Wild Horse Window

Dogs Off-leash

Features Cave · Geological Significance · Historical Significance · Views

There is no maintained trail to this very unique cave/arch, and you'll need to navigate some blank slickrock in order to get there and back safely. There are cairns that mark the way, but they are somewhat erratically placed. Keep a close eye out for the next cairn marker, and use your GPS if in doubt. The adventurous little scramble is well worth it for what lies at the end.

To get here, look for the opening of the cave as you near the correct spot on Goblin Valley Road. It's high on the white sandstone formation to the west. The turn off is a dirt road suitable for two wheel drive vehicles. Park near the end where you can see Temple Wash below, near a small sign marking the trailhead.

Below the sign, you'll see an obvious footpath that drops into the wash. Cross the wash and follow the trail onto the white slickrock. Here you'll start to follow the cairns, which may diverge into multiple routes but they all lead to the same place. Continue uphill until you see a vegetated depression below. Drop into that and it will lead directly to the cave.

This is a large cave, big enough to hold quite a few people, with a huge natural opening in the top. Some people hike up and around with climbing gear in order to rappel through the "window." As you linger in the shade of this natural shelter, look to the right wall to see a pictograph panel, which many believe to be fake.

The thought is that visitors to the area in the early 2000's created these, and the rock layer underneath is deteriorating too quickly for these images to have lasted hundreds of years. Either way, some of the images are a decent representation and should be left alone at this point. Whenever you are ready to head back, retrace your steps with the same careful attention to navigation in order to get back to your car.