Hike Donut Falls Near Salt Lake City
Donuts are my weakness. Especially a Boston Kreme from Dunkin Donuts. When I learned there’s a Donut Falls hike near Salt Lake City, we put the kids in the car and drove up Big Cottonwood Canyon to the trailhead. It’s a great hike away from the city, although it’s also a popular hike.
If you’re looking for a family outing, plan to venture up the canyon and take a short hike to Donut Falls.
Donut Falls Trailhead
The trailhead to Donut Falls is roughly 9 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. As you make your way up the canyon, you’ll turn right, off the main road, at the North Fork Trailhead (also known as Mill D Trailhead). The road continues for roughly one mile, passing Jordan Pines Group Campground and a few summer homes.
You don’t necessarily need a high-clearance vehicle to make it to the trailhead. We drove our Toyota Sienna minivan and had no problems.
The trailhead does offer parking. Roughly 16 regular vehicles can fit in that lot. If it’s full, please park responsibly and respectfully.
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If you need to use the bathroom before starting out on the hike, there is a pit toilet available. Be sure to bring plenty of water with you, especially in the summer months. Temperatures can reach upwards of 90 degrees in July and August.
The Hike to and from Donut Falls
The departure point at the trailhead is pretty well marked. But as you continue along the trail, you may wonder if you’re heading the right way. The hiking trail does join up with a dirt service road. That’s were we saw a few of the critters captured in the photo above. We didn’t get too close to them, although they seemed to be used to people.
The roughly 1.5-mile hike to the waterfall gets a little rougher near the end. The trail splits off again from the dirt road and joins up with a creek. Follow the creek upstream. At one point, you will need to cross the flowing water. There are some logs, so you’ll get to test your balancing skills.
At this point, you’ll be able to see the cascading waterfall a few hundred feet in front of you.
Caution at Donut Falls
To understand why it’s called Donut Falls, you’ll need to see a picture of the start of the waterfall. There is a round hole in a rock and the water falls through it into a small secluded grotto of sorts. From there, the water flows down the cascading rocks. You can Google photos of Donut Falls to see what it looks like up top.
At the base of the waterfall, you’ll see a sign (pictured below) that you should take seriously. The rocks are slippery and dangerous, and I don’t want people to read this article and think, “Carltonaut said it was okay to hike up the waterfall.” It is dangerous.
After resting for a moment and enjoying the beauty of the falling water, you can start your way back down the mountain to your vehicle. And hopefully you thought ahead and can enjoy a donut or two as a reward for completing your hike to Donut Falls. 😉
The Details
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Round trip: 3.5 mile loop to and from the waterfall.
Hiking time: Plan on one to two hours for the hike.
Trailhead restrooms: Yes. Pit toilet.
Entrance/Permit Fee? No entrance fee or parking fee required. Parking fills up quickly at the trailhead. Don’t park illegally.
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