Horne Lake Caves

The Horne Lake system holds around a thousand caves in the surrounding karst, and the park takes the unusual approach of leaving them essentially wild: no lighting, no concrete paths, no handrails. Two caves are open for self-exploration with a permit and your own helmet and lights, and guided trips go deeper, including a seven-hour Extreme trip involving a rappel down a five-storey underground waterfall. Formations are protected by the darkness and the effort; crystal flowstone and calcite curtains survive because visitors are few and supervised. Temperature stays around eight degrees. The caves have been open to visitors since the 1970s and remain deliberately undeveloped.

What you actually see

• The unlit passages - caves with no lighting or handrails, lit by your own lamp.
• The crystal formations - flowstone and calcite curtains on guided routes.
• The rappel trip - a descent past an underground waterfall on the longest tour.
• The karst landscape - about a thousand caves in the surrounding limestone.

When to go

Year-round; the caves hold about eight degrees whatever the season, which makes winter a fine time. Guided trips book out in summer and school holidays.

Honest expectations

This is real caving: crawling, mud, tight passages and cold. Helmets and lights are mandatory and rented if you have none. The access road is rough gravel. Not for claustrophobic visitors.

Nearby

Qualicum Beach lies east; Cathedral Grove is south.