Quick Outings
The Oregon Caves
Country Hills is conveniently located just twelve miles from the Oregon Caves
National Monument. Getting to the Caves is a simple matter of hanging a right
from our driveway onto Caves Highway (also referred to as 'Highway 46') and keep
driving East until you've reached the end of the road. We've provided a link to
the Oregon Caves so you can check for tour times and other information:
Cave Junction
The city of Cave Junction is just eight miles from Country Hills. In this
case, you would make a left turn from our driveway on to Caves Highway and drive
West until you've reached the intersection of Highway 199 (you'll see the
Chevron station and Coffee Heaven on your left and the Junction Inn straight
across Highway 199 and you may notice a place named Cabin Chemistry in a rustic
strip mall on your right). Making a right at the intersection will take you into
the heart of Cave Junction. There is currently just one large grocery store in
the town, which is Ray's ShopSmart. Just make a left at the first light
after you've gotten on 199 and you'll see Ray's.
The Cave Junction Post Office is easy to get to from Ray's:
http://www.addressofpostofficehre.com
We recommend the following people, services, restaurants and shops based on
our own preferences. But please have a look around, try some of the places we
haven't mentioned and if you have a good experience, let us know and we'll add
them to the page! And please note, not everyone has a web site, but these folks
have got a telephone number and address and they are recommended:
Dr. Jim Nordal's Office
When you or someone you know and/or love or even an "ex-friend" needs medical
attention:
Dr. Joe's Veterinary Hospital
When your pet or any domestic animal requires attention (in other words, if
you side-swipe a stray dog, cat or miniature horse on the road, please get them
medical help as quickly as possible).
WHERE TO GET YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS FILLED LOCALLY
Pharmacy Express
Caves Pharmacy
Should either of these pharmacies be closed and you need standard First Aid
supplies, please note that ShopSmart or
Ray's Food Place in Selma are open 7 days a week, stay open later hours and
carry at least the basic first-aid supplies, including poison oak remedies. For
natural and homeopathic remedies, Cabin Chemistry is the place to visit. They
typically won't be as comprehensive in their selection as the pharmacies are, but
what they have will get you through 'til something better can be gotten.
Some eateries we heartily recommend in and near Cave Junction:
Bagel Junction
Bagel Junction features organic bagels, bialys and, if you're lucky, fabulous
cookies. This is an awesome place for breakfast and lunch. If you're originally
from back East, as this writer is, you will be thrilled to be able to indulge in
lox, onion, creamcheese and capers on a freshly baked onion bialy or on an
incredible range of fresh, delicious bagels. Bagel Junction also features
scrumptious omelets, soups, salads and specials. Tea, Coffee and variety of cold
non-alcoholic beverages are available, as well. I recommend Bagel Junction to
anyone who is a Vegetarian. I believe they also accommodate strict Vegans.
Carlos' Restorante
& Wireless Cafe
Carlos' is the legendary Mexican Restaurant that's a veritable fixture
in town. If you like really good Mexican food, maybe the occasional pitcher of
Margaritas, fast and friendly service, this is the place for you. AND they've
got wi-fi so the hardcore amongst us can check our email messages or bid on ebay
auctions while waiting for our drinks, soup or salad to arrive.
Dave's Pizza Pit
Dave's Pizza Pit is an unpretentious bistro, open for lunch or dinner. The
pizza, sandwiches and salads are tasty. Cold soft drinks are available. There
had been an 'Open-Mic' night on Thursdays beginning at ^ PM, but I would check
to see if this is still ongoing. With any luck it will be...it's great fun and a
chance for you to show off some of your talent!
River Valley Restaurant
The River Valley Restaurant has notoriously good soup. On any day, they'll
typically have three different soups available and they even give you a sample
tray.
As this is also a place that serves breakfast and lunch, it is not unusual to
see someone sitting at a table with an order of French Toast and a cup of Cream
of Mushroom Soup on the side. We've done it, ourselves. During the warmer
weather, the River Valley has a wonderful front porch (more like a veranda, but
let's not get too fancy, here).
McGrew's (in O'Brien,
about 5 miles South of Cave Junction on Hwy 199)
McGrew's has awesome burgers, reputed to be the best in the area. I
will certainly not argue this point, having scarfed down a fair few of them,
myself. McGrew's has a full-service bar and on Friday nights the awesome local
musician B Wishes plays a solo set from 7 PM until she's tuckered out (I've seen
this woman play for four hours with just a few short breaks, so expect to stick
around and listen!). B performs much of her own material (it's awesome!) along
with covers of many favorite and a few of the more obscure tunes. There's a tip
jar and the lady works hard for the money. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Wild River Brewery
Wild River Brewery has beer on tap, has pizza and salads but is most
well-loved for it's all you can eat lunch buffet. Very casual, laid-back
atmosphere. Family-friendly. Lots of local civic groups meet here.
