Oregon Caves Community Appreciation Day

Saturday, September 23rd, Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve will host a Community Appreciation Day for our gateway community neighbors. Free cave tours will be offered from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Ticket availability is limited. A fun Bounce House will be on site for the kids. At 11:15 a.m. there will be a short presentation about jaguar bones found in the cave, and a 12:15 p.m. an audience participation presentation on climate change.
Free cave tour tickets will be available on a limited basis. First come, first served. Avoid long waits – it is strongly advised visitors get their cave tour tickets first at the Illinois Valley Visitor Center, 201 Caves Highway, Cave Junction, OR 97523. Tickets are also available at the Oregon Caves Visitor Center but wait times can be long and tickets may run out.
Be aware there is substantial road construction happening on Highway 46, Caves Highway, the last four miles to the cave. Expect delays and use caution. Allow more than an hour to drive up to the park.
Please do not to bring any clothing, footwear, or gear that was used in any cave, mine, or bat hibernation site. Screening procedures are in place to limit the spread of white-nose syndrome, a fatal disease to bats.
Children must be at least 42 inches (107cm) tall to enter the cave. Cameras are allowed, but backpacks and bags are not permitted. Bring a jacket, the temperature in the cave averages 44 degrees. We strongly recommend good walking shoes; the tour route includes over 500 steps. Cave passages are narrow, short, and winding. Wheelchair access is limited to the first room of the cave due to many steps and the twisting route deeper in the cave.
Community Day is popular, and busy. We recommend arriving early at the Illinois Valley Visitor Center to make sure tickets are available.
There is no food service available at the park. Be sure to eat something in town or pack a picnic before making the long drive.
For more information about hours and operations during the Oregon Caves Community Appreciation Open House, call the Illinois Valley Visitor Center at (541) 592-5125 between 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM.(541) 592-2100 extension 2262 or visit http://www.nps.gov/orca.