Getting here
Cave Junction sits on US-199, the Redwood Highway, between Grants Pass and the California coast. Almost everyone arrives by car. There's no airport with airline service in the valley, so flying in means a drive from Medford or Crescent City.
US-199 from Grants Pass
From Interstate 5, take Exit 58 in Grants Pass and follow OR-99 about 3 miles to US-199, then head southwest. It's 29 miles to Cave Junction, according to the National Park Service's directions. The road climbs over Hayes Hill, at about 1,700 feet, then drops into the valley past Selma and Kerby.
US-199 from Crescent City
From US-101 just north of Crescent City, take Exit 794 onto US-199. The California stretch follows the Smith River and its Middle Fork up through the Smith River National Recreation Area, passes through the Collier Tunnel near the state line, and comes down into the valley at O'Brien. The whole highway is about 80 miles from US-101 to Grants Pass. Most of the California part is the Smith River Scenic Byway, and it's a steady, curvy climb, so allow extra time.
From Brookings, take US-101 south, turn onto CA-197, and then join US-199.
The Caves Highway (OR-46)
OR-46 leaves US-199 in the middle of Cave Junction and runs 20 miles east to Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve. The Park Service says to allow about 50 minutes from town to the visitor center, including a 900-foot walk from the parking lot.
- The last 8 miles are narrow, steep, and winding, with blind corners and deer on the road.
- RVs and trailers: the Park Service doesn't recommend large RVs or travel trailers, and discourages them past Grayback Campground. Grayback takes vehicles up to 26 feet and Cave Creek up to 20 feet.
- Don't trust GPS from the east. Navigation apps can send you through Williams on mountain gravel roads that aren't suitable for many vehicles. Use US-199 and OR-46.
- Winter: from October through April, the Park Service advises carrying chains or having traction tires, and snow sometimes closes park roads until they're plowed.
Cave tours, tickets, and the campgrounds are on Oregon Caves.
Illinois Valley Visitor Center
The Illinois Valley Visitor Center is at 201 Caves Highway, on your right just after you turn onto OR-46 from US-199. The National Park Service sends visitors here first to check conditions and buy same-day cave tour tickets before the drive up, and it has a small park store.
The Park Service lists 2026 hours as Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and says the center closes in January, February, and early March. Another Park Service page says it opens 7 days a week during the cave-tour season, so call (541) 592-5125 before you count on it. Current hours are on the park's hours page.
Flying in
- Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport (MFR) in Medford has scheduled flights on several airlines. From there you drive I-5 to Grants Pass and then US-199. Routes change, so check flymfr.com.
- Del Norte County Regional Airport (CEC) in Crescent City has daily scheduled flights to Oakland on Advanced Air, according to the airport. From there it's US-199 up the Smith River.
Road conditions
Check ODOT's TripCheck for Oregon roads, including US-199 and OR-46, with cameras, closures, and chain rules. For the California side of US-199, use Caltrans QuickMap.
Weather by season
These are 1991 to 2020 averages from NOAA's weather station just west of Cave Junction, on the valley floor at about 1,380 feet.
- Winter is wet. The valley gets about 61 inches of precipitation a year, and more than half of it, about 33 inches, falls from December through February. January averages a high of 49°F and a low near freezing.
- Summer is hot and dry. Only about 1.4 inches falls from June through August. July and August average highs around 94°F. The station averages about 72 days a year at 90°F or above, and about 19 at 100°F or above.
- Spring and fall are the in-between seasons: rain tapers off through May and comes back in October and November.
- Snow is light on the valley floor, about 7 inches in an average year, but it's a different story up high. The Oregon Caves visitor center sits at 4,000 feet and gets snowy winters, so pack for cold if you're heading uphill.
For a forecast, use the National Weather Service. The Park Service notes that phone weather apps often show Cave Junction's weather, not conditions at the cave.