This Nationwide Monument within the Pacific Northwest Was Simply Named a Darkish Sky Park — and It Has Beautiful Marble Caves, Too

Months after the Oregon Outback was acknowledged as the world’s largest Worldwide Darkish Sky Sanctuary, a brand new Oregon park joined the “Darkish Sky” ranks. On Nov. 14, 2024, Oregon Caves Nationwide Monument and Protect was acknowledged as the state’s newest darkish sky vacation spot following a three-year night time sky monitoring program and a complete in-park lighting evaluation.

The information will convey stargazers to the Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon the place the 4,554-acre Oregon Caves Nationwide Monument and Protect sprawls. The park, which is now acknowledged for its inky black skies, has lengthy protected a sprawling system of caves and passages that supply their very own model of darkness.

The caves, nicknamed the “Marble Halls of Oregon” are uncommon in North America. They have been shaped over tens of millions of years by barely acidic rainwater that slowly dissolved limestone and marble, carving out an enormous collection of underground passages and chambers. The consistently evolving and altering cave system additionally contains numerous mineral formations, together with stalactites, stalagmites, flowstones, and helictites. 

Oregon Caves Nationwide Monument and Protect lets guests see and expertise this underground world by means of guided cave excursions that run from late spring to early fall. The monument presently operates 4 forms of underground excursions, together with an tour aimed toward youngsters and households to journeys by candlelight and excursions that go off-trail into the depths of the Earth. Whereas exploring the cool caverns and passageways beneath the floor of the Earth, visitors study in regards to the geology, historical past, and wildlife of the caves (the latter contains the uncommon ghost shrimp).

Probably the most sought-after underground sights within the monument is the “Ghost Room,” a big chamber crammed with numerous mineral formations that visibly showcase the continued change happening underneath the floor of the Earth.

In the meantime, above floor, vacationers are handled to views of the Siskiyou Mountains from the protect’s numerous mountaineering trails. Some routes minimize by means of old-growth forests, just like the 1-mile-long Previous Progress Path, whereas others result in the summit of native mountains, just like the 8-mile hike up Mt. Elijah. On one of many monument’s mountaineering trails, you may even spot some native wildlife. The protect is house to black bears, deer, owls, and Pacific big salamanders, together with a inhabitants of not often seen mountain lions. 

Oregon Caves Nationwide Monument and Protect was established as a monument in 1909 however grew to embody the encircling wilderness in 2014. It’s situated 35 minutes east of town of Cave Junction, on Oregon Route 46. 

The Oregon Caves Nationwide Monument and Protect is open year-round and entry is free, however the cave excursions are solely obtainable between late spring and early fall and require the acquisition of a ticket. You possibly can reserve your in-season cave tour by means of Recreation.gov or by buying a same-day ticket on the Illinois Valley Customer Middle in Cave Junction.