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Nature|Caves & Rock Formations

The Little Known Cave In Utah That Everyone Should Explore At Least Once

Explore Mammoth Cave in Utah's Dixie National Forest, the largest lava tube in the state, offering adventurous underground passages.

Updated Jul 25, 2024

Written by 

Catherine Armstrong

Utah has so many different landscapes to explore so we’ll certainly never get bored. Visit the hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park, hop on a houseboat at Lake Powell, or drop a fishing line in a lake surrounded by an alpine forest. There’s always something new to discover here in the Beehive State, and sometimes the adventure you seek is below ground like Mammoth Cave in Duck Creek Village, UT. Whether you’re an amateur or expert spelunker, chances are this will be one of your favorite caves in Utah. Let’s check it out!

The Dixie National Forest covers a vast 1,889,106 acres in the southern portion of Utah. It's a beautiful place to explore.

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Nellie M. Palacios/Google

One of the best-kept secrets in this forest is Mammoth Cave. You'll find the cave just north of Duck Creek Village.

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Google Maps

Just two thousand years ago, a lava flow covered this area. As it cooled, some of the lava formed a crust over the still-flowing lava, which eventually created a tube. Mammoth Cave is the largest lava tube in the Beehive State, and you can explore it!

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R Trussell/Google

While there are some spots where the sun shines into the cave, it's a good idea to bring headlamps or flashlights if you want to venture very far into the cave system. The cave has tons of passageways - 2,200 feet to be exact.

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Sterling Udell/Google

In many spots, you can walk right through the lava tubes. In other places, you'll need to hunch over a bit to fit through...

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Debora Campos/Google

...but if you really want to be adventurous, you might have to crawl through some of the tighter spots. The exit of the cave is a belly-crawling tube, so if you're claustrophobic, you'll want to just retrace your steps to the entrance.

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Debbie R/Tripadvisor

The cave is home to several species of bats, and portions of it are blocked off from October through April to protect hibernating bats. During the summer, part of this grate is removed so you can access the cave here.

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Donald VanAusdall/Google

Make sure you wear some sturdy hiking boots and plan on getting really dirty as you scoot along on your belly. Some parts of the cave can get pretty muddy, so you might even want to bring a change of clothes so your drive home will be more comfortable.

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j h/Google

Have you visited Mammoth Cave? We'd love to hear about your adventure at these caves in Utah! For an above ground cave experience, head to Logan and hike to Wind Cave.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/utah/wind-cave-hike-ut/

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Nature|Caves & Rock Formations

The Most Iconic View in Utah Is Also a Stunning Slice of History

Arches National Park has the most iconic view in Utah. Even with over 2,000 arches, one stands out from the rest.

Published Oct 4, 2024

Written by 

Jackie Sutherlin

Arches National Park is one of the most iconic views in Utah. Located just north of Moab and adjacent to the Colorado River, Arches National Park boasts more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches. Delicate Arch is the most well-known, but with over 2,000 to see, you could easily find a new favorite arch here. 

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With so many arches, this is the highest density of natural arches in the world. But why are there so many arches in Arches National Park? Well, the answer may surprise you!

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Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, UT.

The national park lies above an underground salt bed, which causes the arches, spires, and sandstone fins that Arches National Park is so well known for. Water erosion is a key ingredient to form these arches, and a lack of earthquakes ensures that these delicate arches are geologically stable. 

These stunning arches are truly slices of history. If you were to stand in this spot a million years ago, you’d only see a desert—no arches to be found. There may have even been vegetation growing!

These arches were formed over many, many years of erosion. And they will continue to form. Who knows what this landscape will look like a million years from now? It certainly won’t look like this. 

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Jamie Seidel/500px Collection via Getty Images

Fun fact: to become one of the park’s official arches, a hole must have an opening of at least three feet. There isn’t any requirement for width, and there are plenty of super skinny arches here. 

The only thing better than seeing Delicate Arch during the day is waiting around until nightfall. Arches National Park is one of the best places to go stargazing, and if you have the right camera gear you could capture some phenomenal shots!

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Photo taken in Moab, United States

April, May, September, and October are the best months to visit Arches National Park. Because the park is so popular, you’ll need a timed entry reservation if you’re planning on visiting Arches National Park between April 1 and October 31. Visitors to Arches National Park also need an entrance pass, which starts at $15.00.

Taking a tour of Arches National Park is the most eco-friendly way to visit this national treasure. Tourism is one of the major players in this fragile ecosystem, and for some reason, we just can’t be trusted to leave no trace. Tours reduce the amount of vehicles that enter the park, plus you’ll be with a knowledgeable guide the entire time who will regale you with all of the fascinating history of Arches National Park. 

Read on to discover some of our favorite places to stay in Utah and start planning your epic Utah adventure. 

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Nature|Caves & Rock Formations

These Little Known Caves In Utah Are Perfect For An Afternoon Adventure

Explore the vast and intriguing lava fields and tubes near Fillmore, Utah, created by an ancient volcanic eruption.

Updated Jul 23, 2024

Written by 

Catherine Armstrong

Thousands of years ago, a volcano near what is now Fillmore erupted, spewing lava for miles. The resulting lava flow is still left on Utah's landscape today. You can see lava fields, craters, and tubes (caves). This spot is a pretty interesting place to explore caves in Utah. Take a look:

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The lava flow is really large - notice how small the people appear in this photo.

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Paul Inkenbrandt/flickr

You can tell that this area is pretty vast.

This place is often called 'Tabernacle Hill'

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Boyd/flickr

To get here, drive five miles south of Fillmore to exit 158, marked "Meadow." Turn west at the sign that says, "White Mountain" and drive about three miles until you see the lava field. The dirt road can be bumpy and difficult to traverse in bad weather; in good weather a two-wheel drive vehicle usually has no trouble.

You'll find lots of lava tubes that were created when the lava flowed along this spot between 10,000 and 24,000 years ago.

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TouringUtah/YouTube

Some of the tubes are dark inside.

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Paul Inkenbrandt/flickr

Bring a flashlight or headlamp so you can thoroughly explore.

Can you spot the bat in this photo?

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TouringUtah/YouTube

Bats call some of these caves home, so you might be lucky enough to see a few during your exploration.

Other tubes have natural "skylights," flooding the spaces with light.

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TouringUtah/YouTube

It's hard to say how many lava tubes exist here - they've never been thoroughly mapped and explored.

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Some of the tubes burrow underground for miles; others are quite small.Take care while exploring, and never go by yourself on this kind of journey. Some of the lava is loose and might be unstable. Always make sure that you're equipped for emergencies.

Bring a lunch, some snacks and plenty of water, and plan on spending the entire afternoon out here.

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Boyd/flickr

There's so much to explore!

The lava rock is rough and will tear you up if you fall, so come prepared to explore this terrain.

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Boyd/flickr

Wear long pants and shoes with good traction. A walking stick might help you keep your balance on the uneven lava. While this can be a fun adventure for small children, keep a close eye on them - a fall here could be really dangerous.

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Have you ever visited the lava tubes that look like caves in Utah? Tell us all about it! And be sure to check out our outdoor essentials packing list before visiting.

Explore some more of Utah's unique geography by visiting these mountains that look like they were painted with watercolors.

For more fascinating things around Utah, check out this video about Arches National Park:

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