Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park
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Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park is a
provincial park Ischigualasto Provincial Park A provincial park (or territorial park) is a park administered by one of the provinces of a country, as opposed to a national park. They are similar to state parks in other countries. They are typically open to t ...
on
Vancouver Island Vancouver Island is an island in the northeastern Pacific Ocean and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. The island is in length, in width at its widest point, and in total area, while are of land. The island is the largest by ...
in
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, Canada. Its principal function is the protection, management, and recreational use of several
caves A cave or cavern is a natural void in the ground, specifically a space large enough for a human to enter. Caves often form by the weathering of rock and often extend deep underground. The word ''cave'' can refer to smaller openings such as sea ...
collectively known as the Horne Lake Caves.


History

Although certainly known to the Qualicum First Nation, the first reference to caves at Horne Lake is in a geological report from 1912. Two caves known as Main and Lower Main were thereafter known to loggers, and public visitation increased after they were publicised in 1939. In 1941 the larger Riverbend Cave was discovered and was a popular tourist site by 1945. In 1957 the Province placed a 29 ha. reserve around the Horne Lake caves which by then had been stripped of many of their formations. Fears of vandalism in the recently revealed Euclataws Cave (discovered in 1963 but kept secret until about 1969) led local cavers to approach the provincial government for protection, and in January 1971 Horne Lake Caves became a provincial park. Euclataws and Riverbend Cave were gated and guided tours commenced in Main, Lower Main and Riverbend caves. Vandalism and gate-breaching continued, however, and in 1984 a serious incident of vandalism in Riverbend Cave led to increased attention and the creation of a management plan in 1985, followed by improved visitor facilities and privately managed cave tours. Four additional caves, Cougar Cave, Eggshell Cave, Andre's Annex and Riverbend Trail Slot Cave, have recently been documented within the park. The park includes forest and part of the Qualicum River which provides opportunities for hiking, fishing and canoeing.


Location

The 158 ha Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park is located approximately 60 km north of Nanaimo and 26 km west of Qualicum, and is 12 km from the Horne Lake exit off Highway 19.


See also

Adam Grant Horne Adam Grant Horne (1829 – 10 August 1901) was a Hudson's Bay Company employee at the Colony of Vancouver Island, a municipal politician and a businessman. He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and died at Nanaimo, British Columbia. He married Elizab ...
for whom Horne Lake was named.


References

*''Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park Master Plan'' Province of British Columbia, March 1985 *''Recent Developments at Horne Lake Caves Park''
The Canadian Caver ''The Canadian Caver'' is a semiannual publication that documents the activities of Canadian cavers exploring caves within Canada and overseas. ''The Canadian Caver'' was created by members of the McMaster University Climbing and Caving Club from ...
Vol 16 No 2


External links

* Regional District of Nanaimo Provincial parks of British Columbia Caves of British Columbia Limestone caves Alberni Valley Landforms of Vancouver Island 1989 establishments in British Columbia Protected areas established in 1989 {{BritishColumbia-park-stub