Horne Lake Caves

Useful Information

Location:	West of Qualicum Beach on the east side of Vancouver Island. From Nanaimo, head north on the Inland Island Highway to Horne Lake Road, just north of Qualicum Beach.
Open:	Family Cavern Tour: 01-MAY to 20-JUN after appointment. 21-JUN to 01-SEP daily 10-17, hourly. 02-SEP to 11-OCT daily 11, 12, 13:30, 14:30. Spelunking Adventure: 01-JAN to 20-JUN after appointment. 21-JUN to 01-SEP daily 9:30, 13:30, 16, 19. 02-SEP to 11-OCT daily 13:30, 14:30. 12-OCT to 31-DEC after appointment. High Adventure: 30-MAY to 20-JUN after appointment. 21-JUN to 11-OCT daily 9. Extreme Rappel: 30-MAY to 20-JUN after appointment. 21-JUN to 11-OCT daily 12. Reservation required for all tours! [2007]
Fee:	Family Cavern Tour: Adults CAD 17, Children (4-12) CAD 15, Children (0-4) not allowed. Spelunking Adventure: Adults CAD 54, Children (4-12) CAD 45, Children (0-4) not allowed. High Adventure: Adults CAD 109, Children (0-14) not allowed. Extreme Rappel: Adults CAD 149, Children (0-14) not allowed. [2007]
Classification:	Karst cave
Light:	torch provided/rented/brin own.
Dimension:	T=8°C. Lower Main Cave: L=40m, VR=15m. Main Cave: L=136m, VR=30m. Riverbend Cave: L=384m.
Guided tours:	Family Cavern Tour: D=90min. Spelunking Adventure: D=3h. High Adventure: D=4h, Extreme Rappel: D=5h.
Bibliography:
Address:	Horne Lake Caverns and Teepee Adventure Camp, Box 3531 Stn. Main, Courtenay, B.C. V9N6Z8. Information: +1-250-7578687. Reservations: +1-250-2487829. E-mail:
Last update:	$Date: 2007/11/09 09:11:28 $

History


1912		discovered by local geologist.
1939		cavers discovered Main Cave and Lower Cave.
1971		Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park created, Riverbend Cave gated to protect speleothems.

Description

Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park is a small part in the center of Vancouver island. Composed of uplifted limestone and weathered by the melting water of several ice ages and the typical west coast rains, numerous caves have formed on the island. This area, discovered in 1912 by a local geologist, has been protected as a park in 1971. There are numerous caves, some are open to the public in several tours of all difficulties.

Main Cave and Lower Main Cave are open for self guided tours. Safety helmets, maps, and flashlights can be rented at the park office during operating hours.

Riverbend Cave is the main attraction of the park, with numerous speleothems. It is visited on different guided tours, helmets and lamps are provided for the tours. The Karst Trail, leading to various karst features of the park, leads to also to the cave entrance after a 20 minutes walk. The cave entrance is covered by a steel door, looking like a manhole cover, below is a steel ladder leading down into the cave. The tours of different length show various passages of the cave with different formations. The longest and most demanding tour is called Extreme Rappel and includes a rappel down a seven-storey waterfall and then a climb out on a cable ladder.

Horne Lake Caves

Useful Information

History

Description

See also