RECOMMENDED SHOPS IN CAVE JUNCTION
Bear Images Boutique
Bear Images has been around for decades and is the hippest boutique in Cave
Junction. You can find all sorts of wonderful stuff in Bear Images: gorgeous
clothing, luscious fragrances, imported soaps, wonderful incense and candles,
music CDs, books, handmade scarves, hats and gloves, purses and packs, an
amazing assortment or unique and beautiful pendants, brooches, rings, bracelets,
perfume bottles, decorative boxes, tapestries, beaded curtains, ornamental
statues...the list goes on. Do not overlook any nook or cranny or you'll be
missing out on something fabulous!
Cabin Chemistry
Cabin Chemistry is THE local health food store. Along with locally grown
organic fruits and vegetables, you'll also find herbs, teas, grains and soy
products. Cabin Chemistry specializes in fragrances: high-quality essential
oils, blends and hydrosols. They carry a line of crystals, wire-wrapped
cabochons and beaded jewelry. Here you will also find such items as pure organic
shampoos and fragrance-free soaps.
Auto Repair
Caves Chevron
Conveniently located on the South side of the intersection of Highways 199
and 46, Caves Chevron is an easy place to have your tank filled and oil checked.
They also do repair work there and are great about patching a tire quickly and
inexpensively. Here you can get air in your tires and propane for your RV. Caves
Chevron also has the ability to diagnose and fix A/C problems in both foreign
and domestic autos. They may not be the cheapest, but they surely are the
quickest. If you need a guaranteed good job done in a hurry, this is the place
to go.
Cascade Auto
Also in town, conveniently located. They've done good work on domestic
automobiles and trucks.
Kar Kare
Kar Kare is not quite in the downtown, but is less than a mile down Caves
Highway. Repairs are made on most makes of automobiles and trucks. They cannot
diagnose or fix A/C problems in certain vehicles of non-domestic manufacture (my
VW Jetta being an example of this). The owner is a straight-up, no-nonsense guy
who will tell you whether he can or can't do the job. Convenient location, IMO.
Rockydale Automotive
They're out a ways and not the easiest folks to spot the first time out, but
I've had a lot of good work done by the guys at Rockydale and adopted a
wonderful puppy from them, too. They've solved some problems no one else could
for a variety of people in the area and didn't charge and arm and a leg, so I'm
going to give them a serious thumbs-up. Worth the trip!
Lamb's Baaa-ady Shop
Worth stopping by just for a look at their sign! I'm never sure whether I
have the correct number of 'a's and the hyphen in the right spot. But seriously, these guys
are the ones to see when you've had a fender bender or been dinged by some fool
with a shopping cart. Lamb's will make your vehicle look better than it did
before it got injured! I have seen this with my own eyes and been amazed at how
they could manage to make an old Ford Bronco that went into a ditch look
elegant...but they did! They also do custom body work.
Kerby
Joe's Market
Kerby is a small town two miles North of Cave Junction on Highway 199. When
it comes to grocery stores, gifts and the U.S. Postal Service, you simply cannot
beat Joe's Market. Reason being? Joes Market is the ONLY place that sells
groceries and gifts and also happens to contain the World Famous Kerby Post
Office. Joes is more on the order of a Convenience Store, but you can nuke
yourself a respectable Philly Steak 'n Cheese sub, a sack of chips and a cold
six-pack, drive on out to Babyfoot Lake and each your lunch. If you have kids,
Joe's Mom fixes up cool sacks of "penny candies", they've pretty much cornered the local
market on sour gummy everything and they've got ice cream, soda, beer, little
chocolate donuts and different kinds of jerky. If you have the opportunity to
meet Joe himself, you're in for a rare treat. Not only is a terrific guy, he can
also tell you a lot about the area.
It's A Burl
Well, it *is* a burl and some amazing wood carvings, furniture...just about
anything imaginable that can be done with a strangely shaped piece of wood has
been done and can be found in the "It's a Burl" Gallery. For awhile an
"ex-friend" (don't ask...even I can't explain this one) and I were so taken with
the "It's a..." concept that we were running around giggling, referring to
places like Bagel Junction as "It's a Bagel" and McGrew's in O'Brien as "It's a
Bar." This is an extraordinary place and you'll kick yourself around the block
if you don't at least go in and have a look around.
