19000 Caves Highway Cave Junction, OR 97523-9716 541-592-2100
Oregon Caves may surprise you. Small in size, it is rich in diversity. That richness can be found
both underground amidst narrow, winding passageways and above ground where old growth
forest harbors a fantastic array of animals and plants found nowhere else. You will discover a
land rich in conifers, wildflowers, birds, and amphibians. An active marble cave and
underground stream reveal the inside of one of the world's most diverse geologic realms.
History
As his last match flickered out, 24-year-old hunter Elijah Davidson found himself in the total
blackness of the cave. Davidson was chasing after his dog Bruno, who in turn was pursuing a
bear. One following the other, the dog and bear entered a dark hole high on the mountainside,
Davidson stopped at the mysterious dark entrance. He could see nothing, but an agonizing howl
pulled him into the cave to save his dog. Now the matches were gone and Davidson was in total
darkness. Fortunately, he was able to wade down a gurgling, ice-cold stream and find his way
back into daylight, Bruno soon followed. It was 1874.
Later, other brave souls explored deeper into the cave, returning home to tell of its great beauty
and mystery. In 1907, a party of influential men, including Joaquin Miller, the"poet of the
Sierras," visited the cave. Charmed by it, Miller wrote of the "Marble Halls of Oregon." The
ensuing publicity alerted federal officials to the possibility of preserving the cave. In 1909
President William Howard Taft proclaimed a tract of 480 acres as Oregon Caves National
Monument. In 1922 an automobile road reached the park, and 12 years later a six-story hotel,
the Chateau, was constructed. The very same year, 1934, Oregon Caves National Monument was
transferred from the Forest Service to the National Park Service, which still administers it.
Workers blasted tunnels and widened passages in the cave during the 1930s. They put waste
rocks in side passages, covering many limestone formations. Changes in air flow patterns altered
the growth of formations and caused greater swings in temperature. Freezing water now cracked
rock layers. Lights in the cave promoted the growth of algae, which turned portions of the cave
green and dissolved some formations. Smoke from torches and lint coming off visitors' clothing
blackened other portions.
Since 1985 the National Park Service has removed more than a thousand tons of rubble in its
effort to restore the cave. Transformers, asphalt trails, and cabins were removed to prevent
sewage or oils from leaking into the cave from the surface. Thousands of formations buried
under rubble were uncovered. Crystal clear water once again cascades over white marble. Some
broken formations have been repaired with epoxy and powdered marble. Airlocks have restored
natural cave winds by blocking airflow in artificial tunnels. Spraying with bleach keeps the algae
under control. The new lighting and trail system will reduce evaporation and unnatural foods,
which have attracted surface insects and driven out native species. Not everything has been or
can be restored. For example, the dissolution and formation of cave decorations are in delicate
balance with the amount of carbon dioxide in the air and water. A global increase of this gas in
the atmosphere, caused largely by deforestation and burning of fossil fuels, is affecting this
balance. Still, one can now see a renewed cave, a valuable benchmark against which we can
measure human impacts, now and in years to come.
Exploring the Caves
A tour through Oregon Caves is an adventure in geology and underground life. All six of the
world's major rock types and a myriad of calcite formations decorate the cave. You will find
striking parachute like flowstone at Paradise Lost and what appear to be giant ribs as you squeeze
through the Passageway of the Whale. Tiny rimstone dams resemble miniature waves on the sea.
Minute mushrooms grow on the massive root of a Douglas-fir. Other cave creatures are often
secretive but you may see daddy longlegs, crickets, moths, and bats.
It is the drip, drip, drip of water, though, that decorates the cave, building the bizarre and eerie
sculptures. How the water moves-seeping, dripping, flowing-and how many crystals come out of
the individual drops of water dictate the shape and size of formations made of calcite, the same
mineral found in chalk, cement, and eggshells. As easily as formations are created, they can also
be dissolved. Rising warm air condenses on the cold ceiling. Acidified by carbon dioxide in the
cave, this water dissolves formations. "Cave ghosts," nubbins of former stalactites, are all that
remain.
Some formations provide information about the cave. Water evaporated by air flowing in from
outside leaves a residue of bumpy cave popcorn. Just as hikers use moss on the north side of
trees, cavers use popcorn as a compass to find new passages or, when lost, their way out.
Moonmilk is made of tiny calcite crystals but has the look and feel of cottage cheese. From early
times it was a folk medicine smeared on livestock to heal wounds. Because it cured infections
almost overnight, people called it "gnome's milk," a seeming gift from the nether world. But
some folklore is true-moonmilk is created by the same type of bacteria used to make today's
antibiotics.
Visiting the Cave
The temptation to reach out and touch can be overwhelming, but formations break easily and oils
in your skin will discolor them. Look, but do not touch. The cave is cool, wet, and slippery in
places. Cave temperatures remain in the 40's F year round. Wear rubber-soled shoes and warm
clothing. Waiting times for a tour can reach 90 minutes or more in the summer.
A tour of Oregon Caves has been a traditional activity for more than 100 years. Today, tours are
conducted by staff with the National Park Service. A fee is charged. The tour route
through the cave is about one-half mile of often low and narrow passages with more than 500
steps and lasts about 75 minutes. Persons with walking, breathing, or heart problems should
avoid the tour. Special regulations restrict entry to the cave and children must be at least 42 inches tall to attend a full tour. The first room of the cave is accessible to users of canes, walkers, and
manually-operated wheelchairs, as well as to families of children who don't meet the height requirement. Free family tours into the first room are available by request at the visitor center. Please do not bring tobacco, gum, food, drinks, canes, or
flashlights into the cave.
Visiting the Park
Oregon Caves National Monument is 20 miles southeast of Cave Junction, Oregon, on Ore. . The
park is 50 miles south of Grants Pass, Oregon, and 76 miles northeast of Crescent City,
California, via U.S. 199. The road to the park, Ore. 46, is a narrow, mountainous road with
sharp curves. Leave trailers at the Illinois Valley Visitor enter or at the Grayback Campground
in Siskiyou National Forest.
In the park accommodations and food are available at The Chateau, a six-story hotel within
dining room, soda fountain, and coffee shop. It was completed in 1934 and is an excellent
example of how buildings can blend in with nature through the use of local materials. It has
been listed on the National Register of Historic laces. The Chateau operates from mid-June to
early September. For information or reservations, visit www.oregoncavesoutfitters.com (phone: 541-592-3400; e-mail: info@oregoncavesoutfitters.com) or write: Oregon Caves Outfitters, 20000 Caves Highway, Cave Junction, OR 97523.
Camping - There is no campground in the park. The Forest Service, however, operates
two campgrounds in the adjoining Siskiyou National Forest from late-
May to mid-September. Grayback and Cave Creek campgrounds are located along Ore. 46.
Cave Creek cannot accommodate large vehicles. Neither campground has showers or utility
connections.
Hiking Trails reach most of the park. They are not maintained during snowy weather.
Hiking trails at elevations of 3,800 to 5,500 feet require you to be in good physical condition.
Check with park rangers before setting out.
from Away.com
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