Upana Caves


Useful Information

Location: Strathcona, BC V0P 1G0.
Gold River, Vancouver Island. From Nanaimo Highway 19 Inland Island Highway to Campbell River, turn left on Highway 28 (The Golden River Highway). Turn right on Tree to See Highway towards Tahsis. From Gold River signposted.
(49.8190489, -126.2434184)
Open: No restrictions.
[2025]
Fee: free.
[2025]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst Cave KarstKarst Trail
Light: bring torch
Dimension: L=450 m, T=7 °C.
Guided tours: Self guided. D=60 min, L=600 m.
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography: Upana Caves Self-Guided Tour pdf
Address: Village of Gold River, Strathcona, BC V0P 1G0, Tel: +1-250-283-7334.
Tahsis Village Office, 977 South Maquinna Dr., P.O. Box 219, Tahsis, BC V0P 1X0, Tel: +1-250-934-6344. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1971 Upana Cave system discovered during nearby road building and harvesting.
1975 explored and surveyed.

Description

Pathways and steps allow the tourist to visit the fifteen known semi-developed wild caves, including Corner Cave, Insect Cave, Main Cave, Resurgence Cave, Slither Cave and Tunnel Cave all linked by an advertised hiking trail in Kyuquot Provincial Forest. The caves are described as „wild” and „undeveloped” and at one point you will come across an underground river. The underground sequences of „Huckleberry Finn and His Friends” were filmed in Upana Caves.


Text by Tony Oldham (2002). With kind permission.

The site is called Upana Caves Interpretitive Forest Site or short Upana Caves Ifs. The site was named after the Upana river, which flows from Bull Lake to Upana Lake. Among other things the river flows underground for some distance, there is a sink as well as a resurgence. The trail is a comfortable gravel trail with educational signs. There are five caves to explore, a viewpoint overlooking a waterfall, and a viewing platform providing a great view of the Resurgence Cave entrance. As the name suggests, that’s where the river reappears from underground. A wooden staircase is leading down to the resurgence. Walking shoes and weather-dependent sun protection or raincoat are advisable. If you want to enter some cave bring at least two lamps and if you have a helmet. Maps for self-guided cave tours are available at Gold River.