Things To Do in Oregon Caves National Monument

The Illinois River, when it isn't raging through rock-choked canyons, creates some of the best swimming holes in the state. Try the waters at Illinois River Forks State Park, just outside Cave Junction, or ask at the Wild Rivers Ranger Station, 26568 Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523 (tel. 541/592-4000; www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou), for directions to other good swimming holes in the area. At this ranger station, you can also pick up information and directions for hiking trails in the Siskiyous, where the 180,000-acre Kalmiopsis Wilderness is a destination for backpackers. Unfortunately, this wilderness was the site of the huge Biscuit Fire in 2002. This massive blaze burned the entire wilderness and other adjacent forests. Because some areas survived the fire better than others, it is important to check with the ranger station about conditions of trails before heading out hiking.

Wine Touring -- The Cave Junction area is one of the warmest regions of Oregon and consequently produces some of the best cabernet sauvignon and merlot in the state. This is about as far south as you can get and still claim to be producing Oregon wines -- just a few more miles and you're in California (though it's still a long way to Napa Valley).