Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve
About
Nestled in the heart of the Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is located in southern Oregon, United States, and provides a gateway to the vast wilderness and night skies over the mountain range as they have existed since time immemorial. Initially established to protect the winding, maze-like cave systems that wend their way through the marbles of the Siskiyou Mountains, the 4,554-acre Park acts as a preserve for the rich biodiversity of the region.
The site is home to endangered and endemic species found nowhere else in the world, flourishing in the cave systems and old-growth forests of the Park. These ecosystems thrive in a landscape created by the rich geologic history of the North American Pacific Coast. It is a story of mountains rising, climate changing, and life flourishing, all playing out under the vast night skies that can still be seen above the Park today.
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is committed to conserving the night sky and nocturnal environment through stewardship, outreach, and interpretation programs. Over the next ten years, the Park will undergo a three-phased lighting retrofit, following DarkSky International’s Five Principles for Responsible Outdoor Lighting, to preserve the natural character of night skies and ecosystems throughout the Park. Larger undeveloped areas around the Park serve as buffers from light trespass from surrounding communities, ensuring that skies above Oregon Caves will remain naturally dark for decades to come.
The park’s unique resources provide excellent opportunities for outreach with nearby communities, collaboration with scientists from around the world, and education on the importance of naturally dark night skies.
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is open to the public year-round and offers opportunities for outdoor recreation, wildlife viewing, camping, and stargazing, as well as cave tours and summertime night sky events.
Area
18.42 Sq. Km
Designated
2024
Category
International Dark Sky Park
Address
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve
21000 Caves Hwy,
Cave Junction, OR 97523
Google Maps
Website
https://www.nps.gov/orca/index.htm
Instagram: @oregoncavesnps
Twitter: @oregoncavesnps
Contact
Documents
Application
Announcement
Annual Reports
Weather
Click here to find ideal environmental conditions for enjoying dark skies near Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve (42.09, -123.40).
