and your siblings...), practicing opening up their wings, and snuggled up outside their nest.

Turkey vultures play a crucial role in keeping our park clean and preventing the spread of disease. When other critters pass away, these birds use their incredibly acidic stomach acid to not only digest the carcass but deactivate much of the bacteria in it. In other words, these critters are not only scavenging food for themselves, but they're cleaning up bacteria in the process-- talk about nature's janitors!

Stay tuned for more as these chicks get ready to take flight!

08/18/2026

Please join us at Oregon Caves on August 30 and September 13 to learn about the many kinds of bats that call this park home. You'll see our experts capture and study a variety of bat species as well! There will be a short presentation outlining bat facts and the work we do at the caves.

Visitors are welcome to come and go as they please, but the events will start around 6:30pm with bat capture ending around midnight. Be sure to dress for cool weather, and we're excited to see you there!

07/13/2026

Happy 117th birthday to Oregon Caves National Monument! July 12, 1909, President Taft declared that the 480 acres of land that now makes up Oregon Caves National Monument shall be protected and conserved for the enjoyment of the public, now and into the future. Since then, the protected land surrounding the caves has been expanded to protect the entire watershed thanks to President Obama in 2014. While the monument is now 117 years old, scientists speculate that the cave itself is at least one and half million years old. If you visit us in the coming days, make sure to wish us a happy birthday and reflect on the history that can be found here.

Photo 1: A photo of the entrance of Oregon Caves with a happy birthday banner. Source: O. Umbel/NPS

Photo 2, 3, 4: A photo of a Townsend’s big-eared bat, bushy-tailed pack rat, and California sister butterfly wearing party hats. Source: O. Umbel/NPS

06/07/2026

On this last day of , we'd like to highlight the integral role that water plays in shaping our cave.

Oregon Caves is one of only three marble caves protected by the National Park Service. Caves like these often form from water flowing below the surface and dissolving away the rock under our feet, becoming what is known as a solution cave. Today, water can be seen dripping from the ceiling and flowing through the cave as the River Styx. It will eventually leave the cave and continue to flow down the mountain where it will eventually meet the Illinois River.

Water doesn’t just erode the rock in our cave. It also transports and deposits the mineral calcite to form the many beautiful formations you may see on a tour through Oregon Caves, from the chandelier-like draperies and stalactites hanging from the ceiling to the flowstone and stalagmites following the path at your feet. Hydrology is how it all happens and is the scientific study of how water forms many of the landscapes on our planet, from the valleys above to the caves below.

Happy caving!

NPS photo #1 by John Roth
NPS photos #2 and #3 by Sarah M.

Address

19000 Caves Highway
Cave Junction, OR
97523

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 5pm
Thursday	9:30am - 5pm
Friday	9:30am - 5pm
Saturday	9:30am - 5pm
Sunday	9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+15415925125

Website

http://www.nps.gov/orca/index.htm

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