Above ground, the monument encompasses a remnant old-growth coniferous forest. It harbors a fantastic array of plants, and a Douglas-fir tree with the widest known girth in Oregon. Three hiking trails access this forest. Below ground is an active marble cave created by natural forces over hundreds of thousands of years in one of the world's most diverse geologic realms.

Oregon Caves National Monument is 20 miles southeast of Cave Junction and 50 miles south of Grants Pass. The road to the park, Ore. 46, is a narrow, mountainous road with sharp curves.