The National Park Service tried three times in the past -- in 1939, 1949 and 2000 -- to expand the Oregon Caves National Monument. Now that the plan has been finally approved, it's definitely a monumental change as 4,000 acres of land in the area is added, growing the national monument from 488 acres to almost 10 times its original size.
The 4,000-acre expansion will include Bigelow Lakes below Mount Elijah, adding one of the valley's best loop trails to the national monument, as well as River Styx, which will become the first Wild and Scenic underground river in the country. Not to be left behind is the 80-year-old Chateau, a National Historic Landmark and recent inductee into the Historic Hotels of America program.
"I think we'll see increased visitation. There are a lot of folks out there interested whenever parks get new designations or expansions," said Vicki Snitzler, superintendent for Oregon Caves since 2008.
While it's pleasing to think the national monument now has up to 16 more miles of trails for visitors to enjoy, Snitzler, however, cannot help but be concerned. After all, the approval of the expansion didn't include new sources of funding or manpower. This means Snitzler and the rest of the Oregon Caves staff will have to make do with what they currently have despite the additional trails and roads to maintain.
With a larger square on the map, the national monument is going to be hard to miss. Other tourist destinations in the valley include the Forks State Park, which is undergoing improvements at the moment, and the Illinois Valley Smokejumper Base and Museum.
"It would literally put the Oregon Caves on the map -- or at least make them more noticeable to tourists, since right now it's quite small and people traveling from the redwoods to Crater Lake often miss it. This expansion would make it a full-service destination," said Rob Smith, National Parks Conservation Association northwest regional director.
Illinois Valley businessman and historian Greg Walter thanks U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden and Rep. Peter DeFazio for lobbying for the approval of the expansion, pushing for the legislation just in time for the National Park Service's centennial celebration in 2016.
The Oregon Caves Revitalization Act, which contains the terms of the expansion, also transferred management of the newly acquired national monument territory from the U.S. Forest Service to the National Park Service.
