Can you ride an ATV to Mammoth Cave?
Yes. Forest Service spur 46 Mammoth Cave is a six-mile designated spur off the Trail 4 Tommy Creek Loop that ends at the cave. Park at the mouth and walk in; the passage is not for machines.
Ride from the inn
Mammoth Cave & the Tommy Creek Loop
A full day: the lava tube, Mammoth Springs, and the knoll in one 44-mile loop
At a glance
- Distance from the inn
- 43.6 miles, loop, from our lot and back
- Time
- 5 to 7 hours at about 10 mph plus stops
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Elevation
- 7,762 to 8,727 ft; about 4,630 ft of climbing
- Surface mix
- 14.1 mi designated OHV trail, 29.3 mi open forest road, 0.1 mi pavement (crossings only)
- Trails used
- Trail 4 Tommy Creek Loop (17 mi official), spur 46 Mammoth Cave (6 mi), spur 41 Mammoth Spring, spur 42 Henrie Knolls
Route map
Legend
Routes
- Forest Service 4x4 OHV route
- OHV route, 72 inches or less
- OHV only
- Open forest road
- Featured ride from the inn
- Groomed snowmobile trail (winter)
Trail markers
- Easy (green circle)
- Intermediate (blue square)
- Expert (black diamond)
One digit is a loop; two digits is a spur of that loop (52 branches off Loop 5).
Points
- Duck Creek Village Inn
- Fuel
- ATV and UTV rentals
- Destination or trailhead
- Viewpoint
- Campground or camp
The Mammoth Cave & the Tommy Creek Loop route from the inn, traced from the official 2019 Markagunt OHV System map. Tap a marker for the trail number.
The ride
This is the big day out from the village. The Forest Service Trail 4 Tommy Creek Loop is just under 17 miles on its own; ridden from our lot with its best spurs it becomes a 43.6-mile loop with about 4,600 feet of total climbing between roughly 7,760 and 8,730 feet. You get Mammoth Cave, a lava tube with more than 2,200 feet of passage at about 8,050 feet; Mammoth Spring at the end of its own short spur; and, if there is daylight left, the two-mile climb up Henrie Knolls.
Mammoth Cave is the anchor. Spur 46 Mammoth Cave is a six-mile spur that ends at the cave; the main passage is walkable but dark, cold, and uneven, so bring two lights per person and a jacket. Portions of the cave are closed from October to April for hibernating bats. Fuel up before you leave (the village pump is the only one), pack lunch, and start early: at ten miles an hour plus stops this is five to seven hours, and monsoon storms build by early afternoon in summer.
What you'll see
- The village routes, the SR-14 crossing, and the run east to Uinta Flat
- Uinta Flat, the designated dispersed camping area, and the Trail 4 corridor
- Spur 46 Mammoth Cave, six miles to the mouth of the lava tube
- Mammoth Cave: more than 2,200 feet of passage at about 8,050 feet
- Spur 41 Mammoth Spring, under three miles to the spring
- Spur 42 Henrie Knolls, the two-mile cinder-cone climb, as an optional finish
- The lava field and Lava Flat on the way home
How the ride goes
7 legs, 43.6 miles loop. Every ride starts and ends in our parking lot.
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Leave the inn's lot
Fuel first at Loose Wheels / Phillips 66 on Movie Ranch Road, then pull out of our lot and follow the village OHV routes (spurs 52 and 59). Village streets are 15 mph and transit only.
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Cross SR-14 and ride east toward Uinta Flat
The route meets SR-14 east of the village. If your machine is not street legal you may only cross the highway: stop, yield to traffic, and cross at a right angle. Street-legal side-by-sides may ride SR-14 itself under Utah Code 41-6a-1509, but nothing on this ride needs it. The routed line touches pavement for about a tenth of a mile in total, all of it crossings.
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Uinta Flat and onto Trail 4
Pass Uinta Flat, the free designated dispersed camping area, and join the Forest Service Trail 4 Tommy Creek Loop. Follow the markers with a 4; the loop is just under 17 miles on its own.
