Welcome to the Illinois Valley
Cave Junction is the town at the center of the Illinois Valley in southwest Oregon, in Josephine County. It sits on US-199, the Redwood Highway, 29 miles southwest of Grants Pass on the road that carries on over the mountains to the California coast. The town takes its name from the junction itself: here OR-46, the Caves Highway, turns east toward Oregon Caves.
It is a small place. The 2020 US Census counted 2,071 people in the city. Around 18,000 people live across the whole Illinois Valley, which covers about 760 square miles and takes in Kerby, Selma, O'Brien, Takilma, and Holland. The town stands at about 1,340 feet above sea level, according to US Geological Survey data, in a broad valley ringed by the Siskiyou Mountains.
What people come for
- Oregon Caves. The national monument is 20 miles up the Caves Highway, about 50 minutes from town. Tours run by season. See Oregon Caves.
- Rivers. The Illinois River and its forks run through the valley, with swimming holes, rafting, and wild river canyons. See Rivers.
- Lakes and mountains. Lake Selmac, high lakes, trails, and wilderness in the Siskiyous and the Kalmiopsis. See Lakes and mountains.
- Wine and farms. Vineyards, tasting rooms, and farm stands on the valley floor. See Wine and farms.
- A place to sleep. Treehouses, campgrounds, inns, and motels. See Stay.
The towns
Each community in the valley has its own page: Kerby, Selma, O'Brien, Takilma, and Holland. For the stranger stops along the highway, start with Roadside. Planning the drive in? See Getting here.
The map beside these words shows the valley, and its pins mark the places in this guide.