Origin
Cave Junction, OR
Night in Cave Junction on Saturday
Local time
9:39 PM
PDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cave Junction, OR to Medford, OR
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
58.2 mi
94 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
7 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 27m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cave Junction, OR
Wikimedia Commons
Medford, OR
Stephen Leonardi
Trip Overview
Spanning 58.2 miles, the drive from Cave Junction to Medford is a straightforward trek that typically takes about 1 hour and 22 minutes to complete. Because of the relatively short duration, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, requiring no overnight stops. You can expect to spend approximately $12 on fuel for the journey, making it a budget-friendly option for your travel plans. Navigating through the Pacific Coast region, the route transitions from the Redwood Highway onto the Grants Pass Parkway before merging onto I-5. Whether you are commuting or heading out for a day of exploration, the ease of this transit allows for a stress-free experience between these two Oregon locations.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Redwood Highway | 28.1 mi | 41m |
| I 5 | 24.9 mi | 28m |
| Grants Pass Parkway | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Court Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Central Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Crater Lake Highway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East 4th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| North Fir Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Redwood Highway
— 28.1 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cave Junction, OR and Medford, OR.
1
Start on this road
351 ft
·
34 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto US 199
28 mi
·
41 min
·
Redwood Highway
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on US 199
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Grants Pass Parkway
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
5
Merge onto I 5
25 mi
·
28 min
·
I 5
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
46 sec
Toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Klamath Falls
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto OR 62
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
Crater Lake Highway
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto OR 99
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Court Street
Use the left lane.
9
Continue on OR 99
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Central Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
10
Turn right onto East 4th Street
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
East 4th Street
11
Turn left onto North Fir Street
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
North Fir Street
12
Arrive at destination
North Fir Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.1 miles from Cave Junction, OR, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 58.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 199 / Redwood Highway
Turn left onto US 199 / Redwood Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
56 mi into trip
|
~1h 16m in
Take the exit toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Klamath Falls
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward OR 62: Crater Lake Highway, Medford, Kla...
5
56.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 17m in
|
OR 62 / Crater Lake Highway
Turn right onto OR 62 / Crater Lake Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
56.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 18m in
|
OR 99 / Court Street
Turn left onto OR 99 / Court Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
58.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m in
|
North Fir Street
Turn left onto North Fir Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.59 one way
$23.19 round trip
$5.06/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.36 | $12.27 | $24.54 |
| premium | $5.59 | $12.81 | $25.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.85 | $25.70 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.11 | $2.79 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.09 | $2.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.3 | 0 | $8.15 | $3.72 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Medford, OR
Night in Medford on Saturday
Local time
9:39 PM
PDT
Current temp
55°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 22m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a mixed driving experience as you transition from local roadways to the interstate. With a highway share of 47%, the route begins with a 28.1-mile stretch on the Redwood Highway, which serves as the longest uninterrupted portion of your trip. As you move toward the Grants Pass Parkway and eventually I-5, the character of the road shifts from regional highway travel to the more consistent pace of a major interstate. This combination keeps the drive engaging, as you navigate different road types that fluctuate between rural highway stretches and more arterial transit zones. You will find that the shift in road environments helps break up the 58.2-mile journey, providing a steady progression from the start in Cave Junction to your arrival in Medford.
47% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.1 mi on Redwood Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near US 199 / Redwood Highway.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 22m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 199 / Redwood Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 56 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56.3 miles (OR 62 / Crater Lake Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,589 ft
934 ft
Total Climb
927 ft
Total Descent
887 ft
Highest Point
1,589 ft
~12.5 mi in
Elevation Range
655 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 22m. Total distance: 58.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.1 miles on Redwood Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (US 199 / Redwood Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 56 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 56.3 miles (OR 62 / Crater Lake Highway): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Medford, OR before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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