Lower Calf Creek Falls

Calf Creek Campground, UT
4.6
14 Reviews
Lower Calf Creek Falls
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Details

Distance
5.74 miles
Elevation Gain
515 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back

Features

Family Friendly
Bathrooms
Waterfall
Dog Friendly
Scenic
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Directions
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Track

About this place

Added by Thomas Burton

The hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls takes you past Native American ruins to a beautiful waterfall and natural pool for swimming.

The trailhead for lower calf creek falls begins at the Calf Creek Campground. There is a small fee to park in the campground and a larger fee if you plan on camping in the campground. There is potable water and outhouses at the trailhead but parking can be difficult to find during the spring and fall.

Near the trailhead there is a pamphlet that you can grab that will tell you about the plants you see along the trail as well as the locations for some Native American ruins that you can see on the way to the waterfall. Be sure to grab one because the ruins can be very difficult to find without a little help.

The trail makes it way up through the sandstone canyon for about 3 miles until you reach the Lower Calf Creek Waterfall. The color of the blue water makes for a very stunning contrast with the red sandstone rock and there are numerous photographers trying to get great pictures. I would recommend taking a neutral density filter for your camera to be able to take long exposure photographs of the waterfall.

Spend some time eating lunch and swimming here at the waterfall before making the way back to the parking lot. The trail is open year round but can be very hot in the summer and there can be snow in the winter. Dogs are allowed but must be on leash.

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Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and be sure to follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly.
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Check-ins
Angela Dair
2/2/2023
Spectacular waterfall!
Loved the hike to the waterfall. It was soooo beautiful and refreshing on a hot summer day. Make sure to bring enough water with ...
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Sami Smith
4/29/2022
Awesome hike!
Grab the info for the trail before leaving and learn about different things all along the trail. They have spots marked 1-14. The hike ...
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Drew Thompson
4/24/2022
Really cool waterfall in remote Utah
This one is pretty out there but well worth it should you be in the area. The hike itself is pretty flat and after ...
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Crystal Sibson
10/19/2020
Popular Hike
This is a popular hike with a campground nearby so get there early before the parking lot fills up. The hike is relatively ...
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Maranda McBride
11/25/2019
Long walk! Beautiful waterfall!
The walk there seemed eternity, but it was definitely worth the fabulous results! Went mid spring and later in the evening, so we did ...
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Erika Bates
6/10/2019
Lower Calf Creek Falls
This hike took me 1 hour and 10 minutes. I packed two 32 oz of water and drank them both, and packed a few ...
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Madison Sankovitz
7/27/2018
A Beautiful Waterfall
The hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls took me to a beautiful waterfall and natural pool.
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Michelle Olmstead
11/10/2016
A True Oasis in the Desert!
This is one of the most spectacular hikes in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and should not be missed! Definitely one of the ...
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Kelly Park
11/2/2016
Dont Skip This!
We almost skipped this hike but glad we did it! Great short hike and beautiful little beach and waterfall! I would love to ...
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Eric Harris
10/3/2016
Really Fun Hike
The scenery through the canyon along the trail is awesome. The waterfall is beautiful, but a little tricky to photograph. The best ...
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Chad Wildermuth
6/21/2016
Spectacular Short Hike
Lower Calf Creek Falls is one of the most popular hikes in all of Grand Staircase Escalante and for good reason. The hike in ...
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Eden C
6/18/2016
Pretty
SO FUN. beautiful hike and fun swimming! The cold water is refreshing from the way hot hike. We brought our small dogs on the ...
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Brady Dart
2/19/2016
Favorite Spot
This is a great spot to go. A little walk off the road and you get to calf creek falls. There is an upper ...
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Jason Hatfield
12/23/2015
It's not the prettiest of falls in Utah but the surrounding scenery is spectacular. You can reward yourself on a hot summer run ...
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