Redmond Caves Recreation Area, Park and tourist attraction in Redmond, Oregon, United States.
The Redmond Caves Recreation Area features five natural lava tube caves formed approximately 80,000 years ago when volcanic flows from the Newberry Caldera cooled and solidified, creating underground passages that collapsed over time to form accessible openings in the high desert landscape.
Archaeological evidence indicates that Native American communities used these caves as shelter and gathering sites for at least 6,000 years, and during the Cold War era in the 1960s, the caves were designated as official nuclear fallout shelters for the local population.
The site holds deep connections to indigenous peoples of Central Oregon who relied on these natural formations for protection and resources throughout millennia, making the caves a tangible link to the region's human history and traditional land use patterns.
Visitors should bring multiple light sources including headlamps with at least 2,000 lumens, wear protective helmets for low ceilings, dress warmly as interior temperatures remain around 45 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, and access the site via the trailhead located on Southwest Airport Way near Redmond Municipal Airport.
Cave 3 offers two separate entrances connected by a passage through breakdown debris, while Cave 4 provides an out-and-back route, and all caves maintain constant cool temperatures that provide natural relief during hot summer months in the high desert climate.
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