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Out And Back · Big Cottonwood Canyon

Hidden Falls

A few-minute walk in Big Cottonwood Canyon to a small fall hidden just off the road.

A very short walk to a small waterfall tucked just out of sight of Big Cottonwood Canyon Road. The route crosses the canyon road on a blind S-curve, follows a social path near the streambed past an old gated mine, and ends with a brief boulder scramble to the base of a roughly 20-foot fall. The whole thing takes only a few minutes each way, which makes it a quick stop rather than a destination hike. Flow is strongest with spring snowmelt and thins out as summer goes on.

Quick stats

Distance
0.25 mi round trip
Elevation gain
53 ft
Time
0.25–0.5 hrs
Difficulty
Easy · family-friendly
Dogs
Not allowed
Best months
Apr, May

Getting there & parking

From Salt Lake City, take Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (SR-190) about 4.4 to 4.7 miles up from the canyon mouth to the Mill B South 'S-curve' and pull into the small lot on the north side. A standard passenger car is fine. The pullout only holds 10 to 12 cars and fills early on summer weekends, so come early or midweek. Note that the trail itself starts across the road — you cross the canyon road on a blind curve to reach it.

No trailhead fee at the Mill B South pullout. Standard Big Cottonwood Canyon watershed rules apply.

Know before you go

No dogs. Dogs are banned in all of Big Cottonwood Canyon — including dogs left in your car — because it is Salt Lake City's protected drinking-water watershed. The first-offense fine runs up to $650.

No hiking permit required.

The route

Reported one-way figures range from about 150 feet to a tenth of a mile; round trip is roughly a quarter mile. The falls are reached in under five minutes.

  • 0 mi · Pullout / Trailhead (north side of S-curve lot) — Depart from the north side of the Mill B 'S-curve' pullout.
  • 0.02 mi · Big Cottonwood Canyon Road crossing — Cross the road at the marked sign on a blind curve — use great caution. Continue straight rather than taking the steps to the right.
  • 0.08 mi · Gated mine adit — Pass the fenced and gated abandoned mine on the east side.
  • 0.13 mi · Hidden Falls — Scramble the final boulders to the base of the roughly 20-foot fall, reached in under five minutes.

When to go

Hikeable roughly late March through early November. Flow is best with spring snowmelt in April and early May and diminishes considerably through summer. Some sources tag it 'year round,' but winter access is icy.

Winter access exists but the short path and final scramble ice up, so traction devices help. Big Cottonwood Canyon Road requires approved snow tires or traction devices from October 1 through April 30, and avalanche control can close the canyon road outright. Check conditions before driving up.

Check current conditions before you go:

Safety & hazards

The route crosses Big Cottonwood Canyon Road on the S-curve, where sightlines are limited and cars coming from the right are sometimes moving fast. Cross only at the marked sign and wait for a clear gap. Keep children in hand.

A fenced and gated abandoned mine adit sits along the trail. The gate is broken and small children could potentially squeeze between the bars. Keep kids close and do not enter the adit.

The final stretch involves a short scramble over boulders near the falls, which can be wet and slick.

Wildlife & geology

A short riparian pocket beside the streambed. No notable species are documented for this stop.

The fall sits in the Mill B South drainage on the south wall of Big Cottonwood Canyon. No surveyed geologic detail is documented for this short spur.

History

Described as aptly named — the fall sits close to a busy road yet is tucked out of sight, so it goes largely unseen and unvisited. No official or historical documentation of the name was found.

An abandoned mine adit beside the trail points to historic mining activity in the area, though no specific record is documented for this site.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Hidden Falls hike?
Very short — about a quarter mile round trip with roughly 53 feet of gain. Reported one-way figures range from about 150 feet to a tenth of a mile, and the falls are reached in under five minutes. Treat it as a quick stop, not a hike.
Are dogs allowed at Hidden Falls?
No. Dogs are banned in all of Big Cottonwood Canyon — including dogs left in your car — because it is Salt Lake City's protected drinking-water watershed. The first-offense fine runs up to $650.
When is the best time to go?
Spring. Flow is strongest with snowmelt in April and early May and diminishes through summer. The trail is hikeable roughly late March through early November; winter access exists but ices up.
Is there a fee or permit?
No. There's no trailhead fee at the Mill B South pullout and no hiking permit. Standard watershed rules apply: no dogs, no swimming or wading.
What should I watch out for on the trail?
Two things. The route crosses Big Cottonwood Canyon Road on a blind S-curve where cars can be moving fast, so cross only at the marked sign. And there's a broken-gated abandoned mine along the way that small children could squeeze into — keep kids close. The final boulder scramble can also be slick.
Can you swim or wade at the falls?
No. Swimming, wading, and playing in the water are prohibited under the same watershed rules that keep dogs out of the canyon.
Where is the trailhead and is parking easy?
It's the Mill B 'S-curve' pullout, roughly 4.4 to 4.7 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon Road from the canyon mouth. The lot only holds about 10 to 12 cars and fills early on summer weekends, so come early or midweek.

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