Mallory Cave - 5.4 Miles Round-Trip

Note: Mallory Cave is closed until further notice. The trail remains open, however, the cave itself is not open to the public. The closure stems from an epidemic of white-nosed syndrome, a fungal disease that has destroyed bat populations across the country.  

The U.S. Forest Service closed all caves on National Grassland and Forest properties across several states to limit the potential for spread in the Western region. Because the disease is primarily found in human-accessible recreational caves, people are thought to be the main cause of spreading.

Mallory Cave is of modest size and lacks the stalagmites and stalactites one might expect, however the cave is of special importance to Fringed Myotis and Townsend's Big Eared bats, whose maternity colonies roost here between April and October.

It dips and rises past the Skunk Canyon Trail junction to a steep, twisting descent on reinforced mud-stairs (1.85 miles). Once down the trail rises across open slopes with good views of Bear Peak to the Mallory Cave Trail junction (2.05 miles : 6,207').

Travel steepens on a rocky climb up the heavily wooded north flank of Dinosaur Mountain. You'll come to a helpful trail marker in 2.5 miles (6,490'), past which it tightens on switchbacks through dense pine and large rock formations.

Pass consecutive spurs for Der Zerkle Climbing access (2.55 miles), squeeze through a slot between two boulders (2.6 miles ) and skip by the Upper Dinosaur Mountain climbing access spur (2.65 miles) to the vertical rock base of Mallory Cave (2.7 miles : 6,810').

Here interpretive signs discuss the life cycles and migratory patterns of Townsend's Big Eared and Fringed Myotis bats, which rely on this cave and surrounding rock crevices for protection of their maternity colonies.

The rock face must be scaled to see and enter the cave (currently not open to the public). Confident climbers and scramblers will have little trouble with this knobby 30' wall, but those unfit may opt for additional aid. Snow and ice can present serious challenges for any skill level; exercise patience and good judgment before embarking on the entry climb.