Oregon Caves National Monument And Preserve

A national park lodge built to blend into the deep Oregon woods that surround it has stood silently since 2018 when structural issues forced its closure. While the National Park Service is working to stabilize the Chateau at Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve, its condition has landed it on the National Trust for Historic Preservation's most endangered list.

A concessions company that operates in Acadia National Park, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park, Mammoth Cave National Park and eight other units of the National Park System says it can take over the concessions operation at Crater Lake National Park in Oregon

Restoration of the historic Chateau at Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve has been delayed due to additional studies of the lodge, but now is expected to get underway this summer.

Many travelers (readers of the Traveler excepted) mistakenly believe commercial facilities in the national parks – lodging, dining, and retail - are operated by the federal government. While national park officials have ultimate oversight on things such as pricing, these facilities are operated by private companies that bid for the right to rent rooms, operate dining facilities, sell T-shirts, and offer specified activities such as trail rides and guided tours. NPS rangers continue to staff visitor centers and offer interpretive activities, but nearly all commercial activities are handled by the private sector.