Dan Clyde Cave

Michael Mimbach and Spencer Coles at the entrance to Dan Clyde Cave. Michael was kind enough to be our guide for this trip and show us the ins' and outs' of the canyon. It is a very interesting and beautiful place with a lot of potential for some more big caves.

Spencer down climbing the entrance pit.

Looking up from the bottom of the entrance pit.

Michael on rope starting the 60' descent into the pit. This is the largest drop in the cave and quite a spacious room.

You can see how much water has been coming down this pit.


From a ledge midway down the largest pit Shane took this great shot. It is difficult to see how large this cavern is in these photos, but it is an impressive one. Even more impressive are the log jambs right up near the ceiling, indicating that this pit fills completely with water in heavy run off years. The small white dot (bottom middle) is Spencer's headlamp at the bottom of the pit.

Michael dropping the last 15' into the big pit.

Michael looking into a muddy lower passage. In the bottom of the big room there are 4 small leads that will take you into some of the tighter passages of the cave.

Spencer attempting to climb a lead into an upper passage.

On the floor of the big room is this interesting feature. The dripping water is eroding away the sand that is not protected by small pieces of wood.

Spencer exploring one of the tighter slots at the bottom of the pit.

Looking up from the bottom of the large pit. Spencer on rope, ascending out of the big room.

Looking up from the bottom of the large room. Spencer on rope, ascending out of the big room.

The road is best traveled by four wheeler (or Polaris Ranger) as it is very narrow and quite rough. We made it just fine (but much slower) in the 4Runner adding only a few more scratches to the many it already has.

We really had a great day! Thanks again Michael!

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Chert Valley Cave

Chert Valley is located near the bottom of this sink at the base of a small cliff. The stream from the canyon flows into the cave system during the spring and brings sticks, logs and soil into the cave clogging its passages and at times opening up new ones.

While the cave only extended down into the mountain a good 50' or so until it was plugged with silt, next years run off could push through the plug and turn this cave into one of Utah's most extensive cave systems.

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Lost Josephine Cave

This is a natural cave that has been mined for several years. It is not very exciting unless you know which turn to take, and most who visit here never see the beautiful formations within. There are still active mining operations underway, and visits there are prohibited. We are currently working with the owners of the claim to survey the tunnels, as well as develop a management plan so that the cave can be visited when mining operations are inactive.
There are three entrances in this photo, with several others around the hill.

Every tunnel is wet and covered in red clay. Don't expect to get your clothes clean after exploring this one.

The only graffiti are some old charcoal dates and names.

This is just inside the main entrance.

There are several mined tunnels that shoot of in every direction. This lower one is typically filled with water until late in the year.

You can actually see the crystals forming in the bead of water.

Many places look like you have been swallowed and are in the belly of a beast.

Unfortunately there has been some damage throughout the cave. There are so many formations it is difficult to maneuver around them.

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Kane County

Bowers Lava Tube
Cascade Cave
Duck Creek Ice Cave
Johnson Canyon Caves
Mammoth Lava Tube
Moqui Caves

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Duchesne County

8' Pit
Foreman Cave
Honeycomb Cave
North Fork Cave
Pole Creek Cave
Peekaboo River Cave
Riverside Cave
Spanish Spar Cave
White Collar Cave
Wish Pit
Yellowstone Cave

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Cache County

Boomerang 
Extra Wifes Cave
GMZ Cave
Logan Cave
Main Drain
Polygamy
Polygamy's End
Ricks Spring Cave
Snowcone
Teacup Pit
Thundershower 
Tony's Grave 

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Yellowstone Cave

This small cave is really more closely related to a grotto, since it never achieves complete blackness and is not more than 50 ft. long. It really only goes back 15 ft. or so and is covered in guano and rat droppings and nests. This has to be one of the filthiest caves I have ever been into.

The entrance is an easy scramble to get inside.

Looking back downhill from inside.

Spencer in the guano covered cave.

Spencer looking at some guano covered quartz crystals.

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Riverside Cave

This cave is a very small but interesting one that parallels a large river. The water can be seen flowing into the cave not far upstream and again exiting through a submerged passage downstream from the entrance.

Since this cave is located at the base of a fairly large cliff, the best route down to it is through this hole in the bottom of a sink above the cliff face.  After descending the small sink and squeezing through the hole at the bottom, it spits you out at almost river level and leads you right to the cave entrance.

Shane crouching into the cave.

The arm leading downstream from the entrance was the most well defined and was well formed from rushing water during flood season.

The journey ended for us at a partially flooded passage only 20 or 30 feet in. From here we could see another 20 ft or so before the passage became completely submerged.

There are a few off-chutes, but not very promising.

The passage that lead upstream was dry and sandy, but dropped into water near the back.

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Cricket Cave

This cave can be seen from the valley at the right angle. The entrance is large but it quickly shrinks down to a tight cave with not much too explore. Near the top there is a dirt wall that separates the upper right tunnel from the main passage. If you get someone on each side you can hear each other through the wall.

Map courtesy of Rodney Horrocks.

The main entry.
The upper right passage is known as Upper Cricket Cave.

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Tabernacle Hill Lava Tubes

There are several of these large tubes which are mostly collapsed.


The big tube with skylights.


People camping inside one of the tubes.


Entrance to one of the Lava Tubes.


The landscape of Tabernacle Hill.  Several smaller tubes can be found throughout this area.  It is a fun place to explore.

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Bat Cave

Bat cave is another small Utah County Cave. It extends back only 20 - 30 ft and is rightfully called bat cave due to the sticky guano walls inside. Don't spend too much time inside this one... I became natiouse after spending only 10 minutes near the back of the cave.

These holes are lower down in the canyon and have some Indian writing nearby.  Only a couple were large enough to get into, but did not go very far.

Upon entering this cave I discovered a raccoon feeding its cubs.  I backed out of this one in a hurry and tried not to fall down the steep cliff face as she began hissing at me.  If you look closely you can see her glowing eyes.

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