Cave Junction, OR–Take a winding, winding, winding road up so many hairpin turns that no one counts them to Oregon Caves National Monument. Then get out and walk, walk, walk to the big tree. It’s more than a 3-mile loop with a 1100 ft. elevation gain, meaning there will be some huffing and puffing. You’ll see big slimy snails along the path–unique to this ecosystem–and lots of flowers. But it’s the big tree, towering over everything in this big landscape that will awe you. The tree is the widest girth of a Douglas fir in the state, in an area of old growth. Amazing! These photos were taken in the summer–I wonder what it’s like today, in the middle of winter.