There's a tiny shop in the same "It's a Burl" complex named "Indian
Summer" where, as you might expect, handcrafted items by indigenous
Americans, many of them from the local area, are sold. You can also buy lots of
beading supplies here. The deerskin moccasins and boots are beautiful and if you
can find a pair in your size, consider yourself lucky and buy 'em!
Kauffman Wood Gallery
It's a woody world we live in and so Delbert Kauffman figured out how to make
beautiful log furniture from parts of it without sacrificing old or late-successional
sized trees. His rustic furniture is the centerpiece of many a home, B&B and
hotel lobby. The building which houses the Kauffman Wood Gallery is one of the
original, historical buildings that was in existence when Kerby was known as
Kerbyville and was the Josephine County Seat.
The Kerbyville Museum
Harkens back to the days of yesteryear in a very significant way visiting the Kerbyville Museum. Exhibits focus on frontier life "as it was".
You
are treated to exhibits showing how people managed to keep life and limb
together in the days before electricity and high-speed transport
existed. Please call ########## for museum days and hours. Special arrangements
can be made with the curator for group tours.
TAKILMA
Takilma is a miracle. If you are a member of the Woodstock Generation who is
not now pretending to have never inhaled, you will find a trip out to Takilma is
a bit like going back in time. People are notoriously private in Takilma and
when you see those hand-lettered "Drive Slowly, Please" signs, you are
encouraged to pay attention. People WILL run out of their houses and chase your
car down the road and telephone the local Sheriff. Takilma is not recommended
for fans of Rush Limbaugh. Takilma is recommended for those who think Margaret
Cho is very, very funny. The name Takilma derives from the Takelma tribe, which
is, along with so many other indigenous Americans populations, dwindling. Here
is a link to learn more about the Takelma tribe: http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/oregon/
SELMA
I haven't done a whole lot of research about Selma, but there's a link to a
page of information provided by someone who has. However, a wonderful man named
Charlie lives in Selma (Hi Charlie! I miss you!) up on what is referred to as
"the Eagles nest". And there is a lake constructed by humans that turned out to
be quite an accomplishment and is the source of much refreshment and enjoyment
for many people, locals and visitors alike, which is:
Lake Selmac
Lake Selmac is a bazillion-acre lake constructed by humans. Popular local
literature refers to Lake Selmac as man-made. I take exception to this, as I
believe that if there were no women actually involved in the process of building
this lake, they were certainly at home cooking dinner for their husbands and
taking care of the kids and such. So I will now request that the people who have
published literature about Lake Selmac refer to it as human-made, or risk
censure for political incorrectness.
Ray's Food Place
Ray's Food Place is the slightly more upscale Selma equivalent of Ray's ShopSmart
in Cave Junction. Ray's Food Place is located...you guessed it, on Highway 199.
There are also at least two coffee places and a couple of gas stations in Selma.
I will update this section as more information is leaked to me by sources who
live in or frequently spend time in, Selma.
O'Brien
O'Brien is a town that's about five miles South of Cave Junction on Highway
199. It's small, but there are some reasons for going there. Most notable
of these is McGrew's Pub, particularly on Friday nights. The reason? As
mentioned earlier, local
musician B Wishes performs there every Friday night (you might want to call
ahead in case she's had to postpone for any reason). I can tell you from
personal experience that McGrew's has *awesome* burgers and they've got good
beer on tap, as well as every other form of libation and combo imaginable. For
those of us who are boring "tea-totalers", there are the usual fizzy soft drinks
on tap, as well. There is no cover charge when 'B' plays...but there is a tip
jar and this writer heartily recommends leaving the lady a great tip. She works
hard for the money! 'B' also frequently has copies of her "Live at Pagano's" CD
available for sale and, if you're lucky enough to be there on a night when she's
got a stack to sell, it's also one I'll recommend. You won't find it up on
Amazon or in your local store, so do yourself a favor and buy two! My copy
"walked" as soon as a friend heard it and I still need to get a replacement!
The O'Brien Country Store
You can't miss the place, because there is a cop car in front of it. Everyone
notices a cop car, even if it looks like something out of the 30's that might
have transported "Baby Face Nelson". The O'Brien Country Store is to the South
of Cave Junction what Joe's Market is to the North of Cave Junction. You can buy
snacks, sodas, beer, cold bottled water, breath mints, local newspapers and a
variety of sour gummy whatevers that children adore and are utterly mystifying
to the majority of adults.
