Looking for a quick, easy hike with a great pay off? Here are SIX family-friendly waterfall hikes, perfect even for the smallest hiker. Each hike is within just 30 minutes or less of Salt Lake City.
1. Gloria Falls: This is an an amazing waterfall during spring run off and a fairly simple hike. The difficult part is that there is no signage for Gloria Falls and you will mainly follow the trail signs for Red Pine Lake. The trail forks at the sign for White Pine and Red Pine Lake, stay on the trail for Red Pine Lake (the trail continues behind a large wooden sign). You will then cross one bridge over the stream, this is where you will veer off the Red Pine Lake Trail and take an immediate left onto a muddy, smaller, and less obvious trail. This trail will follow along the stream. You will follow this path through bushes and trees for about 100 yards until the falls. It does get steep in one section at this point. It's not an obvious path, but you will see a trail. In fact, there are a few small trails you may follow that will lead to the falls.
Lenght: 2.3 miles roundtrip
Location: up Little Cottonwood Canyon at the White Pine/Red Pine Lake Trailhead
No dogs allowed
2. Lisa Falls: This is a fun simple hike anyone can do. There is no signage for this hike, but Google maps will take you there.
Lenght: 0.3 miles roundtrip
Location: up Little Cottonwood Canyon
No dogs allowed
3. Hidden Falls: This hike is less than five minutes to a fun little water fall. You can park at the “S Curve” and then you will see some steps to your north that will take you to the main road. Carefully, cross the main road. Once you cross the road you will see a sign with arrows to follow for Hidden Falls.
Length: 300 feet roundtrip
Location: up Big Cottonwood Canyon right after the “S Curve”
No dogs allowed
4. Donut Falls: This is a popular and fun hike. Parking can be limited at the trail head. You do need to climb down a large rock to get to the stream, which they have added a rope to help you down. I don't recommend scrambling the rocks to the falls as they can be slippery and dangerous. Young kids can enjoy the stream and the falls from a distance without scrambling the rocks. It is called Donut Falls because the waterfall passes through a circular rock. You can see the top of the waterfall in the photo above.
Length: 1.5 miles roundtrip from trail head. If you start from the bigger parking lot further down, your hike will be 3.5 miles roundtrip.
Location: up Big Cottonwood Canyon
No dogs allowed
5. Rocky Mouth Falls: The Parking lot is right off Wasatch Blvd on the East Side. Do not park in the neighborhood. You will take stairs up to Eagle View Drive. Once to the street, turn right and continue up Eagle View Drive on the sidewalk. The trail head is about 250 yards up the road. The water flow on this is fullest after spring run off.
Length: 0.7 miles roundtrip
Location: 11300 S Wasatch Blvd in Sandy
No dogs allowed
6. Lower Adam's Falls: Many people know of Upper Adam's Falls which is nearly 4 miles round trip, but many don't know there is a lower falls with a much shorter, easier hike. You will start the trail and follow 10 switchbacks. The trail then levels out and the trail splits with the main trail continuing to the longer, upper falls to more switchbacks. You will see a trail to your right, it's located right before the wood bench. It's only a few hundred yards to the waterfall from this point and you will climb down some rocks to get to the falls.
Length: 1 miles roundtrip
Location: 600 Eastside Drive in Layton
Dogs allowed
BONUS
7. Heugh's Canyon Waterfall: This hike is easy/moderate as there is a steep section just before the boulder field which then requires some rock scrambling. The waterfall is right after the boulder field.
Length: 3.4 miles roundtrip
Location: 3587 Heughs Canyon Cir, Holladay
Dogs allowed
Leave a Reply