Short hike in Little Cottonwood to waterfall flowing over granite.
After our hike to Tanner Flat along Little Cottonwood Creek, Lisa Falls seemed like a necessity given it was just across the street.
The trailhead to Lisa Falls seemed a little less crowded than its neighbor, likely because this hike is so much shorter and people move in and out much faster.
There is a small trail up to the waterfall, but there is also a large wash that was seemingly created by an avalanche as many of the nearby trees are bent nearly on their side.
The hike itself is less than a half mile up and back and the trail to the falls itself is entirely uphill. After less than 10 minutes of walking, you'll see a clearing up ahead.
When you get to the base of the waterfall, you're likely to encounter some small crowds given the ease of this hike. If you're patient, you can probably wait them out as few visitors stayed more than 30 minutes.
In person, the waterfall is much larger than it appears in photos and it's one of the few that you can get close without getting soaked. The water flows smoothly down the granite and forms a small stream below.
I did notice a pair of younger hikers ascending to the top of the waterfall via an unmaintained trail to the left of the waterfall. It looked as if it may provide some interesting vantage points, but given the recent avalanche, it didn't feel worth it to go explore.
Know Before You Go
The trailhead is easy to miss due to the large wash to the left of the trailhead.
This is avalanche terrain, so would not recommend visiting until late spring.
Best to visit in Spring when the water flow is at its greatest.
Just across the street is the trailhead to the old Temple Quarry Ruins.
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Location
Just across from the Little Cottonwood Creek trailhead in Little Cottonwood Canyon. About five miles or 10 minutes from the entrance to the canyon.
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