Caves

Mossy Cave

Bryce Canyon grotto and waterfall on an easy family hike

At a glance

Elevation: 6,952 ft · Sandstone
Drive time: ~60 min from the inn

At a glance

The short version

Mossy Cave is ~60 min from Duck Creek Village Inn and fits travelers who want bryce canyon grotto and waterfall on an easy family hike. Mossy Cave is one of the easiest and shortest hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park—an 0.8-mile round trip with about 150 feet of elevation gain.

Quick facts

Distance	~60 min
Tier	Tier2
Best for	Bryce Canyon grotto and waterfall on an easy family hike

Good to know

0.8 miles round trip; 30–60 minutes; suitable for all ages
Tropic Waterfall and a mossy grotto (not a true cave)
Trailhead with parking and restrooms; open year-round, weather permitting

Mossy Cave is one of the easiest and shortest hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park—an 0.8-mile round trip with about 150 feet of elevation gain. The trail is in the northern part of the park, off Highway 12 near Tropic. You get two main attractions: a small waterfall (Tropic Waterfall, fed by the historic Tropic Ditch irrigation canal) and a grotto—a wet, moss-covered alcove that looks like a cave and often has icicles in winter. The trail follows a stream and offers close-up views of hoodoos.

The walk in

What the last half mile is really like, traced from the mapped footpath. Tap a line for the surface underfoot, or a pin for what you pass.

From the Highway 12 trailhead, a level quarter mile up the creek over two bridges, then a rough final 150 yards to the grotto. The Park Service signs it as 0.8 miles round trip. No dogs.

Path
Rough tread

0.36 miles one way on the mapped line, signed 0.8 miles round trip. About 45 minutes. Path traced from OpenStreetMap, which tags each stretch’s surface; the measured length matches the land manager’s signed distance.

Mossy Cave Trailhead
Paved lot on Highway 12 at about 6,880 ft, with restrooms. Busy from 10am to 6pm in summer. Bryce Canyon entrance pass required, and no dogs on the trail.
First bridge
Wooden, and tagged wheelchair- and stroller-friendly. The creek beside you is the Tropic Ditch, the irrigation canal that also feeds the waterfall.
Where the easy trail ends
Past the second bridge the tread turns rough and narrow, and the Park Service stops marking it stroller-friendly. The stepped spur up to Tropic Waterfall leaves near here; it is not separately mapped.
Mossy Cave
A wet, moss-hung alcove under the rim rock at the end of the trail, an overhang rather than a cave, and hung with icicles in winter.

Coordinates37.66362, -112.11465Elevation6,952 ft

Highlights

0.8 miles round trip; 30–60 minutes; suitable for all ages
Tropic Waterfall and a mossy grotto (not a true cave)
Trailhead with parking and restrooms; open year-round, weather permitting
Bryce Canyon National Park entrance pass required

Tips

Arrive early or visit late to avoid the busiest hours (10 AM–6 PM). Pets are not allowed on the trail. Bring water and sun protection. Combine with other Bryce viewpoints for a full day.

When to go

Open year-round, weather permitting. Summer is busiest; spring and fall offer milder temps. Winter adds snow and icicles in the grotto.

When you can actually go
Cave	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
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

Best
Open
Depends
Closed

Stay planning

Once this stop is on your list, use Plan Your Days for itinerary ideas or compare our rooms and cabins to match the style of trip you want.

May 2026

Why trust this guide

Cave access, forest roads, and shoulder-season weather can change faster than people expect around Duck Creek. We use guest trip-planning experience here, but always recommend checking the official sources below before you commit to the drive.