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Cavern Lake Provincial Park

Facilities

All Terrain Wheelchairs symbol Amphitheatres symbol Art Galleries symbol Backcountry Access Points symbol Boat Launch(es) symbol Campsites (Backcountry) symbol Campsites (Car Camping) symbol Campsites (Dog Free) symbol Campsites (Electrical) symbol Campsites (Group) symbol Campsites (Radio Free) symbol Campsites (RV Pullthrough) symbol Campsites (Seasonal Campsite Rental) symbol Campsites (Total) symbol Campsites (Walk In) symbol Comfort Station(s) symbol Docks symbol Dog Beaches symbol EV Charging Station symbol Fish Cleaning Buildings symbol Food Concessions symbol Group BBQ's symbol Historic Buildings symbol Laundromat symbol Museums (Logging etc.) symbol Park Store symbol Pet Exercise Area(s) symbol Picnic Shelters symbol Playground symbol Pools symbol Rentals - Bike symbol Rentals - Canoe symbol Rentals - Cross-country skis symbol Rentals - Ice Fishing Kit symbol Rentals - Ice Skates symbol Rentals - Kayak symbol Rentals - Motorboat symbol Rentals - Paddleboat symbol Rentals - Snowshoes symbol Rentals - Stand Up Paddleboard symbol Roofed Accommodation symbol Showers symbol Toilets (Interior Earth Pit) symbol Toilets (Vault Privies) symbol Trailer Dump / Fill Stations symbol Visitor Centre symbol Warm Up Shelters symbol Wifi (Public) symbol

Activities

Biking symbol Biking (Mountain Bike) symbol Birding - Festivals symbol Boating symbol Boating - Motorboat Restrictions symbol Camping - Backcountry symbol Camping - Car symbol Camping - Dog Free symbol Camping - Group symbol Camping - Radio Free symbol Camping - Seasonal Campsite Rental symbol Camping - Walk In symbol Camping - Winter (including Roofed) symbol Canoeing symbol Dark Sky Viewing symbol Disc Golf symbol Discovery Program symbol Dogsledding symbol Fishing symbol Hiking symbol Hiking - Overnight Trails symbol Horseback Riding symbol Hunting symbol Ice Skating symbol Kite Boarding symbol Rock Climbing symbol Skiing - Cross Country symbol Snowmobiling symbol Snowshoeing symbol Swimming symbol Tobogganing symbol Whitewater Paddling symbol

Please note: Availability of some facilities and activities may be restricted to specific areas of the park, may be ecologically dependent, or may be seasonally weather dependent.

General Information

Regional Health Unit for this Park: Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Phone:

(807) 475-1495

Size: 188.99 ha

Year established: 1975

Park Classification: Nature Reserve

Address:

Northwest Zone Suite 221 435 James Street South
Thunder Bay, ON
P7E 6E3

Tread Lightly. Nature Reserve

What You'll Like:

An intriguing assortment of geological and biological elements explains why this area above Lake Superior’s north shore has been given special protection. The area features a rocky canyon outcrop covered in rare arctic-alpine plants. Also found here is a large cave occupied by colonies of bats. The natural environment of the reserve is considered to be so vulnerable that visitors are discouraged. The Bat Cave As at nearby Ouimet Canyon, jointing planes in the quartz monzonite and late Precambrian diabase rock have produced a canyon more than 48 metres deep. About 27 metres above Cavern Lake is what is considered to be the largest cave in Precambrian rock in Ontario, and possibly in Canada. The entrance measures 20 metres wide by 2.5 metres at its highest point, and the interior extends 13 metres horizontally from front to back. The cave is home to at least four species of bat: the little brown bat, the big brown bat, the rarer Keen’s long-eared bat, and the red bat. In the summer the cave is a roosting site, and in winter a hibernation site. Disturbances may prove harmful to these small winged mammals, especially in winter. Arctic and Sub-Arctic Vegetation Boreal forests—white birch, trembling aspen, spruces, balsam fir, jack pine—cover the dramatic landscape, which is made up of mesas and escarpments. Sub-arctic thickets and a variety of arctic-alpine flora grow on the canyon floor, where snow may generally be found until late spring. Fir-club moss and lichen cover diabase blocks and boulder talus, mixing with alpine woodsia, arctic pyrola, encrusted saxifrage, and fragrant shield fern—plants that are usually found further north. Park Facilities and Activities There are no visitor facilities or amenities.

Location: About 40 kilometres east of Thunder Bay.