Oregon Caves National Monument
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A Tour through Oregon Caves is an adventure in geology.
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. It is the drip, drip, drip of
water that decorates the cave, building the bizarre and erie sculptures.
Touring Oregon Caves has been a tradition for more than a century. Today, tours are conducted by The National Park Service. Guides lead you through a one-half mile marble passage and discuss the cave's natural and cultural history
and it's preservation. Tours are scheduled regularly in spring, summer, and fall. In winter they may not be
available due to heavy snowfall. A fee is charged and prices are subject to change. Tours last about 90
minutes. Waiting times can reach 90 minutes in the summer. To go on the regular cave tour, a child must be 6
years old, or at least 42 inches tall.
The Chateau was featured on PBS in "Great Lodges of the National Parks".
Construction started in the fall of 1931, and with a small crew of 20 or less men, took 3 years to complete, cost $50,000 to build and opened in May 1934.
The Chateau was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Most of the original furniture stands as it did when the Chateau opened in 1934.
Accommodations In the park, lodging and food are
available at The Chateau from May thru October. For information or online reservations
visit http://www.oregoncavesoutfitters.com/
or call (541) 592-3400, or (541) 592-4440.
- Chateau at the Oregon Caves
- 20000 Caves Highway
- Cave Junction, OR 97523
Information For more information call (541) 592-2100 or write:
- Superintendent
- Oregon Caves National Monument
- 19000 Caves Highway
- Cave Junction, Oregon 97523-9716
Links For more information about the Oregon Caves, check these websites:
- Wikipedia on The Oregon Caves
- National Park Service
- Great Outdoor Recreation Pages
Its a Burl
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is located in the historic town of Kerby. Beautifully handcrafted
and very unique wood carvings and furniture. After visiting the gallery explore the yard,
see several tree houses and carved wooden treasures. Plan on spending at least an hour, there's much
to see here. For more information have a look at their website at:
http://www.itsaburl.com/
Kerbyville Museum
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Relive the area's rich pioneer history. Travel back in time with a fascinating display of early gold mining
and logging equipment, as well as local prehistoric and Native American artifacts at the Kerbyville Museum.
Kerby, home of the Kerbyville Museum, was first named Napoleon and was the county seat from 1857 to 1886.
It is said that the oak tree infront of the Nauke house was a hanging tree when Napoleon was the county seat.
- Museum Phone:(541) 592-5252
- http://www.kerbyvillemuseum.com/
IV Golf Course
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Enjoy a challenging game of golf at the Illinois Valley Golf Course located at the north edge of Cave Junction.
The 18 hole, par 36 Golf Course is situated on 71 lush acres surrounded by the majestic Siskiyou Mountains.
- Pro Shop
- Snack Bar
- Beer & Wine
For more information call (541) 592-3151
Illinois River Valley Visitors Center
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During the summer the Illinois River Valley Visitor Information Center
co-sponsors field trips including tours to the Oregon Caves National Monument, The Rough & Ready Botanical
Wayside, Bigelow Lakes, Eight Dollar Mountain, Grayback Interpretive Area, and the
Kalmiopsis Wilderness at Babyfoot Lake.
Advertisements will be posted in the local newspapers as to when the tours
will occur, or contact the Illinois River Valley Visitor Center by calling
(541) 592-4076, or visiting the website.
Guidlines For Tours
- Children under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.
- All guests shall provide their own food and drinking water.
- Hiking boots or non-slip shoes highly recommended.
- Long sleeve shirts and pants highly recommended. (poison oak)
- Guests should be capable of hiking a moderately difficult trail.
- Seeing-eye dogs welcome, all other pets should stay at home.
These interpretive and educational field tours are provided by the
Illinois River Valley Visitor Information Center with assistance from the following organizations and agencies:
- U.S. Forest Service
- National Park Service
- Bureau of Land Management
- Illinois Valley Garden Club
- Josephine County Parks Department
Illinois Valley Airport/Historic Siskiyou Smoke Jumper Base
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Also known as the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base, the Illinois Valley Airport was built by the U.S.
Forest Service as one of the original smokejumper bases in the U.S. It was in operation from 1943 to 1981,
dispatching airborne fire crews to quickly control lightning
fires in the surrounding wilderness areas, keeping them small and manageable.
The historic Siskiyou Smokejumper Base is located at
Illinois Valley Airport south of Cave Junction and is the
oldest-standing aerial firefighter base in the USA. During the past four
years museum members and supporters from the local community have been
working to restore buildings and retrofit the grounds back to the way it
looked during its peak operation years in the late 1950s. A Twin Beech
aircraft similar to the ones used during that time period was recently
acquired by the museum and the plan is to retrofit the interior to look like
a smokejumper plane from the 1950s. The plane will be part of the tour
visitors can enjoy when they come to see the base. Visitors can enjoy a self
guided walking tour of the base anytime during the day and there are often
opportunities for tours of the buildings. There is no charge to visit the
base or take tours.
The Illinois Valley Airport is situtated on approximately 175 acres, and is located about
four and a half miles south of Cave Junction in Southwestern Oregon. It serves a population of about
17,000 people, distributed throughout several small communities. The airport, at an elevation of 1,400 feet,
features a 5,200 foot lighted runway, a unicom, and beacon.
Facilities Include:
- A full service FBO with fuel, hangars, and tie downs.
- Siskiyou Smoke Jumper Base Museum.
- Aircraft and ultra lite rentals and instruction.
- Aircraft charter.
- Hangar rentals.
- Owner constructed hangar sites.
- A parachute loft for skydiving activities.
- A restaurant (closed) serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.
- Rustic meeting rooms.
- Dorm rooms for singles or groups.
- Camping area with restrooms and showers for fly-in campers.
Information about the museum was provided by Roger Brandt
More information about the museum is available here
Weather and Recreation
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Ideal weather for general recreation and ultralights exists throughout the year.
Because of the abundance of good flying weather at the Illinois Valley Airport. It can often be used as
an alternate when nearby airports are fogged-in.
Illinois Valley Airport is the site of many summer activities. The annual air
show (No airshow for 2013) in September is a popular event with residents and visitors. The traditional 10 K Moon Tree Run is
held in June. Frequent skydiving meets are held throughout the season and tandem jumps are available for
adventurous beginners.
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