Mammoth Cave
One of Utah's largest lava tubes, closed October 1 to April 30 for hibernating bats
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Caves Near Duck Creek Village
Lava tubes, ice caves, and day-trip caverns - from the Markagunt Plateau to Kanab and beyond
Duck Creek Village sits on the Markagunt Plateau, part of an ancient volcanic field. That is why Mammoth Cave, Bower Cave, and Duck Creek Ice Cave are all within about twenty-five minutes - they are lava tubes and cold caverns formed in the same landscape. Farther out, you will find popular stops like Mossy Cave at Bryce, the Kanab Sand Caves, and Moqui Cave, plus technical or historic sites for experienced cavers and history buffs. Use this page to see them by distance and pick the right cave for your trip.
Every cave on this page, mapped
Three of these are a short drive from the front door. The rest are a day out, and the map is the fastest way to see which is which before you commit an afternoon to one.
The interactive map needs JavaScript. In short: Mammoth Cave, Bower Cave and the Duck Creek Ice Cave are all within half an hour of the inn; Mossy Cave, the Kanab Sand Caves, Moqui Cave and Belly of the Dragon are an hour out; Bloomington Cave, Bechan Cave and Dance Hall Rock are two hours or more.
Near Duck Creek
The three caves most visitors combine - Mammoth Cave, Bower Cave, and Duck Creek Ice Cave.
Day-Trip Caves
Popular stops within about an hour - Mossy Cave, Sand Caves, Moqui Cave, and Belly of the Dragon.
Mossy Cave
Bryce Canyon grotto and waterfall on an easy family hike
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Sand Caves (Kanab)
Man-made sandstone caverns from sand mining, and a popular hike
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Moqui Cave
Roadside cave museum with fluorescent minerals and dinosaur tracks
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Belly of the Dragon
Man-made drainage tunnel: a short, quirky walk under Highway 89
View guideFarther or Technical
Bloomington Cave, Bechan Cave, and Dance Hall Rock - permits, archaeology, or a long scenic drive.
Which cave suits your day
The word "cave" is doing a lot of work on this page. One of these is a lava tube you need a headlamp for, one is a museum, and one is a culvert under a highway. Here is what each one actually asks of you.
| Cave | What it is | Size | Effort | Permit or fee | Light | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mammoth Cave 8,050 ft | Lava tube, undeveloped | 2,200+ ft of passage | Moderate | None, but closed Oct 1 to Apr 30 | Bring one | 8 mi · about 25 minutes |
| Bower Cave 8,250 ft | Lava tube, ladder entry | 948 ft of passage | Moderate | None, but closed Oct 1 to Apr 30 | Bring one | 4.7 mi · about 15 minutes |
| Duck Creek Ice Cave 8,820 ft | Sinkhole cold trap | One chamber | Easy | None | Bring one | 3.3 mi · about 15 minutes |
| Mossy Cave 6,952 ft | Grotto and waterfall | 0.8 mi round trip | Easy | Bryce Canyon entrance pass | Not needed | ~60 min |
| Sand Caves (Kanab) 5,299 ft | Old sand mine | 1.2 mi round trip | Moderate | None | Not needed | ~60 min |
| Moqui Cave 5,281 ft | Cave museum | About an hour inside | Easy | Admission charged | Not needed | ~60 min |
| Belly of the Dragon 5,254 ft | Drainage culvert | 100 yards through | Easy | None | Not needed | ~60 min |
| Bloomington Cave 3,692 ft | Limestone maze, six levels | 1.43 mi surveyed | Experienced only | Free BLM permit, in advance | Bring one | ~2 hr |
| Bechan Cave 4,200 ft | Fossil rock shelter | 170 ft deep shelter | Experienced only | Ask the land manager | Not needed | ~2 hr |
| Dance Hall Rock 4,715 ft | Sandstone amphitheatre | 42 mi of dirt road | Moderate | None | Not needed | ~2 hr |
When you can actually go
Two of these caves are closed by order for seven months of the year. The rest are governed by roads and heat rather than rules.
- Best
- Open
- Depends
- Closed
| Cave | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mammoth CaveClosed to entry October 1 through April 30 by order, for hibernating bats. May opens on paper, but the forest road often has snow on it. | January: Closed | February: Closed | March: Closed | April: Closed | May: Open | June: Best | July: Best | August: Best | September: Best | October: Closed | November: Closed | December: Closed |
| Bower CaveSame seasonal bat closure as Mammoth Cave, October 1 through April 30. The dirt spur turns to mud early in the season. | January: Closed | February: Closed | March: Closed | April: Closed | May: Open | June: Best | July: Best | August: Best | September: Best | October: Closed | November: Closed | December: Closed |
| Duck Creek Ice CaveNo closure order here; the limit is the road. Go in June if the ice is the reason you are going; by late August the chamber is often cold and empty. | January: Depends | February: Depends | March: Depends | April: Depends | May: Open | June: Best | July: Best | August: Open | September: Open | October: Open | November: Depends | December: Depends |
| Mossy CaveOpen year-round, weather permitting. Icicles in the grotto in winter, the waterfall running in spring and autumn, and crowds all summer. | January: Open | February: Open | March: Open | April: Best | May: Best | June: Open | July: Open | August: Open | September: Best | October: Best | November: Open | December: Open |
| Sand Caves (Kanab)Little snow down at Kanab, but midsummer afternoons are genuinely hot on exposed slickrock. Spring and autumn are the pleasant months. | January: Open | February: Open | March: Best | April: Best | May: Best | June: Open | July: Depends | August: Depends | September: Open | October: Best | November: Best | December: Open |
| Moqui CaveA museum, so the limit is opening hours rather than weather. Winter hours are reduced, so check before you drive down. | January: Depends | February: Depends | March: Open | April: Open | May: Open | June: Best | July: Best | August: Best | September: Open | October: Open | November: Depends | December: Depends |
| Belly of the DragonFine whenever the road is passable, but this is a drainage: stay out during and after rain, which mostly means the July and August monsoon. | January: Open | February: Open | March: Best | April: Best | May: Best | June: Open | July: Depends | August: Depends | September: Open | October: Best | November: Best | December: Open |
| Bloomington CaveThe cave holds 58°F all year. The desert approach is what shifts, and high summer makes the drive and the walk in unpleasant. | January: Open | February: Best | March: Best | April: Best | May: Open | June: Depends | July: Depends | August: Depends | September: Open | October: Best | November: Best | December: Open |
| Bechan CaveNot a recreation destination. A research site in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area; ask the land manager before planning anything. | January: Depends | February: Depends | March: Depends | April: Depends | May: Depends | June: Depends | July: Depends | August: Depends | September: Depends | October: Depends | November: Depends | December: Depends |
| Dance Hall RockForty-two miles of Hole-in-the-Rock Road decide this one. The road turns impassable when wet and is slow any time of year. | January: Depends | February: Depends | March: Best | April: Best | May: Best | June: Open | July: Depends | August: Depends | September: Open | October: Best | November: Best | December: Depends |
More to Explore
For hiking, lakes, scenic drives, and day trips to Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Cedar Breaks, see the Duck Creek Guide and Lakes pages. Duck Creek Guide.
Ready to Explore?
Book your stay and use Duck Creek as your base for Southern Utah.