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Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Busiest month (2025)
August[1]
Recreation visits, 2025
64,354[2]
Campgrounds
1[3]
Visitor centers
2[4]

Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve is a unit of the U.S. National Park System in Oregon[5]. The cave can only be entered on a guided tour, and NPS says timed tickets are required[6].

Entrance fees and passes

Fees as listed by the National Park Service. Fees change, so confirm on the park's official fees page before you go.

Fee or pass Price
Timed Entry Reservation - Location[7] $20
Timed Entry Reservation - Location[8] $20
Timed Entry Reservation - Location[9] $20

The America the Beautiful pass is accepted here[10].

Entrance fee payment is cashless (card or mobile payment)[11].

America the Beautiful passes cover entrance fees at national parks and other federal recreation sites.

Pass Who can get it Price
Resident Annual Pass[12] US citizens and residents $80
Non-Resident Annual Pass[12] Non-US residents $250
Senior Annual Pass[12] US citizens and residents 62+ years old $20
Senior Lifetime Pass[12] US citizens and residents 62+ years old $80
Military Annual Pass[12] Current US military and dependents Free
Military Lifetime Pass[12] Gold Star Family members and veterans Free
Access Pass[12] US citizens and residents with permanent disability Free
4th Grade Pass[12] US 4th graders Free
Volunteer Pass[12] Federal recreation site volunteers with 250 service hours Free

When to visit and hours

In 2025 the busiest month was August with 14,885 recreation visits, and the quietest was January with 659[1]. NPS lists spring tours Thursday through Monday, starting at 10:00 am and ending at 4:00 pm, with Tuesday and Wednesday closed[13]. Summer tours run daily through the fall of 2026 in the same 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM window[14]. NPS lists fall tours daily through Sunday, November 1, 2026, and says the park is closed in the winter[15]. NPS notes that long waits and sell outs may happen in summer, and that reservations are recommended but not required[6]. Same day tickets are sold at both visitor centers, so NPS suggests arriving early[13]. For current weather, NPS points to the National Weather Service forecast[16].

January 2025: 659 recreation visitsJanFebruary 2025: 670 recreation visitsFebMarch 2025: 898 recreation visitsMarApril 2025: 4,170 recreation visitsAprMay 2025: 6,942 recreation visitsMayJune 2025: 7,028 recreation visitsJunJuly 2025: 12,581 recreation visitsJulAugust 2025: 14,885 recreation visits14,885AugSeptember 2025: 6,022 recreation visitsSepOctober 2025: 4,745 recreation visitsOctNovember 2025: 3,580 recreation visitsNovDecember 2025: 2,174 recreation visitsDec
Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, August, is highlighted[1].
Show visits by month
Month, 2025Recreation visits
January659
February670
March898
April4,170
May6,942
June7,028
July12,581
August14,885
September6,022
October4,745
November3,580
December2,174
Show visits by year
Year Recreation visits
2021[2] 34,202
2022[2] 72,923
2023[2] 32,041
2024[2] 94,016
2025[2] 64,354

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list one campground here, Cave Creek Campground, with 17 sites[3]. The nightly fee listed by NPS is $20[3]. Check Recreation.gov or the park page for current booking details.

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be kept in a crate or cage, or on a leash of six feet or less, where they are allowed[17]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings or on public transportation, and service animals are excepted[17]. Individual parks can restrict pets in additional areas, so ask the park before you bring a dog[17].

Before you go

Questions people ask

How much does a cave tour cost at Oregon Caves?
NPS lists the timed entry ticket at $20 for adults and $15 for youth on the standard tour[7]. The candlelight tour is also listed at $20 for adults and $15 for youth[8].
Do I need a reservation for Oregon Caves?
NPS says timed tickets are required for cave tours, and reservations are recommended but not required[6]. Advance tickets are sold on Recreation.gov[13].
Does Oregon Caves accept the America the Beautiful pass?
Yes, the park accepts the America the Beautiful pass for entrance[10]. The Resident Annual Pass costs $80[12].
When are cave tours offered?
NPS lists spring tours Thursday through Monday[13] and daily summer tours through the fall of 2026[14]. The park is closed in the winter[15].
Can I bring my dog to Oregon Caves?
Where pets are allowed, they must be on a leash no longer than six feet, and they are not allowed in public buildings[17]. The park may close more areas to pets[17].

Facts and sources

  1. NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
  2. NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 34,202, 2022: 72,923, 2023: 32,041, 2024: 94,016, 2025: 64,354. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
  3. Campgrounds in Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve (list on this page). National Park Service
  4. Visitor centers listed by NPS: 2 (Illinois Valley Visitor Center, Oregon Caves Visitor Center). National Park Service
  5. Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Monument & Preserve) in Oregon. National Park Service
  6. Timed entry or reservation note from NPS (Timed tickets are required for cave tours): The National Park Service does not collect an entrance fee at this park, but the cave itself is only accessible by guided tour. Reservations are recommended but not... National Park Service
  7. Entrance fee, Timed Entry Reservation - Location: $20. National Park Service
  8. Entrance fee, Timed Entry Reservation - Location: $20. National Park Service
  9. Entrance fee, Timed Entry Reservation - Location: $20. National Park Service
  10. Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve accepts the America the Beautiful (interagency) pass for entrance. National Park Service
  11. Entrance fees at Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve are cashless (cards or mobile payment, no cash) according to NPS. National Park Service
  12. America the Beautiful pass prices (table on this page). NPS Passes
  13. Operating hours, Spring hours: Cave tours are available Thursdays through Mondays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Reservations are available on recreation.gov for advanced tickets sales. Same day ticket sales will also be... National Park Service
  14. Operating hours, Summer Hours: Cave tours are available daily in the summer through the fall of 2026. Guided tours are offered 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Reservations for tours will be available at www.recreation.gov. Same day, first come, first served tickets... National Park Service
  15. Operating hours, Fall Hours: Cave tours will be available from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily through Sunday, November 1, 2026. Please call our Illinois Valley Visitor Center at 541-592-5125 if you have any questions. Closed in the winter. National Park Service
  16. NPS weather and seasons overview for Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve. National Park Service
  17. National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.