Lower Calf Creek Falls
Boulder, Utah
Details
Distance
5.74 miles
Elevation Gain
515 ft
Route Type
Out-and-Back
Description
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.
Download the Outbound mobile app
Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.
Get the appFeatures
Lower Calf Creek Falls Reviews
Loved the hike to the waterfall. It was soooo beautiful and refreshing on a hot summer day. Make sure to bring enough water with you, a lot of the trail is exposed!
5.0
This is a great spot to go. A little walk off the road and you get to calf creek falls. There is an upper pool that you can cliff jump into (about 10 feet) and then the lower pool is where the larger waterfall leads. You can anchor a repel off the waterfall that can double as a rope swing. Also there is a small moss slide you can slide on. One of my favorite things about calf creek is if you walk further down the river there are pot holes on the red rock riverbed that the water flows over and you can jump in them and see how deep they are . Some are knee deep some are over your head! Lots of fun!
5.0
Lower Calf Creek Falls is one of the most popular hikes in all of Grand Staircase Escalante and for good reason. The hike in is enjoyable and you can see several old graineries and some petroglyphs. The real attraction is the 126 ft waterfall into a crystal clear pool. The area around the waterfall has some amazing colors, I presume due to different forms of algae leaching minerals from the rock and water. The pool is fairly large and always cool and refreshing even in the height of summer when the hike in can be very hot and dry. It's fairly short but be sure to take plenty of water if you go in the warmer months. I've never been there at night but might have to check it out after this recommendation.
5.0
Leave No Trace
Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!
Nearby
Escalante Natural Bridge
Upper Calf Creek Falls
Camp at Deer Creek Campground
Backpack Death Hollow in Grand Staircase-Escalante
Hike to the Cosmic Ashtray
Drive the Burr Trail Scenic Backway
Community
Mobile Apps
© 2024 The Outbound Collective - Terms of Use - Privacy Policy