The cave at Oregon Caves National Monument is a solution cave formed in a marble outcrop located in Siskiyou mountain range of Southwest Oregon.
The marble formed as a consequence of tectonic activity. Limestone of the Juan de Fuca oceanic plate subducted under the North American continental plate and was metamorphosed (recrystallized) into marble. The intense faulting and folding incurred by the marble resulted in a geosynclinic karst system. The predominant rectilinear branchwork passages are a result of the steep upper profile of the bedding planes.
The surrounding forest, watershed, and temperature can influence the cave. To learn how read more!
Did You Know?
The stream that comes out of the entrance of the cave is a tributary to a watershed that empties into the Pacific Ocean. There are no human-made obstructions that would prevent salmon migration, which makes this the only cave in the National Park Service with an unobstructed link to the ocean.
