Public cave tours begin this weekend at Oregon Caves National Monument.

Tours start at 10 a.m. and the last tour is 4 p.m. Reserve a spot at Recreational.gov. Tours initially will be available only on weekends, but are expected to expand to weekdays in early June.

Tickets also can be bought online or at the Illinois Valley Visitor Center, 201 Caves Highway in Cave Junction on a first come, first served basis. The center is open daily 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Reach them at 541-592-5125.

The park is 20 miles and a 45-minute drive from the city, via Oregon Highway 42, the Caves Highway. The road is narrow, steep and winding beyond milepost 11. RVs and travel trailers are not recommended.

Caves access is only by tour. Children must be at least 42 inches tall to participate. Carriers and strollers are not permitted.

The park also offers hiking trails. The historic Oregon Caves Chateau in the park is currently closed for rehabilitation.

For more information, visit the park website at bit.ly/44M6VF4. 

Small headline (for all below as well): Some Crater Lake roads still snowed under 

At the region’s other national park, Crater Lake, the North Entrance Road and most of Rim Drive remain closed with deep snow and are expected to remain closed at least until mid- to late-June and possibly July, according to the park website.

However, Highway 62, Munson Valley Road and the road from Rim Village to Discover Point are open. The Steel Visitor Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

For more information, visit bit.ly/4jlgZbW or call 541-594-3000. 

Illinois Valley celebration at Forks Park 

The Great Illinois Valley Get-Together is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Illinois River Forks State Park.

Highlights include a community awards ceremony and a free dinner for the first 100 visitors. The ceremony, honoring people and organizations that contribute to the community, is set for 6 p.m. The dinner is courtesy of the Illinois Valley Community Development Organization, with food from Chunna’s Food Stop or Vango’s Hawaiian Fusion.

Arrive early for the free dinners. Bring a blanket or chair. Visitors may want to stroll the park trails or play disc golf.

The park is immediately south of Cave Junction, with access off of U.S. Highway 199, the Redwood Highway.

For more information, visit bit.ly/3GZmW0s or call 541-592-4440. 

Farmer market opens in Applegate 

The Applegate Evening Market has opened for the season on Wednesdays, from 5 to 8 p.m. at The Lindsay Lodge & Restaurant, 15100 Highway 238. It features a farmer’s market, music and more. No pets are allowed.

For more information, visit applegateeveningmarket.com or call 619-787-0107. 

Boatnik festival in Grants Pass 

Boatnik, an annual festival held in Riverside Park in Grants Pass, runs Thursday through Monday. Highlights include a carnival, concerts, parade, fireworks, boat races and midway vendors.

All proceeds benefit youth organizations, according to the event’s sponsor, the Grants Pass Active Club.

Fireworks are at dusk Friday and Sunday. The parade is set for 10 a.m. to noon Saturday through downtown. A Memorial Day ceremony with flyover is 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday.

Free parking and bus shuttle service is available at Grants Pass High School and the Josephine County Fairgrounds from 4:30 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

View the full schedule at boatnik.com/schedule. 

Explore riparian birds, habitat 

Learn to identify riparian birds by sight and sound while visiting springs and wetlands in the Bear Creek area of Phoenix during a walk from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Beginner birders and children over 8 years of age are welcome.

Join Frances Oyung, program manager for Rogue Riverkeeper, to explore riparian habitat, see how the area has recovered since the Almeda Fire and learn about floodplain function.

The walk will be 1 to 1.5 miles over pavement and off trail over uneven and slippery surfaces. Meet to start the walk at Blue Heron Park, 4385 S. Pacific Highway. 

Space is limited. Reserve a spot at bit.ly/4jX07Jv. For more information, contact Allee Gustafson, 541.488.5789, extension 1014.

Learn about tiny but important butterfly 

Learn about the small Mardon Skipper butterfly, a bellwether of watershed health, during a free lecture-hike series hosted by the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument.

The talk is set for 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Ashland Food Co-op, 300 N. Pioneer in Ashland. The hike is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, leaving from the Rite Aid in Ashland, 2341 Ashland St.

To register, visit bit.ly/4mp8uPI. Reach the Friends organization at 541-378-3039. 

Hike through history of railroad tunnel 

Join the Friends of Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, U.S. Bureau of Land Management and Southern Oregon University Laboratory of Anthropology on May 31 for a free guided history hike at the Buck Rock Tunnel.

The tunnel and surrounding grade, built by Chinese railroad workers, was the first route of the Oregon and California Railroad through the Siskiyou Mountains.

To register, visit bit.ly/4mp1ulP. Reach the Friends organization at 541-378-3039. 

Learn about grasshoppers on hike

Join the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy for a hike to explore for grasshoppers at Bear Gulch Preserve in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 1.

Learn how to identify local species while discovering their essential roles in the local ecosystems. To register, visit bit.ly/3Zf0Q06.

Other upcoming conservancy events include an all-member picnic on June 7 at the Rogue River Preserve near Eagle Point, open lands day at the preserve on June 14 and a community work party at Pompadour Bluff near Ashland on June 17.

For more information, visit landconserve.org. Contact the organization at 541-482-3069.

Cities publish summer activity guides 

The cities of Medford, Ashland and Central Point have published summer 2025 activities guides that include events, classes, outings and other activities. 

View Medford’s guide at playmedford.com, Ashland’s guide at bit.ly/3Yjyhyi and Central Point’s guide at bit.ly/42giLWN. 

Send us news about your upcoming event 

Want to publicize your upcoming outdoors event for free? Send details to writer Shaun Hall at 541-761-6726 or shaunmichaelhall@gmail.com. Submissions about upcoming events are encouraged. 

Shaun Hall is a freelance writer living in Grants Pass. Reach him at 541-761-6726 or shaunmichaelhall@gmail.com.