Mountain trail system · Southwest Utah (Cedar City / Duck Creek)
Cedar Mountain / Markagunt OHV System
Dixie NF loops on the Markagunt Plateau near Duck Creek, Panguitch Lake and Cedar City.
Quick answer
The Forest Service names this the Markagunt OHV System; we cover it as the Cedar Mountain-area trail system near Cedar City and Duck Creek. If you meant a different "Cedar Mountain" route (for example near Emery County), tell us and we will add it.
Sources disagree two or more sources give different figures; both are shownNot verified not published on the pages we read, or only in a secondary source
Key facts
| Location & counties | Dixie NF, Cedar City Ranger District: Markagunt Plateau around Duck Creek Village, Panguitch Lake and Stout Canyon. Counties are not stated on the Forest Service pages we read. [1, 2]Not verified |
|---|---|
| Managing agency | USFS Dixie NF, Cedar City Ranger District, (435) 865-3200. Duck Creek Visitor Center (435) 682-2432 (via the Duck Creek Village Inn guide). [1, 3] |
| Total miles | Official loop lengths (not counting spurs) are below. System-wide totals are not stated on the Forest Service page; secondary sources disagree widely. [1, 3]Not verified |
| Loops & main segments | Trail 1 Markagunt Plateau: almost 82 miles (includes a roughly 2-mile OHV-only 62" section near Yankee Meadows; passes Panguitch Lake, Duck Creek Village, Stout Canyon). Trail 2 Sandy-Caddy Creek Loop: over 22 miles. Trail 3 Birch Spring-Pass Creek Loop: just under 20. Trail 4 Tommy Creek Loop: just under 17. Trail 5 Strawberry Loop: 12.5 (starts near Aspen Mirror Lake, about a mile north of Hwy 14). Trail 6 Harris Rim Loop: 14. Trail 7 Stout Ridge: over 11. Antimony Lake ATV Trail: about 10.4. Birch Creek ATV Trail: about 4.6. Spurs 11-18 are described on the Trail 1 page. [1, 2] |
| Trailheads & access towns | Duck Creek Village (about 8,400 ft; ATV routes leave from the Duck Creek Village Inn lot), Panguitch Lake and Cedar City. Trail 5 starts near Aspen Mirror Lake. [1, 3] |
| Elevation | Duck Creek Village about 8,400 ft; the plateau is higher. [3] |
| Season | Secondary source: seasonal roads on the MVUM are open May 1 to Nov 30; snow and mud can delay practical riding, June to October is typically best. Confirm on the current MVUM and alerts. [3]Not verified |
| Width limits | Cedar City RD order (Sept 16, 2022 to Sept 16, 2027): on MVUM trails designated 72" or less, vehicles over 72" wide, over 2,500 lb, or with high-pressure tires are prohibited. Trail 1 includes a roughly 2-mile OHV-only 62" section. Quads (typically 50" or less) are well inside these width limits. [4, 2] |
| Vehicle restrictions | Cross-country travel is prohibited; designated routes only. Special closure order #0407-10-1: OHVs, including street-legal-modified ones, may not use roads posted closed to OHVs. [5, 1] |
| Permits & registration | Utah-registered machines follow the Utah DMV OHV registration rules; machines from other states need a Utah non-resident OHV permit ($35 per machine, valid 12 months). Every operator needs the Utah OHV education certificate (adult course is free and online; youth under 18 need a youth certificate). Details in the Utah rules summary. [6, 7, 8] |
| Fuel & lodging towns | Duck Creek Village and Panguitch Lake have lodging and camping; Cedar City is the larger service town. Specific fuel stops not verified. [3, 9]Not verified |
| Difficulty | Not rated on the Forest Service page; trails range from graded roads to rocky singletrack-width trail. Use the MVUM and local advice. [1]Not verified |
Highlights
- Seven numbered loops plus Antimony Lake and Birch Creek trails give day rides of 12 to 82 miles from one base. [1]
- Lava Flat is a designated dispersed camping area near Duck Creek. [9]
Hazards
- Roads closed to OHVs stay closed even if you are street-legal. [5]
- Elevation, afternoon storms and mud; plan for cold nights. [3]
Maps and official pages
- Markagunt OHV System (USFS)
- Trail 1 Markagunt Plateau (USFS)
- Cedar City RD MVUM (PDF)
- Dixie NF MVUM page
Always download the current MVUM or agency map; the Utah OHV maps page lists statewide map sources. Utah rules summary: Utah OHV rules. We did not build a route map: we have no sourced trail coordinates.
Machines and loads
Quads (typically 50" wide or less) fit the 72" and 62" limits, and the 2,500 lb limit is unlikely to matter for a quad (add up machine, rider and cargo if you are heavily loaded). High-pressure tires are prohibited. Confirm your machine's width and weight.
| Class in our database | Models | Front rack rating (lb) | Rear rack rating (lb) | Towing rating (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (<500cc) | 9 | 66-90 lb | 133-180 lb | 802-1350 lb |
| Mid (500-649cc) | 15 | 75-121 lb | 100-242 lb | 661-1830 lb |
| Mid-large (650-899cc) | 14 | 88-120 lb | 176-240 lb | 848-1830 lb |
| Big bore (900cc+) | 10 | 120-200 lb | 240-300 lb | 1500-1830 lb |
| 2-up touring | 23 | 44-121 lb | 77-242 lb | 772-1830 lb |
Ranges across the models in our database for each class; blank cells in a source are skipped, and some front ratings are not published. Your own machine's rating is on its model page and in the owner's manual and is the number that counts.
See the model database and how to choose. Our database lists overall width where we could find it (see the Width column; blank means unknown). A quad of 50 in or less fits the 50-inch trails. Check your owner's manual against the width limits above, and remember that wide tires, spacers and cargo count toward width.
Gear for this trip
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- Day-ride loadout
- Overnight ATV camp loadout
- Trailside recovery and repairs
- Utah dispersed camping rules
- Recovery checklist, camping checklist, safety checklist
- Recovery gear roundup, satellite messengers & GPS
What we could not verify
- Counties.
- System-wide mileage.
- Season dates (secondary only).
- Fuel stops.
- Whether "Cedar Mountain" means this system.
Sources
- Dixie National Forest: Markagunt OHV System (updated Feb 27, 2026)
- Dixie National Forest: Trail 1 Markagunt Plateau (updated Oct 24, 2025)
- Duck Creek Village Inn: Markagunt OHV system guide (lodging business; secondary)
- Dixie NF: Cedar City Ranger District motorized trail size restrictions (order, Sept 16, 2022 to Sept 16, 2027)
- Dixie National Forest: OHV page (updated Apr 29, 2026)
- Utah Outdoor Recreation: Off-highway vehicles (program home)
- Utah Outdoor Recreation: Non-resident OHV permits
- Utah Outdoor Recreation: OHV laws & rules
- Dixie National Forest: Camping & cabins (dispersed camping rules)
Last verified Oct 27, 2026 (America/Denver). Structured data: trails.json, trails.csv.
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