Overview

Hype:

Buckhorn Cave is a small sandstone cave located in the Buckhorn Draw within the San Rafael Swell of central Utah, between Green River and Emery. The walk to the cave is short (approximately 600 ft from the 2WD parking area or 100 ft from the 4WD road) and easy, making it suitable for visitors wanting a quick taste of canyon country archaeology and scenery. The most compelling aspect of Buckhorn Cave is not so much the cave itself but that the cave walls are coated in soot from old fires. The ceiling has been heavily vandalized with etchings and with chalk.

Cave Type: Horizontal

Time: 5 minutes

Length: 20 ft

Depth: 0 ft

Gear: None

Fees: None

Recommended Ages:

	0-3
	4-11
	12-19
	20-49
	50-69
	70+

Recommended Months to Visit:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Permits: Open

Links: https://www.gjhikes.com/2014/01/buckhorn-cave.html

Location

Closest City or Region: Castle Dale, Utah

Coordinates: 39.133577, -110.697428

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May 25, 2025 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Savannah Dye, Madilyn Dye, Cooper Dye,

Story

On Sunday morning, we double-checked to make sure the pharmacy would be open when we got there and discovered it was actually closed on Sundays. So instead, we drove down Buckhorn Wash Road. We drove down to Swinging Bridge and worked our way back up the road, stopping at various sites along the way.

Pictures