Oregon’s scenic Highway 199 — also known as the Redwood Highway — connects Grants Pass to the southwestern Oregon border. Many visitors continue southwest to Oregon’s South Coast with a short jaunt into old-growth redwood forests at the southernmost dip of Highway 199, which heads out to Brookings via Highway 101. Take a road trip before the heat of summer sets in, and you’ll find rare wildflowers, a jumping-off point for some of Oregon’s largest caves, quirky roadside shops and plenty of outdoor adventures. Here are some fantastic things to see and do along the way.
Day 1: Make Grants Pass Your Base Camp
Grants Pass serves as the base camp for any trip on Highway 199, and it’s a great place for food provisions and outdoor and cultural activities as well. In downtown Grants Pass, the long-standing Sunshine Natural Foods has an excellent salad bar and sandwiches to go.
Before heading out, catch one of the new exhibits at the Grants Pass Museum of Art or take a stroll at Riverside Park. Grants Pass is also an ideal location for heading out onto the Rogue River by boat or raft. Arrowhead River Adventures, a family-run company, offers half-day and full-day river trips for exploring the Wild and Scenic portion of the Rogue. Hellgate Jetboat Excursions provides an exciting trip down the Rogue in one of its jet boats that glide a few inches off the water. Lodging options include the historic Weasku Inn, which sits on the Rogue River with beautiful suites and cabins. In town The Lodge at Riverside provides cute rooms with lovely gardens and a pool.
Day 2: Wood Carving, Caves and Sausages in the Illinois Valley
Thirty miles from Grants Pass, Cave Junction is considered the hub of the Illinois Valley and an ideal destination for anyone seeking outdoor adventures while also offering some of Oregon’s most whimsical and fun roadside attractions. Start early to spend a few hours at the Oregon Caves National Monument, which is 18 miles east of Cave Junction.
On the way to Cave Junction, step into the magic of family-owned It’s a Burl in Kerby, just north of Cave Junction. Featuring handcrafted woodworks, sculptures and treehouses, the shop is a wonderland of artistic delights, the grounds covered in wood sculptures and funky buildings. Buy a wooden heart at the gift shop or peruse redwood or maple slabs for your own woodcrafting projects.
Cave Junction is also the gateway to the Oregon Caves National Monument. Here you can book a tour (open seasonally) underground to discover the marble halls of Oregon, including stunning flowstones and a cave chamber located 220 feet below the surface. The historic lodge and eateries are currently closed for renovations in 2025, so bring food and water. If you haven’t booked a tour online, be sure to stop by the affiliated Illinois Valley Visitor Center in Cave Junction to purchase tour tickets before you make the windy, 30-minute drive to the monument — arrive early, as entrance into the caves is limited each day.
Food lovers will not want to miss the classic Taylor’s Sausage Country Store for locally made sausages and jerky, plus a full deli. Since 1924 the Taylor family has crafted cured sausages in the Illinois Valley. It’s the perfect spot for having lunch or packing picnic supplies for your Illinois River hiking adventure.
For a unique place to stay in the area, try the Out ‘n’ About Treehouses, with a variety of gorgeous cabins in the trees, some 35 feet off the ground. Recreational activities on-site include a zip line, horseback riding and rafting.
Day 3: Hiking in the Illinois Valley
As you’re making your way out to the river for a day hike, head over to Trillium Bakery, a cozy bakery offering fresh pastries, bread and hot breakfast, including changing specials like Cordon Bleu breakfast sandwiches — which include ham, Swiss and egg on house-made croissants.
Open May through October and just off the highway, the Rusk Ranch Nature Center features a butterfly pavilion, nature trails and a mini-golf course. It also offers glamping in a scenic setting with a communal kitchen, cozy tents with fully furnished beds, and access to the preserve and trails on-site. Ask at the center about the Missing Links Discovery trail, an immersive trail that blends science, plant education, and adventure for kids and families.
For nature lovers, Rough and Ready Botanical Wayside is a short and beautiful roadside hike with a 0.3-mile interpretive trail that takes you through rare plant species that thrive in an ecosystem based on green serpentine bedrock. There are picnic tables and a shelter available, as well as several spots along the trail for photo opportunities while you also learn a little about the Illinois Valley plant ecology.
Before returning to Grants Pass or continuing your Oregon adventure by heading west to the Coast, stop at the Siskiyou Smokejumper Base Museum. This small museum is dedicated to the history of smokejumpers who fought wildfires in the remote areas of Oregon by parachuting out of airplanes to fight fires. One of the oldest standing smokejumper bases in the country, the museum is run by volunteers; curious visitors should call before stopping.
