One of Salt Lake's best hikes takes you past reservoir and to a massive waterfall.
The greater Salt Lake City area has loads of good waterfall hikes, but Bells Canyon stands out as one of the best. The hike itself is roughly 4-5 miles long and has beauty all along the way.
The trail begins at the Granite Trailhead, which fills up by 7 or 8 AM on most days, so you'll likely have to backtrack to the traffic light and park in the dirt lot nearby.
The trail begins to the left of the restroom and begins a moderate climb up a rocky, dirt trail and eventually you'll find yourself looking down at the neighborhoods below.
Before long, the trail splits at the Bells Canyon Reservoir. The reservoir is a peaceful spot to take a break and is even stocked with fish. It's important that you keep to the left if you intend to get to the waterfall, otherwise you're likely to take the incorrect trail.
The reservoir will be on your right as you continue along the trail and you'll come to a wooden sign stating that you again need to cut left to find the waterfall.
Now the trail will connect with the water and you'll hug the creek and eventually come to a bridge that strangely enough, only has a single hand-rail.
The anticipation begins to pull at you as you seem to climb upward on slippery rocks for an extended amount of time. Near the end of the ascent, you'll likely have to step across a small stream before again turning left for the final bit of hiking to the waterfall.
Depending on how you navigate from here, you're likely to come out above the waterfall, with a very steep drop down to the falls. Here, there are multiple paths, all with the same goal of delivering you below the waterfall.
The waterfall was much larger than I anticipated and there was a mist spraying all areas within 50 feet of the falls. It's extremely slippery and wet, but you can get right up close to the falls if you so desire.
My favorite part of the hike was the end, where many hikers were sitting on large granite slabs looking up at the granite peaks above. It's really the perfect spot to have lunch and take in the sounds of the waterfall and views of the city.
This waterfall was so much larger in person than photos lend on and the trail is beautiful along the way. This is a great hike for all skill levels, but I highly suggest stopping by early before it gets too crowded.
Know Before You Go
The trailhead lot fills up quick with less than 10 spots, so prepare to park down the road a bit.
The trail can be both rocky/uneven and very wet/slippery, so ensure you have the appropriate footwear to tackle this hike.
Be sure to have a map of the trail as it's very easy to make a wrong turn on this trail.
The trail spits you out at the top of the waterfall, atop a very steep hill. Use caution ascending to the base as there is loads of loose dirt/gravel and its often wet from the waterfall or snow.
Resources
Video
Location
The trailhead parking lot is known as the Granite Trailhead. If the parking lot is full, there is a dirt lot by the traffic light at GK Gilbert Geological View Park.
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