Work Will Close Oregon Caves For Three Months

Tue., Nov. 25, 1997

Associated Press

Tours of the main attraction at the Oregon Caves National Monument will be suspended for three months.

Starting Dec. 1, the caves will be shut off to the public so crews can finish a four-year restoration project.

Superintendent Craig Ackerman said workers will be replacing the 40-year-old asphalt trail, blamed for bringing hydrocarbon contamination into the caves environment. They will also finish replacing the lighting system and stairways.

In all, the restoration project is costing $1.3 million. In previous work, crews have pulled out tons of rubble left from various work that obscured some of the caves’ features.

While the tours are shut down, the rest of the 480-acre monument will be open to the public for hiking, cross-country skiing and other activities.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.