lusk cave

So I reviewed this attraction about four years ago, but feel the need to restate something for prospective parents after my last visit a week ago. The first cavern is awesome, and it's for all ages. The "ceiling" has holes so light streams down, and even at heavy rainfall periods, the water has only ever come up to my stomach (I'm 5'5", or 165 cm if that helps the perspective). If you have young kids, they'll have a blast (though make sure you have water-resistant shoes, a waterproof flashlight, and bathing suits!).The second cavern is more difficult, and NOT FOR ANYONE WHO SUFFERS FROM CLAUSTROPHOBIA. I cannot stress this enough. On my last visit, there was a group ahead of us comprised of about three adults and five children, most of whom seemed to be about 8 and under (youngest looked about 2, if that). There is, to begin, NO LIGHTING in the second half aside from what your flash/headlight provides. It is literally, pitch black. About halfway through, you'll encounter a 2 meter/6.5 foot drop, which is essentially a tiny waterfall you'll have to navigate down. This isn't too tricky, but I'll come back to this in a moment.At peak flooding, you might have NO CLEARANCE between the cave ceiling, and the water level. Yes, this means you will have to swim underwater and hold your breath in darkness (heading towards the light) to get out. At best, you might get 4-6 inches of clearance. On my last visit, I had about 2. The small kids infront of myself and my friend had to turn back, and yes, there was much tears and crying as they were petrified. Going back in Cavern 2 is not as easy as in Cavern 1. Remember the 2 meter drop I mentioned? Yeah, I had to witness a mom wait at the bottom with her 2 year old, while the dad climbed up, and they had to pass the child over 6 feet to the other, which was very difficult. Personally, as someone with many small kids in the family, I wouldn't let any of them under the age of 10 do the second half of the cave, just as I feel it is waaaaay to risky they could get confused in the black water, hit their heads on top of the cave, or otherwise panic on the way out. For adults and older kids, it's a blast, but not for young kids. Of course, this is a judgement you'll have to make for yourself and with your kids, whom I don't know, but I've traversed and explored this cave close to ten times now. It seems each time--despite warnings I will occasionally give families about the exit of Cavern 2--it ends with a child crying and needing to be carried back out the way he/she entered. So is this an awesome adventure? Yes. You'll have an amazing time, but please, parents with young kids, beware of the danger of having a small child attempt to hold their breath in a darkened cave and swim to safety, and beware of having to climb up a 2 meter waterfall with rocks to get back out of the cave. As other reviewers have noted, this can be traumatizing for a child.On another note, in terms of those getting lost: program "Lac Philippe" into your GPS/Google Maps to get taken straight to the toll booth for Lusk Cave, and note as of July 2014, the fee is now $11/car CASH ONLY.

The cave part was totally awesome, they are beautiful and exciting to go through. You have to watch your step carefully and bring flashlights. The warm is surprisingly refreshing and not that cold. Do not bring valuables you do not want to wet because sometimes your whole body is in the water, but for the most part the water is shallow. The first cave was the best, the second cave at the end you actually have to swim underwater to reach the exit unless you turn back. Bring good shoes!What I didnt like: The actual trail leading up to the caves is tricky to find and there isen't many signs to guide you, we had to keep asking strangers if we were going the right way. And the hike itself is nothing special, not very scenic but the caves make it worth it at the end.

A small group of us went spelunking in this awesome cave and we loved our time there! Bring a helmet, a flashlight, and lots of kleenex as you will get dirty.

My husband and I did this with our 8 year old daughter yesterday July 27, 2013. Note date, year - consider water levels (this has been a wet summer).This is a great adventure - just as the other reviewers state - HOWEVER - you need to know:--the long hike in is just that, but not hard - we took the NCC route - rolling gravelly pathway - we actually biked it - the hills are hard for a child if their bike is one gear and heavy..--the last km uphill hike is not very uphill in my opinion - 10-15min walk - very easy really, we have done a fair bit of hiking with our kids--the caves:super cool - a headlamp is a must in my opinion because you want to use your hands to climbwe had some rushing water in places but manageableyup we wore our swimsuits and we were soaked but water was warm yesterdayHERE'S the HOWEVER:-if you are claustrophobic (read ME) - you will need to decide if you can handle this - I had a momentary panic when we went into the section where there is NO light, but I took deep breaths and followed the MANY others going through, this helped.-if you are not comfortable in water up to your head and a ceiling right at your head - DON'T do the last part. - so we got to the end and the people ahead of us took off their headlamps, lay on their backs, and half-walked backwards, and floated through the last section - my husband says it's 12 ft - but I couldn't see the end, and we had people behind us, and I wasn't really prepared in advance for this- so our 8 year old immediately tried to follow the others, but hadn't removed her headlamp or turned over - we didn't manage to stop her in time - she banged her head (was upright and over her head in water - excellent swimmer, but couldn't get her mouth above the water line to breathe and had to swim back to get to air. So, there were tears and, frankly, it upset me to see her do that. So while I believe I could have managed to do the last part, I would have hated it, and am quite happy that we ended up turning around and going back out. Note - you have to climb up rocks where the water is rushing to get to an exit (halfway point). In all, it ended a little badly for our daughter, and slightly traumatized me to see her go through this. Would I try again - I think so, but now that I know what it is, I feel more comfortable about how to do it. Or, I would answer a resounding yes, without the past part.

