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  • Donut Falls Trailhead
  • Donut Falls Trailhead, Utah

    Top Spots in and near Donut Falls Trailhead

    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Hike Cardiff Fork

      8 mi / 2880 ft gain
      Cardiff Fork and Donut Falls share the same parking lot, so depending on what time of week you go exploring here, it may be the most packed parking in all of the Wasatch. Head up on a weekday for less crowds.  The Cardiff Fork trailhead is follows the rocky jeep road around the parking lot to the...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Donut Falls

      4.1
      1.53 mi / 413 ft gain
      The Trail Follow the trail for just a little bit and when it forks, stay to the left and you will arrive to Donut Falls. Once at the waterfall, climb up the rocks to get to the cave at the top, which is not visible from the bottom. To take pictures inside of the cave, you will most likely get yo...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Kessler Peak in Utah's Big Cottonwood Canyon

      4.7
      4.66 mi / 2733 ft gain
      Kessler Peak is a 10,403-foot peak located in Big Cottonwood Canyon. From the top, you can see all the way to the Uintas to the East, The tram at Snowbird to the south, and the Salt Lake Valley to the west. To the north is Mount Raymond and Gobblers Knob.  Kessler Peak is the terminus and highes...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Big Cottonwood Canyon Astrophotography

      Located in the Wasatch Mountains, less 30 minutes from Salt Lake City, Big Cottonwood Canyon, provides some of the best rural dark-sky viewing of the Milky Way in the Wasatch.The Donut Falls trail head/Mill D trail head, close to the ski resorts of Brighton and Solitude, additionally provides one...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Snowshoe to Cardiff Mine

      7 mi / 1500 ft gain
      The trail starts from the same trailhead as Donut Falls which is extremely popular. In the winter, the gates are closed and you need to park just off the highway. Follow the road and crowds along the trail but once you cross the bridge continue straight ahead instead of following the trail that c...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Backcountry Ski Cardiff Fork

      4 mi
      Drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon until you reach the Mill D South parking lot (aka Donut Falls parking). Head up the main road until you reach the bathrooms at the Donut Falls trailhead. Here you can either keep straight past the bathrooms, but the best way to go is to keep right along the road. Yo...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Hike Days Fork

      5.0
      7.5 mi / 2494 ft gain
      To get to the trailhead drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon to Spruces Campground. Once in the parking lot, walk to the southwest corner of the parking lot and go up the road past the bathrooms. The trailhead will be next to the overgrown baseball field.  The trail is awesome single track the whole wa...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Hike to Big Cottonwood Canyon's Desolation Lake

      4.6
      7.4 mi / 1900 ft gain
      Drive 9 miles into Big Cottonwood Canyon and park at the Mill D North Trailhead (on the left). On the right side of the road, there is a restroom. The trial head begins on the left, there is a visible sign you cannot miss before beginning.The trail is about 7.4 miles round trip, about half way t...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Winter Backpack to Dog Lake and Backcountry Ski Reynolds Peak

      4.5
      5 mi / 1500 ft gain
      The hike is considered moderate, but the 1500ft. elevation gain (2100ft. to Reynolds Peak) will definitely get your heart rate up. Snowshoes/skins are recommended but the trail is often packed enough to do without them.After crossing the street from the Spruces parking lot, follow the trail past...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Hike from Mill D to Desolation Peak

      10 mi / 2500 ft gain
      Largely runnable trail up through pines and aspens with a few steep climbs. Incredible wildflowers. You can stop at Desolation Lake then continue up towards the ridge and up to Desolation Peak. You have to listen and watch for descending bikers coming fast around corners.  
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Backcountry Ski Days Fork

      3.2 mi
      Days Fork is on the south side of Big Cottonwood Canyon behind the Spruces parking lot. The trail head begins on the south west corner of the parking lot. The approach to Days Fork is long, but gradual. Continue south along the skin track until you reach the end of the Days Fork Basin. Here you c...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Backcountry Ski Short Swing, Mill D North

      4 mi / 1900 ft gain
      Drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon until you reach the Spruces Campground on the right. You will park here and prep your gear for the day. Walk back out to the canyon road and cross the street to the trail head. As you hike up the trial, you'll pass some cabins, once you've passed all the cabins, you...
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    • Brighton, Utah

      Hike or Trail Run Butler Fork

      5.0
      7.2 mi / 1964 ft gain
      To get to the trailhead, drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon 8 miles. The parking lot is on the left side of the road. The first half mile is the steepest of the whole trail so don't get too intimidated by it, it mellows out a lot after. You will come to fork in the trail about a mile in, you can eith...
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    • Brighton, Utah

      Backcountry Ski Butler Fork

      2 mi
      The trail head for Butler Fork is 8 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon on the left side of the road. Throw your gear on and head up the trail. Continue along the skin track and after about 20 minutes you'll come upon a fork in the trail. The right trail will take you up the East Fork towards Butler B...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Backcountry Ski Beartrap Fork

      5.0
      4 mi / 2016 ft gain
      You can access the trailhead to Beartrap by driving up Big Cottonwood Canyon 10.4 miles and parking on the right side of the road. You will see the "Bear Trap Fork Rd" sign on the left side of the road, this is where the trailhead begins. Make your way up the skin track through the dense aspens u...
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    • Salt Lake City, Utah

      Hike the Mineral Fork Trail

      4.0
      9.3 mi / 3500 ft gain
      The trailhead begins along Big Cottonwood Canyon Road, with a relatively small parking lot at the trailhead. Starting early in the day is advised, as on nice summer days it will fill up quickly. The trail has a steady ascent for the first 2 miles starting around 6700' through aspen forests and cr...
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    Camping and Lodging in Donut Falls Trailhead

    Jordan Pines
    Salt Lake City, Utah

    Jordan Pines

    Spruces   Big Cottonwood
    Brighton, Utah

    Spruces Big Cottonwood

    Redman Campground
    Salt Lake City, Utah

    Redman Campground

    The Cliff Lodge
    Sandy, Utah

    The Cliff Lodge

    From $300 / night

    Albion Basin
    Albion Basin Road

    Albion Basin

    Storm Mountain
    Salt Lake City, Utah

    Storm Mountain

    Guides, Insights and Stories from Donut Falls Trailhead

    How to Ditch the Crowds at Donut Falls

    How to Ditch the Crowds at Donut Falls

    Tylyn Hansen

    The Early Bird Catches the Worm: Skiing Utah's Mt. Superior

    The Early Bird Catches the Worm: Skiing Utah's Mt. Superior

    Tommy Elbrecht

    Make Newpark Resort Your Home Base in Park City

    Make Newpark Resort Your Home Base in Park City

    Sara Sheehy

    Your Basecamp for Adventure in Park City, Utah

    Your Basecamp for Adventure in Park City, Utah

    The Outbound Collective

    Go Wild at Deer Valley this Summer

    Go Wild at Deer Valley this Summer

    The Outbound Collective

    3 Summer Adventures at Deer Valley in Park City, Utah

    3 Summer Adventures at Deer Valley in Park City, Utah

    The Outbound Collective