Rough and Ready Botanical Wayside
Okay. Rough and Ready is a lumber company, true enough. But they've also got
this Botanical Wayside where you can see the East fork of the Illinois river and
follow nicely built and maintained trails through serpentine areas. Serpentine
areas don't look like much...and that's kind of the point. The trees and other
plant life that manages to grow in these areas are really quite amazing, having
adapted to soils containing heavy various heavy metals. So, while you probably
won't want to be picking any salad greens in this place, you'll get a glimpse of
an area where life has, by choice or necessity, become very special through
specialization. Serpentine areas feel very much like deserts. Vegetation is
sparse and things have a "wide open" feel.
MEDICAL FACILITIES
A Medical Facility is currently being built in Cave Junction. And yes, it is
on Highway 199. I do not know when construction is expected to be completed or
what their hours of operation (no pun intended) will be, however if you ask Judy
or Don Kelley, they will certainly be able to fill you in on the details.
The nearest hospital is Three Rivers Hospital in Grants Pass. I cannot recommend
it.
They have a reference to CHR on this page...contact webmaster
http://www.cavejunction.com/cavejunction/lodging.shtml#B
Takelma tribe Oregon via Google:
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/oregon/
Jedediah Smith State park via Google:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=413
Cave Junction Arts Council:
http://www.artscouncilso.org/awards.htm
Bob's redhotjazz links
http://redhotjazz.com/
Britt Festival Jacksonville:
http://www.brittfest.org/
Ashland, Oregon Shakespeare Festival
http://www.orshakes.org/
Jessel House B&B in Ashland, OR:
http://www.ashland-vacation-rental.com/ashland-vacation-rental-pictures.htm
Happy Camp, CA via Google:
http://www.hometownlocator.com/City/Happy-Camp-California.cfm
Trees of Mystery via Google:
http://www.treesofmystery.net/
Yahoo phrase "lodging in cave junction, oregon"
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g60923-Cave_Junction_Oregon-Hotels.html
(brought up in the sidebar)
This comes up at #4 via Yahoo search and has Country Hills listed so we can link
site...
http://www.all-oregon.com/cave_junction.htm
Yahoo search on RV parks cave junction Oregon brings up:
at top...
http://tools.search.yahoo.com/shortcuts/
This is important. Research this tool. Free site and associated email created (countryhillsweb@yahoo.com)
There is also a pay-per-click Travel category. Look into...
patrick creek lodge in Google:
http://www.patrickcreeklodge.net/
It's a Burl in Google:
http://www.itsaburl.com/
Kerbyville Museum:
http://www.superpages.com/cities/mtg/44193/
Josephine County Historical Society:
http://www.webtrail.com/jchs/
Wild Rivers Coast Oregon:
http://www.wildriverscoast.com/
The Toyes
http://www.thetoyes.com/
Red Buttes wilderness via Google:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue/wilderness_redbutte.html
Many wilderness areas coverage:
http://www.roguerivertrips.info/locations/wilderness_areas.asp
storm lovers pacific northwest:
http://wwwa.accuweather.com/news-blogs.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&blog=abrams&date=12-15-2006&month=12&day=1&year=2006
Greyback Road from Happy Camp to O'Brien in Google:
http://www.inn-california.com/volcano/SiskiyouC/happycamp/grebackroad.html
Rafting the Illinois River in Oregon:
http://www.c-w-r.com/rivers/illinois-river.html
Happy Camp, California via Google:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Camp,_California
siskiyou national forest via Google:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/rogue-siskiyou/
kalmiopsis via Google:
http://www.wilderness.net/index.cfm?fuse=NWPS&sec=wildView&wname=Kalmiopsis%20Wilderness
for Botanists, kalmiopsis leachiana via Google:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalmiopsis
for Rogue River sports via Google:
http://www.rogueriveradventures.com/other.htm
Hellgate Jetboat Excursions via Google (alone at top in sidebar):
http://www.hellgate.com/Splash/
to Gold Beach via Google:
http://www.goldbeach.org/html/PressRoom/pressroom_visitorattraction.cfm
search on Sucker Creek Oregon in Google brings up cool trail site:
http://www.maxtrails.com/trails/1006456_Sucker_Creek_Trail_Oregon.html
another hike of interest via Sucker Creek Oregon:
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.asp?trailid=HGW276-013
fishing hunting cave junction oregon via Google:
http://www.rogueweb.com/cjunct/
sucker creek Cave Junction Oregon via Google:
http://www.nps.gov/orca/planyourvisit/riveraccess.htm
countryhillsresort cave junction oregon in Google:
http://www.winesnw.com/rogueloddn.html
wineries cave junction Oregon in Google...awesome!
