Horne Lake Caving Questions?

How difficult is it?
The Family Cavern tour is the easiest cave exploring in the park. On the guided tours, there is a moderately strenuous uphill trail (20 min.) to get to the cave. Inside the cave, no sidewalks or railings, just a rocky trail inside. You will be stepping off rocks up to 1 metre (3 ft.) in size. It is possible there is water present in parts of the cave.

I have never been in a cave before and I am nervous about small, enclosed spaces. Should I go on the cave tour?
There are no tight spaces or crawling involved. If you feel uncomfortable in the cave, we have a second guide who is there just in case you or a friend want out. On the Family Tour, you are never more than 5 minutes from the exit.

Are the caves suitable for children?
The Family Cavern Tour is excellent for children age 5 and up. The Triple Cave is for ages 8 and up. Longer trips such as the 4 and 5 hour expeditions are for ages 15 and up.

How tight are the passages? Do we have to crawl or squeeze?
The Family Cavern Tour does not have squeezes or crawls. The 3 hour Triple Cave Tour has some climbing and narrow passages. The 4-hour “High Adventure” and the 5-hour “Extreme Rappel” expeditions both require crawling and roped climbs.

How big are the caves?
Riverbend Cave is 384 metres (1270 ft.) long. Main Cave is 136 metres (450 ft.) long. Lower Main is 40 metres (132 ft.) long. All the caves contain rooms at least three-storeys high. Riverbend Cave has a seven-storey waterfall.

How dark is it? Do we need lights?
The inside of the caves are totally black. Helmets and lights are provided for cave tour participants or can be rented for self guiding.

What should I wear?
Good footwear is essential for safety. The cave floors are rocky and uneven. Running shoes or hiking boots are best. Rubber boots are better in the winter when the caves have water flowing. The temperature remains at 8 degrees Celcius (47 degrees Fahrenheit) all year round. Family tour and Triple Cave Adventure participants should have long sleeves and pants while longer tours need a second layer (fleece or polypropylene shirts and/or nylon pants are ideal).

When is the best time to visit?
That depends. Summer and Fall are driest and cave tours depart every day. To avoid crowds, plan on visiting early or late in the day. Winter and Spring are a great time to see the caves in their wild and wet condition, but please call ahead for guided tours.

Are there rats, bats, snakes or spiders in the caves?
No rats, bats or snakes. In winter, the Daddy-Long-Leg spider (harvestman) comes inside the cave entrances to hibernate for approximately 4 months (November, December, January, February).

Can I go camping there?
The Provincial Park is a Day-Use park with no camping. However, next door is the Horne Lake Regional Park campground, great for families with beachfront tent and RV sites.

What else is there to do?
Non-cavers are welcome to join us on the surface trail walks to the cave entrances and learn about the geology and formation of these unique caves. As well there are opportunities to try other activities such as canoeing, swimming, rock climbing lessons, hiking, beach walking, and bird watching.