How far is Strawberry Point from the inn by ATV?
About 6.6 miles each way, 13.2 miles round trip as ridden from our lot on the designated village routes, Trail 5, and spur 58. Plan on two to three hours including time at the rim.
Ride from the inn
Strawberry Point Overlook
Thirteen miles to the edge of the plateau and the biggest view on the mountain
At a glance
- Distance from the inn
- 13.2 miles, out and back, from our lot and back
- Time
- 2 to 3 hours at about 10 mph plus stops
- Difficulty
- Easy to intermediate
- Elevation
- 8,425 ft at the inn to roughly 9,000 ft at the point; about 1,200 ft of climbing
- Surface mix
- 11.3 mi designated OHV trail, 1.9 mi open forest road, highway crossings only
- Trails used
- Trail 5 Strawberry Loop, spur 58 Strawberry Point (5-mile dead end), village spurs 52 and 59
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 Strawberry Point Overlook route from the inn, traced from the official 2019 Markagunt OHV System map. Tap a marker for the trail number.
The ride
If you have half a day and one ride in you, this is the one. From our lot it is about 6.6 miles to the point: through the village on the designated routes, across SR-14, onto Trail 5, then south on spur 58 Strawberry Point, a five-mile dead-end road that climbs through aspen and spruce to the end of the Virgin River Rim. The ride is easy for most of the way and gets rougher in the last miles as the road climbs; expect roughly 1,200 feet of gain overall.
The point is the reason. The plateau simply stops at roughly 9,000 feet: pink and orange hoodoos fall away under the rim, the cliffs run off to the west toward Navajo Lake, and to the south the country steps down toward Zion. There are no railings and the drops run 100 to 500 feet, so it is a hold-hands place for kids and a short-leash place for dogs. Give it the respect you would give a national park rim and it is the view people remember from the whole trip.
What you'll see
- The village routes and the start of Trail 5 near Aspen Mirror Lake
- The SR-14 crossing and the Trail 5 corridor heading east and south
- Spur 58 Strawberry Point: five miles of graded road through aspen with turn-offs and lookouts to explore
- Uinta Flat, the free designated dispersed camping area just off the same road
- Strawberry Point itself at roughly 9,000 feet: hoodoos below, the Virgin River Rim running west, Zion on the southern horizon
- The Virgin River Rim Trail (hiking and mountain biking only) starting at the overlook parking
How the ride goes
6 legs, 13.2 miles out and back. Every ride starts and ends in our parking lot.
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Leave the inn's lot
Pull out of our parking lot onto Movie Ranch Road and follow the village OHV routes (spurs 52 and 59) toward the trail. The village streets are transit only at 15 mph.
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Cross SR-14
The route meets SR-14 near the east edge of Duck Lake. 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.
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Trail 5 to the Strawberry Point turn
South of the highway, follow the Trail 5 markers. The routed line reaches the signed turn for spur 58 Strawberry Point about 1.6 miles from the inn; look for the brown Forest Service sign.
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Spur 58 south, five miles of aspen
Spur 58 is a graded road that dead-ends at the point. It climbs gradually through aspen and spruce with pullouts and side lookouts along the way; the last stretch is rockier and steeper, which is where the intermediate rating comes from.
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Park and walk out to the rim
The road ends at a small lot. The walk to the overlook is under five minutes, then rock and dirt to the edge with no railings. Stop where the trees end if anyone in your group is unsteady, and kneel for photos when it is gusty.
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Ride it back the way you came
Return north on spur 58 to Trail 5, recross SR-14 with the same stop-and-yield rule, and follow the village routes back to the inn. Total: 13.2 miles as ridden from our lot.
Elevation profile
Good to know
Best time: Late afternoon for the view (it faces south and west), morning in July and August to stay ahead of lightning, and the last week of September into early October for gold aspens along spur 58.
- The rim has no railings, the rock at the lip is loose limestone, and the drops are 100 to 500 feet. Most trouble here comes from backing up for a photo.
- 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.
- Spur 58 turns greasy after rain and holds snow well into spring. Do not count on a restroom or water at the point; the village has the last real facilities.
- 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.
- 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.
Strawberry Point Overlook: questions we get
What guests ask at the front desk before they head out.
How high is Strawberry Point?
Roughly 9,000 feet at the overlook; published figures range from about 8,930 to 9,030 feet. You climb about 1,200 feet from the inn, so bring a jacket even in July.
Is Strawberry Point safe for children on an ATV trip?
The ride is, with a helmet and an adult driving. The rim is the concern: no railings, loose rock, drops of 100 feet and more. Hold hands from the parking area out and turn around where the trees end if anyone is unsteady.
Do I have to ride on the highway to get there?
No. The route crosses SR-14 once near Duck Lake; non-street-legal machines stop, yield, and cross at a right angle. Street-legal side-by-sides may ride the highway under Utah law, but the ride does not need it.
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.