Oregon Caves

Sunday found Heather and I at the Oregon Caves National Monument. Located near Cave Junction, OR, the caves make for a great day trip from Ashland. Despite the temperatures which hovered around freezing and the early season snow, it was the perfect time to visit the Oregon Caves. The temperature inside the caves averages 44 degrees and of course you're protected from the elements which makes this a great destination on a hot summer day or cold rainy/snowy one. I prefer off peak season visits as they are very quiet and relaxing and generally insure a smaller tour group size which is very nice as compared to visits at the height of the tourist season. We had a very enthusiastic tour guide and a reasonable tour group size. While I have had the luxury of a private tour in the past, this shouldn't be expected. The tours leave every hour and last about a hour and a half. Again, our guide was great... lots of information about how the caves were formed and the animal and insect life which resides inside the caves. We did see one bat. Those with a fear of bats need not worry, there are no swarms of bats or crawling around in guano. From what I could gather, bat sightings are something of a rarity and the caves are clean (quite different than some of the lava caves I've explored in Central Oregon). The lodge is also fun to explore (especially when it's freezing outside). It has a similar feel to the Grand Lodges like those at Yellowstone, etc.

Of course, no trip through Cave Junction is complete without a trip to Wild River Brewing. A funky, family style pizza joint, WRB has a great selection of their own beers and great affordable pizza. I had a glass of the IPA, which was on par with my favorites, and the pizza was delicious.

Until the next adventure...