Oregon Caves National Monument - Nature and Science

The 480 acre Oregon Caves National Monument was created by Presidential proclamation in 1909. The proclamation states that "the public interests will be promoted by reserving these caves with as much land as necessary for the proper protection thereof." The Monument is located in the Siskiyou Mountains of the Klamath Geologic Province in southwest Oregon at elevations from 3800 to 5460 feet. Temperatures typically range from 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter and from the 50 to 90 during the summer. The cave temperature is 42 degrees Fahrenheit year round.

Beneath the Monument's surface is home to one of the largest exposures of ultramafic rock in North America and one of the largest, most pristine, and most complete segment of old oceanic crust in Western America. The Monument may be small in size, but is rich in diversity. It contains one of the most biologically and geologically diverse caves in the world.

The importance of the land above the cave cannot be overlooked. Many of the processes occurring within the cave are greatly influenced by what is happening above ground. This is especially true via the exchange of air, water and food between the connected ecosystems.

The park is faced with the challenge of allowing the public enjoyment of the fragile ecosystem below and above ground without causing significant impacts to park resources, and hopefully giving the public a greater appreciation of this special place.