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Donut Falls

Salt Lake City, Utah

4.1/5
based on 45 reviews

Details

Distance

1.53 miles

Elevation Gain

413 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Eric Bennett

Donut Falls is an out-and-back hike to an amazingly beautiful and picturesque waterfall. This trail, located in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, is good for all seasons with easy access to the trail.

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 your feet wet.

This is a really short hike, so it's great if you are short on time and want to see something amazing.

Falls Coordinates: 40.629722, -111.654722

Getting There

Coming from the I-215, turn left on Big Cottonwood Road and the parking lot will be about nine miles up the road on your right. Usually the gate is closed, so park here and follow the rest of the road on foot until you get to a trailhead with restrooms on the left hand side.

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Features

Photography
Hiking
Bathrooms
Easy Parking
Family Friendly
Scenic
Waterfall
Wildlife

Donut Falls Reviews

I've only been here in the winter time snowshoeing and we had the place almost to ourselves. We saw 4 other people in total. The trail was packed snow so it was pretty unnecessary to wear the snow shoes. The hike was short and beautiful where you could look into the trees and everything was covered in untouched snow. The ice forming at the opening (donut) of the falls was very pretty.

The trailhead parking on this app is a little misleading. You can actually go down the road "FR019" which is the road south of where it says to park. Go down that road until it ends and Donut Falls trailhead/parking is right there. It'll save you some time. Other than that it was a very easy/fun hike.

This place is magical, but it's got to be one of the most impacted areas in the Wasatch. It is often hard to find common sense at Donut Falls. Stay off the slopes above people, careful climbing in the boulders, and use only the main trail. Donut Falls is plagued with a spiderweb of trails around it in dangerous locations. Be careful, patient, and smart about your timing and you will be blown away by this waterfall.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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