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Spur 46 to Mammoth Cave
Spur 46 Mammoth Cave is a six-mile spur that ends at the cave. Park at the mouth, switch on two lights per person, and walk the main passage with a jacket; the lava tube holds more than 2,200 feet of passage at about 8,050 feet.
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North to Mammoth Spring
Back on Trail 4, the loop runs north to spur 41 Mammoth Spring, under three miles to the spring. This is the low end of the day and a good lunch stop.
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Spur 42 Henrie Knolls if you have the light
The loop passes the turn for spur 42 Henrie Knolls, a two-mile climb up the northernmost cinder cone with the Pink Cliffs on the horizon from the descent. Skip it if storms are building or you are behind schedule.
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South through the lava field to the village
Trail 4 and the forest roads bring you south past Lava Flat and through the lava field to the village. Recross SR-14 with the same stop-and-yield rule and roll back to our lot. 43.6 miles as ridden from the inn.
Elevation profile
Good to know
Best time: A long June or September day, starting by eight. In July and August start earlier still and plan to be off the knoll by early afternoon. The cave's bat closure runs October to April.
- Mammoth Cave: two lights per person, a jacket, and shoes with grip. Portions of the cave are closed October to April for hibernating bats; respect the gates.
- This is a full tank ride. There is no fuel anywhere on the loop, so top off in the village before you leave.
- Monsoon season: from July into September, storms build over the plateau by early afternoon. Ride early, watch the western sky, and get off exposed rims when you hear thunder.
- Width limit: Forest Service Order 0407-22-15 caps MVUM-designated trails at 72 inches and 2,500 pounds through 2027, and a few trails are narrower. Check your machine against the MVUM before you commit to a spur.
- Fuel only in the village: Loose Wheels / Phillips 66 at 835 E Movie Ranch Road (daily 9 to 6, gas and diesel) is the only pump out here, and there is none on the trail.
- Dust and dry roads: give riders ahead of you room, slow for oncoming machines on blind corners, and expect washboard on the open forest roads.
- Season: MVUM seasonal roads open May 1 to November 30. Spring mud order 0407-26-03 (signed March 26, 2026, rescinded June 1, 2026) posted Duck Creek OHV Trails 1 and 5 between the Visitor Center and Uinta Flat Road closed when wet, and a mid-season repair closure ran July 13 to 23, 2026 (order 0407-26-11). Last checked September 2026; ask at the front desk or the Visitor Center for the current order.
- Mileage, elevation and the route line were traced from the official 2019 Forest Service map and routed by computer, not ridden with a GPS. Carry the current MVUM; it is the legal document, and it changes.
Rules in full, including permits, helmets and the highway crossing law, are on our rules and safety page. Rentals and packing are on rentals and tips.
Mammoth Cave & the Tommy Creek Loop: questions we get
What guests ask at the front desk before they head out.
What should I bring into the cave?
Two lights per person, a jacket (the lava tube stays cold at about 8,050 feet), and shoes with grip for uneven rock. Parts of the cave are closed October to April to protect hibernating bats.
How long does the Tommy Creek Loop take from the inn?
Our routed version with the Mammoth Cave, Mammoth Spring, and Henrie Knolls spurs is 43.6 miles. At about ten miles an hour plus stops, plan on five to seven hours and a full tank.
Is there a shorter way to see Mammoth Cave?
You can ride out spur 46 and back without finishing the loop, or drive to the cave by car on the forest roads (see our Mammoth Cave guide). The loop is for riders who want the whole day.
September 2026
Why trust this ride plan
We ride these routes and send guests out on them all season. The route line, mileage and elevation were traced from the official 2019 Forest Service Markagunt OHV System map and routed by computer, not recorded with a GPS, so treat them as a plan, not a survey. Loop and spur names, mileages and closures come from the Forest Service pages below; the highway crossing rule from Utah Code. Closure orders change: carry the current MVUM and ask at the desk.
Stay Where the Ride Starts
Rooms and cabins at Duck Creek Village Inn, trailer parking in our lot, rentals across the street, and the trail a few minutes from the door.