http://www.google.com/maps?hl=en&lr=&rls=GGLR,GGLR:2006-38,GGLR:en&q=wineries&near=Cave+Junction,+OR&sa=X&oi=local&ct=title
affordable lodging cave junction via Google:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Resources-g60923-Maps-Cave_Junction_Oregon.html
search on Bigalow Lake via Google (very nice site!):
http://web.mac.com/designbykiltz/iWeb/The%20Kiltz'/Our%20Blog/27EE1927-98EB-4096-B528-47C0D05EF2C8.html
search on darlingtonia bog Illinois Valley in Google brings up very cool
Geological site!
search on Illinois Valley Visitor Center in Google:
http://ivcdo.projecta.com/sectionindex.asp?sectionid=8
http://www.cavejunctionoregon.com/
here is a page with dead link off same (CJ Chamber of Commerce) web site:
http://www.cavejunctionoregon.com/members.html
crater lake national park:
http://www.crater.lake.national-park.com/
EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO>>>>>
http://thesecrettrailerpark.com/
RECOMMENDED READING @ AMAZON:
per the Takelma tribe, et al:
http://www.amazon.com/Collected-Works-Edward-Sapir-Vol/dp/3110125722/sr=8-13/qid=1167329658/ref=sr_1_13/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
American landscapes:
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Ground-Language-American-Landscape/dp/1595340246/sr=1-2/qid=1167329822/ref=sr_1_2/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Oregon beachcombing:
http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Under-Foot/dp/0961764503/sr=1-2/qid=1167329989/ref=sr_1_2/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Geological hikes:
http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Oregons-Geology/dp/0898868475/sr=1-10/qid=1167330392/ref=sr_1_10/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Hiking coast and coastal range:
http://www.amazon.com/100-Hikes-Travel-Guide-Oregon/dp/096778302X/sr=1-3/qid=1167330392/ref=sr_1_3/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Foghorn Outdoors Oregon Hiking:
http://www.amazon.com/Foghorn-Outdoors-Oregon-Hiking-Complete/dp/1566916704/sr=1-6/qid=1167330621/ref=sr_1_6/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Hiking the Bigfoot Country(OOP)
http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Bigfoot-Country-Sierra-Totebook/dp/0871561271/sr=1-1/qid=1167330834/ref=sr_1_1/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Kalmiopsis info:
postcards from Ed...
http://www.amazon.com/Postcards-Ed-Dispatches-American-Iconoclast/dp/1571312846/sr=8-4/qid=1167331287/ref=sr_1_4/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Fishing in Oregon:
http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Oregon-Complete-Guide/dp/0916473155/sr=8-9/qid=1167331287/ref=sr_1_9/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Oregon River Maps and Fishing Guide:
http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-River-Map-Fishing-Guide/dp/1571883177/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/102-1959472-5554533
The Oregon Caves:
http://www.amazon.com/Awesome-Caverns-Marble-National-Monuement/dp/0936738944/sr=8-1/qid=1167332912/ref=sr_1_1/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Oregon Historical reading:
http://www.amazon.com/Rogue-River-Indian-Aftermath-1850-1980/dp/0806129069/sr=1-4/qid=1167332992/ref=sr_1_4/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Hiking Oregon's History:
http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Oregons-History-Stories-Historic/dp/0961815272/sr=1-3/qid=1167333159/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
In Search of Ancient Oregon (a Geological and Natural history):
http://www.amazon.com/Search-Ancient-Oregon-Geological-Natural/dp/0881927899/ref=ed_oe_p/102-1959472-5554533
Roadside Geology of Oregon:
http://www.amazon.com/Roadside-Geology-Oregon/dp/0878420630/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/102-1959472-5554533
Pacific Northwest Camping:
http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Northwest-Camping-Campsites-Washington/dp/1573540374/ref=pd_sim_b_4/102-1959472-5554533
Campfire Cuisine:
http://www.amazon.com/Campfire-Cuisine-Gourmet-Recipes-Outdoors/dp/1594740852/ref=cm_lm_fullview_prod_1/102-1959472-5554533
Oregon Atlas and Gazetteer:
http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Atlas-Gazetteer/dp/0899333478/sr=8-6/qid=1167331287/ref=sr_1_6/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
Hiking coast and Siskiyous:
http://www.amazon.com/Hikes-Oregons-Coast-Range-Siskiyous/dp/0898866200/sr=1-2/qid=1167330621/ref=sr_1_2/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
rockclimbing:
http://www.amazon.com/Weekend-Rock-Oregon-Sport-Routes/dp/0898867177/sr=1-4/qid=1167329989/ref=sr_1_4/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
botanicals:
http://www.amazon.com/Native-American-Ethnobotany-Daniel-Moerman/dp/0881924539/sr=1-1/qid=1167330194/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-1959472-5554533?ie=UTF8&s=books
