Upana Caves
Gold River, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Upana Caves - Gold River

Upana Caves is located near the community of Gold River, BC on Vancouver Island, Canada. The caving adventure destination includes over 100 caves. There are about 1 050 known caves on Vancouver Island. Most of these caves are found in the Quatsino Formation limestone deposits of Northern Vancouver Island.

The Upana Caves is an underground adventure surrounded by honeycombed limestone rock. There are, both, easily accessible caves and extreme caves. The harder, deeper caves should only be attempted by expert cavers with the proper equipment and skills.

To access the Gold River caves requires a short hike along a well marked trail. There are fifteen known entrances within the system of caves at the Upana Cave site. The individual caves vary in size from single rooms to branching passages of considerable length.

Dress warmly, as some of these caves extend more than 2,000 feet (610 m) below ground. They are said to be the deepest caves north of Mexico.

You can explore the Gold River caves on a self-guided tour or you can join a guided tour. Guided tours explore the deepest parts of the caving network. A highlight destination for a guided tour is the "White Ridge" caverns. Cavers named the "White Ridge" cavern after a river that flows through one of the caves. Other caves in the system include the Corner Cave, Insect Cave, Main Cave, Resurgence Cave, Slither Cave and Tunnel Cave.

How to Get to Upana Caves - Gold River

Travel to the community of Campbell River on Vancouver Island on Hwy #1. On the north end of Campbell River take a right and head west on the Gold River Highway to the community of Gold River, BC, Canada. From there travel 17 kilometres (about 10 mi.) west on Head Bay Forest Road.