If you fancy a mini adventure on the drive North towards Port Hardy and Cape Scott on Vancouver Island; Consider stopping at Little Huson Caves in the Nimpkish Valley. This little regional park features incredible karst geology with caves, a natural bridge and gorgeous crystal clear pools where you can go for a swim. The trail is super short, so you’ll probably spend more time being jostled along the FSR, than actually hiking. Still, it is all worth it!

You can’t always tell what places will be a hidden gem, and what will be super popular! Little Huson Caves is pretty far off what we would have expected to be an obvious tourist destination. It’s in the middle of nowhere, and there isn’t much written about it online BUT this was one of the busiest places we visited in the Northern part of Vancouver Island! It might just have gotten popular on tiktok/instagram, as I saw a few posts about it after we visited.

Little Huson Caves Map

Little Huson Caves – the basics

Distance: Less than 1 km
Elevation gain: minimal – 30m-ish.
Time: 30 mins-1 hour
What to bring: The 10 Essentials
Facilities: Drop toilets at the trailhead
Dogs: Great for dogs!
How hard is it? Easy.
Extra notes: This is more of a drive than a hike – It takes far longer driving on the FSR than actual walking. But the area is so cool, it’s still worth it!

Little Huson Caves – Driving directions

Firstly, don’t follow directions on google maps – it’ll send you the wrong way. I created a driving map on all trails, if you can, download that before you set off as you may not have cell service in this area.

• From highway 19, turn off onto Zeballos Main Line (if you’re coming from the south it’s 21km beyond Woss.)
• Cross the Nimpish river and then after 2.8km, turn right. This is still Zeballos Main Line.
• After a few hundred meters, continue straight onto the Atluck Forest Service Road. The Zeballos Main Line curls around to the left.
• Stay on the Atluck Forest Service Road for 4.8km, until the junction for HU1000 Branch Road. This part can be confusing, but luckily someone has posted hand-painted signs.
• The HU1000 Branch Road is a lot bumpier, so take it slowly! Follow it for 2.3km to the parking area, next to a large signboard.

Little Huson Caves trail

The trail is easy to follow. After a couple of hundred meters, take a turning right down to a viewing platform above Atluck Creek (and the back-side of the caves.) Then, continue onwards, as the best part is next! There are quite a few steps up and down, so although this is an easy trail, it is not flat.

It’s easy to miss the first cave, which is just under a crack in the limestone at the base of the final wooden staircase.

If you climb inside, look backwards as you can see scallops, rippled rock surfaces created by high-pressure water flow.

Atluck Creek Canyon

Just before you reach the largest cave, if you look right, the river has carved a steep canyon into the rock. This is one of the prettiest swimming spots, with moss-covered cliffs and inviting turquoise pools.

Cathedral River Cave

For me, the most impressive part area is the entrance to the Cathedral River Cave. If you are careful (and the water level is not too high) you can climb right inside this huge cave.

Little Huson Cave rapids

Just inside the cave entrance there are some small rapids. In summer the flow of water was low enough that people could walk down this to swim in the deep pools within the cave. However this could be a dodgy place to stand when the waters are rushing in the springtime.

The Cathedral River Cave is part of the giant natural rock bridge. Once you climb inside, you can see the opening on the other side.

These caves are a fantastic example of karst topography. They’re formed by the erosion of a 300m deep bed of limestone, called the Quatsino Formation. This network of caves, sinkholes and underground streams was created by water erosion over millions of years. Pretty cool eh? I love the way the rocks look like they have been carved to resemble giant stone waves.

Camping nearby

If you have more time, or if you fancy staying for a bit longer in this gorgeous area, there are free campsites at Anutz Lake, Nimpkish Lake and Atluck Lake. All of these operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Although these have basic amenities, think of them as a rustic camping experience. You’ll need to bring your own water, or water purification system.

Anutz Lake Recreation Campsite

Location: This is close to Little Huson Caves, off the Zeballos forestry road
Camping style: Open area with no designated sites
Facilities: Picnic tables, fire pits and pit toilets (apparently these are functional but in rough shape.) There is also a natural boat launch on the beach
The best bits: The shoreline along the lake has more cool limestone geological features. Views from the lake look incredible.

Nimpkish Lake Recreation Site

Location: Slightly further North on Highway 19.
Campsites: 15 camping spots available
Facilities: Picnic tables, fire pits and pit toilets
The best bits: Offers a peaceful lakeside setting with beautiful views. Some campsites have steps down to the lake.

Atluck Lake Campground

Location: South of Little Huson caves. Continue further down the Zeballos Mainline, then turn right for 6km along Atluck Road.
3 Campgrounds: Main area in a small bay (for 15-20 campers), plus two smaller campsites at 5 and 6 km markers
Facilities: Picnic tables, fire rings and pit toilets. Boat launch at the main entrance
The best bits: Multiple camping options with varying levels of seclusion.

I was quite surprised by how busy it was when we visited Little Huson Caves BUT it is a beautiful area with such cool geology, that I didn’t mind sharing it with lots of other excited families, swimmers and happy dogs! I would quite like to go back in the springtime to see what it looks like when the waters are really rushing through here! Do you like the idea of heading up to these amazing caves in the North of Vancouver Island?