Oregon Caves National Monument

Although underground,this trail is a beauty.  The Oregon Caves were discovered in 1874 by Elijah Davidson while hunting for bear.  Davidson's dog followed a bear into a cave and when the dog didn't come out, Davidson decided to follow to see what happened.  As he ventured further into the cave, it became darker.  So he lit a match, then another and another, until his supply ran out.


Now in the dark and not knowing which way to go, he sat down to try to figure out which way to go.  In a short time, he felt the wind blowing against his cheek and he heard  the sound of the water flowing through the cave.  he followed the stream and came to the opening where his trusted dog was waiting for him.

Near entrance to cave

Shortly after the discovery, the cave became an attraction and at the urging of Jaoquin Miller and others, President Taft declared the caves a National Monument.  Originally the park was managed by the Forest Service, but was later transferred to the National Park Service.

Within the marble caves

Tours of the cave last about 90-minutes, taking visitors through some narrow and sometimes low overhanging cave ceilings, covering some 526 stairs before emerging to sunlight above the cave entrance.

Stalagmites and stalactites deep in the cave

Temperatures inside the cave are cool, a constant 44 degrees farenheit all year long.  So if taking one of the ranger-led hikes, it would be wise to wear an outer garment to stay warm.

Cave exit

Besides the trail through the cave, there are others in the surrounding are, including one to the largest Douglas Fir Tree in Oregon.  That tree is 13-feet in diameter at the butt, enough wood to build several houses.
Four other trails take hikers through the surrounding forest to various points of interest.

Chateau at the Caves

The Chataeu, where visitors can find food and lodging is built just below the entrance to the cave and just a short distance away. 
The Chateau overlooks the pond near the cave entrance and a portion of the creek actually runs through the dining room, adding a pleasant ambiance  to a fine dining experience.  Another interesting feature of the Chateau is the siding, made of Cedar Bark.  This was no small task for Gust Liam, a local contractor who designed and built the six-story structure.

Inside the lobby of the impressive structure is a huge stone fireplace where guests can warm their bones after a hike through the caves.


The Chalet, another rustic building, is the beginning point of the tours and serves as residences for park guides.
The Monument is located approximately 20 miles out of Cave Junction on a very narrow and winding highway 46.  The last three or four miles are very slow going and there are many sharp turns on the way.  Cave Junction is located about 30 miles southwest of Grants Pass on Highway 199.
Thanks for joining me on this journey and for letting me do the driving.
For more adventure and trails around Oregon, go to RMK Productions.org

Silver Falls Oregon State Park

Silver Falls State Park is  one of the more picturesque parks in a state blessed with many.  The attraction is the waterfalls--several of them, as a matter of fact.  Some are short, some are tall, all are spectacular.

South Falls

The Silver Falls area was heavily logged in the early days of Oregon history. By 1900 a Silverton photographer, June D. Drake, began to campaign for park status, using his photographs of the falls to gain support.  The National Park service rejected the idea because of the high number of stumps, which they felt were unsightly.  Another attempt to make Silver Falls a national park died in congress in 2008.

Many trails meander throughout the park, generally following the streams.  There are actually two forks of Silver Creek, the north and the south.  There is a trail head at each and they follow the stream through the canyon, passing 10 waterfalls along the 7 mile trail.

Trail under North Falls

one of the unique features along the Trail of 10 Waterfalls is that you get to walk under the ledge with the creek flowing right over you and falling to the creekbed below.  Two of the those falls, North and South, are right near the trail heads so you can experience one of the outstanding features of this park.  The picture above was taken from under the north falls, where the ledge overhangs the creek by some 75 feet.  notice the ferns growing upside down from the rock ledge.

Upper North Falls

Just a short distance from the parking area at North Falls is the trail to Upper North Falls.  While this falls is shorter than some at 65 feet, it is one of the more beautiful. 
While the main trail takes you by 10 falls (some are a short distance off this trail) there are another five falls within the park.  The tallest of these is Elbow falls at just 20 feet.  All of these five are located below the confluence of the north and south forks of Silver Creek..

After your walk along the Falls Trail, return to the South Falls parking area for a history lesson.

Silver Falls Lodge

The Silver Falls Lodge is one of the remaining buildings built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s.  Oregon has many buildings remaining from that era still standing in many of the camping areas and other places featuring outdoor attractions.  My own father, fresh out of high school--and out of work, worked in one of the camps on the upper South Santiam River as a horse wrangler.  I know that sounds funny, but back in the early days of the 1930s, men moved mountains, not by truck, but literally by horse power.

Spring will find the falls roaring, but--and this is a personal preference--I prefer the fall when the leaves begin turning to gold.  It's also warmer in the fall and that makes hiking the more enjoyable.

Silver Falls is a great place to camp and hike, picnic and is very photogenic.  the park is about 20 miles east of Salem, the Capitol city of Oregon.  From Salem take Highway 22 east toward the little town of Sublimity, then take Oregon Highway 214 through the park.  That route takes you on to Silverton, so if you happen to be in that area, you're already on the right road.
That's all we have time for now, thanks for joining me and letting me do the driving.
RMK

Wolf Creek Falls

Here's a nice little hike that will get your legs limbered up for the more strenuous hikes during summer months.

One of the criteria I use to determine areas I like best is whether I would spend the time and effort to return again at a later date.  Wolf Creek Falls is one of those areas that I would definitely make a return trip. 

To reach the falls, take Ore 138 East from Roseburg, Oregon.  Just before entering the tiny city of Glide, turn right up Little River Road (county road 17) which takes you through rural Douglas County.  Eleven miles from this turnoff is a small parking area beside the road and a quaint footbridge taking you over Little River.

This is the trailhead for Wolf Creek Falls.  The trail meanders through dense forests all the while keeping Wolf Creek in sight.  At approximately 1.2 miles, you'll begin to hear the rushing waters of the lower falls and soon you'll hike up a small incline where you get a better view of the lower falls.

Creek flows are lower in summer,of course, but more spectacular in the spring due to run-off.  

From the lower falls, continue on the path and the upper falls come into view. 

This is the end of the trail, and what a beautiful ending it is.  The falls gently slide down a sheer rock wall and into a cool pool at the base.  It is shaded here, most of the day, and a good place to cool off when valley temperatures are hot.  This falls is one of the stops in my video of the Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway.  you can see them here
The hike is not long and the climb is gentle, making this one of those places you'll want to come back to on many occasions.  There is a small campground near the falls which can accommodate RVs .

A short distance up the same highway are several other waterfalls which we'll visit later.  Happy hiking, and thanks for letting me do the driving.