My husband and I were looking for new/different things to do in the Ottawa area. We stumbled upon this and thought we'd check it out!Getting there is half the fun. After a fair hike, you end up not really even knowing if you've found what you're looking for. Lucky enough for us we saw people descending down into the cavern and were able to follow them to find the way in.The first half of the cavern is light enough that you don't need headlamps - but watch out you'll definitely need them for the 2nd half. Our second summer we went with a large group of friends who thought it would be fun to try and do the 2nd half without headlamps or any lights at all. Needless to say it was awesome - but not a super smart idea. I personally ended up taking a pretty bad punch to the face from a rock wall and ended up with a pretty deep cut. But the war wounds were worth it. Would I do it again? In a heart beat.Check it out - one of the best things the Greater Ottawa Area (yes, I'm incorporating Quebec into Ottawa) has to offer.p.s. Almost forgot the best part - at high levels you need to swim your way out of the cavern ... doesn't get any cooler than that. People with small children should probably stop after the first half.

I have been in this cave many times: as a child myself, with a group of friends, guiding school children and with my own children...Plan a whole day, half of which you can play at the beach and the other with this 7,5 km return hike to explore this cool cave!Bring a change of clothes, a bike helmet, a flashlight (headlamp is preferable) and have some good shoes on (running shoes that you dont mind getting wet or some sturdy walking sandals). Flips flops and rain boots are not ideal. Expect the water to be cold and to get completely wet if you go through both portions of the cave...there is no chance of getting lost in the cave since the water still runs through it,,,you just have to follow the current and it will lead you to the exit!!Do it more than once...have fun!!If your child can handle the hike, he/she can handle the cave!

I drove up to Lac Philippe with my girlfriend, camped for $40. Had a great midnight swim, then finished the trip off with a 3km hike with the caves!-15 minutes to walk through-low ceiling in some crawl places, (but that's the allure!)-really cool finish to the caves that comes up to your neck!-Enjoy!

Easy signs to Lac Phillipe in Gatineau but from parking lot we weren't sure which path and of course took the wrong one and followed road to store a little out of the way but we got to see deer! We were suppose to follow path to beach and walk along beach. My 5-year-old made it to far end of lake and needed a swimmng break as was over 4 km! Lots of people knew was long long long hike and passed us on their bicycles which I would highly recommend! Last km quick and into cave was very cool and kids changed into swimsuits to explore with their headlamps and flashlights. Walk back seems faster and stopped to beaches for swims.

This is definitely worth seeing, but not for the claustrophobic. Bring warm clothes and sturdy hiking shoes. This is not a place for shorts and flip-flops. You may get to see some sleeping bats - very cute.

Part at the Parent beach parking lot ($10) Take the long way when going to the cave, if you up for it, using route 54. Stop at the Cabin down by the lake for a quick rest and maybe a snack. Don’t forget to back your swim shorts if you really want to go exploring the cave. A flashlight is a must and a helmet and water shoes are highly recommended. If you still have the energy, avoid path 50 back and take 74 instead. It’s a bit more challenging and offers some great scenery. Once you get to the beach, go for a quick dip to cool down and follow the shore line back to your car. All this adds up to just shy of 15Km and can be done in under 6 hours. A good hike for kids of all ages.

We rode our bikes from the nearest parking lot and it is a slippery ride, but fun. Lots of work on the way back. Also, you really can go all the way through the caves and should be prepared to do that. Its really easy, but scary. Water is very high and ceiling is very low. Your shoes should strap on or wear watershoes or old sneakers. GREAT date idea. Bring a picnic and eat on the beach just 1k from the caves.

I have to give the Lusk Caves a 5-star rating - it was simply awesome to be able to go caving so close to downtown Ottawa, and with so little preparation.You access the caves from Gatineau Park's Lac Philippe entrance, at the north end of the park. From there, you park at the beach and hike/walk approx. 5km, but it's an easy trail. The caves are split into two sections - one section consists of a cavern with sections of open-air crevices above and is relatively easy to navigate. You could do this section with relatively little gear - a headlamp and helmet are useful but not necessary, and kids could do it too.The second section is more advanced - you NEED a headlamp, and although a helmet is recommended, it's not necessary. But, you can't be afraid of getting wet (and the water's cold!), and you can't be afraid of having to duck your head really close to the water in a confined space (and I imagine that during periods with lots of rain, you may have to go under water to navigate some sections...)All in all, a superb place to visit, whether you're a kid or adult.My only complaint is that the maps you get at the entrance of the park are not very accurate, and you can't use debit/credit to access the park - there's a $10 day fee - despite them having a debit/credit machine right there?!?! However, despite the minor inconvenience, the caves are awesome, hence the 5-star rating!

And must see, beware though, the 4 hours of walking is no exaggeration. I would do it again but if the Park provided closer parking. Also, the marking is not the greatest. Ask for directions at a gate.

The caves are not easy to find. We had to ask for directions a couple of times to make sure. It is a 5 km walk from the parking lot at Lac Phillipe (need to go to the end). The first few kms are quite easy. There is a steeper climb when you get closer to the caves but there are good steps the mark the trail. The marble caves are quite impressive and on a hot summer's day the cool, refreshing water is nice. You will need a bathing suit and a flashlight or headlight is a definite must so you can navigate the dark cave.

This was definitely a surprise sight, and recommend it to anyone with a need for adventure. It is a bit tricky to find, but all you are looking for is Lac Phillippe campground in Gatineau Park. It's just past the Great Canadian Bungee site, look for route 366 ouest (west) on your left then turn left on chemin du Lac Phillippe. You will drive through a big red barn, then pay $10 to park at Parent Beach. The next time I go I will bring some bikes and bike the 5km trail to the caves. (it's a long walk). There is a small campground general store along the way, you may want to pick up some snacks etc. When you get there you will be impressed right away. There are two sections, the first section is for anyone. The second section is trickier to get through, you need waterproof flashlights and your bathing suit, the last part of this section has about a 6 inch gap from the water to the top of the cave just enough for your head to pass and pitch black. So leave your stuff in the car, everything will get wet. We left our stuff in a bag at the exit so we could pick it up when we finished. All in all, a great find and will be back, since we live in Ottawa.