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    Donut Falls

    4.7 (74 reviews)

    Donut Falls Photos

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    Scott W.

    First time in Utah, and this was our very first stop. It's a bit of a drive followed by a 1.5-mile hike, but it's well worth it. The road to the trailhead is bumpy, so take it slow. The parking lot is small, though there's some overflow parking along the road. Bathroom facilities are available, so be sure to use them if needed. About halfway to the falls, you'll pick up a small stream, which makes the hike even nicer. Most of the trail is shaded by trees, which helped keep us cool. Once you reach the falls, it can get a bit congested with people. The views from the bottom are beautiful, but the real spectacle is the "donut" itself -- I've seen the photos, and it looks incredible. There are signs asking people not to climb up, but the allure of the falls seemed too strong for some, and a few went to the top anyway. One thing to be aware of: there were a couple of areas with ground bees swarming, so stay alert and watch your step. A beautiful spot -- absolutely worth the time and effort.

    Katherine K.

    Beautiful hike and waterfall! While I didn't make it to the complete top (I don't trust my clumsy self not to slip on those rocks), it was still a very enjoyable time for my guy and I. While this is a well known hiking spot, it wasn't crowded at all and I didn't feel rushed by anyone. Easy hike with beautiful views. Definitely be careful not to slip as there are a lot of slippable areas with the wet rocks.

    Amy J.

    Super pretty hike but there's a spot that isn't really clearly marked. Somehow we got lost for .5 miles. Anyhow, waterfall was also a bit anti climatic. It's hard to get all the way up close unless you plan to get your feet a bit wet.

    Water was flowing pretty hard as it was late May.
    Craig C.

    Great quick hike, with somewhat confusing trailhead signage for those unfamiliar, strange that you start out on a raised board walk over all small stream next to the road. There wasn't any signage indicating where to go at the restroom and general trail map for the area. Seems like a symptom of the fact that the access road to the real trail head was closed and we spent the majority of the hike cross crossing the well maintained access road. . Not sure if this is normal or due to the early season timing of our hike in late May. Wanted to sarcastically give this hike one star, as there were no doughnuts, either to eat or visible in the water fall features ;) but it was truly a five star experience.

    Sam S.

    This popular, family-friendly hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon is excellent any time of the year. During the summer, the wildflowers are gorgeous along the trail; in the fall, the leaves change into brilliant autumn colors, and in winter, you can climb to the top of the frozen falls and check out the "ice cave." Yes, it's a popular hike and frequently crowded. That's because it's an easy hike and easily accessed from the road. It's best to avoid hiking Doughnut Falls on weekends and to hike earlier in the morning. Expect to get your feet wet while crossing the creek and dress appropriately Some hikers bring sandals for hiking in the creek, but a good pair of boots is suitable, too, if you don't mind hiking back in soggy boots. Although it's tempting to climb up to the waterfall and "doughnut," please be cautious because the rocks are wet and incredibly slippery. There have been numerous accidents at Donut Falls, including multiple fatalities. It's better to snowshoe to Doughnut Falls during the winter when there are fewer people and the rocks are covered in snow.

    Mei T.

    Gotta love the great outdoors, especially when visiting Utah! My beau took me on this stunning scenic hike. The scenery was gorgeous throughout the trail! Doughnut Falls is a waterfall in the Big Cottonwood Canyon near Silver Fork, south of Midvale in Salt Lake County. Along the trail, we enjoyed the colorful foliage as leaves from the aspen trees turned golden and the maple trees turned orange red, a beautiful contrast against the evergreen pine trees and the crystal clear blue sky. In the background, you could see the mountains covered with the fall colors. I would rate this as an easy hike, with a few areas that were moderate in difficulty towards the end of the trail near the base of the waterfall. One area required you to climb a rope to descend (on the way to the waterfall) and ascend (on your way back from the waterfall) a short slope. Definitely recommend hiking boots, as there were loose gravel. No need for trekking poles though. It's a 2-mile hike round trip that leads you to a waterfall. I guess depending on the time of year, the water level may be high and you won't be able to approach the waterfall without getting wet, and it would be dangerous (if not impossible) to cross the water and slippery rocks. For our visit, the water level was low and the rocks were relatively dry, so we were able to climb to the top of the waterfall. The downside was the waterfall was small and did not have a significant amount of water. It was still beautiful though! If you have bad knees, you can still enjoy this scenic hike, but I suggest skipping the end near the waterfall. The vast majority of the hike is rather flat and simple. There were lots of shade from the trees, but it's a good idea to bring a hat and/or wear sun screen.

    Gemini U.

    Family friendly popular trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The trail is about 1.5 miles roundtrip if you start at the Donut Falls parking area. Since this is a popular trail...it is crowded, especially up by the falls. Very rocky and steep the last part of the trail that you will need to take to enter the "Donut" part. Squirrels will come right up to you wanting food. They are well feed by people, even though there are signs that says don't feed the animals. Speaking of animals NO DOGS allowed. This is our watershed. Oh and please don't leave them in the car, don't even bring them up the Canyon, you'll get a ticket if caught. This is the perfect trail for snowshoeing in the winter. If you are new to snowshoeing, I would practice on this trail. There are summer cabins on the Southwest side of the trail please be respectful, and stay on the road. Gate is locked in the winter but the trail is still open for your enjoyment.

    Heliana M.

    We had such an amazing time here. We visited salt lake city during Christmas week and decided to come here for snow sledding with the kids. We were 7 adults and 6 kiddos. We had such a blast! Kids had a wonderful time sledding from thr hills and playing in the snow. I was however saddened to see so much trash left behind from folks. Truly heartbreaking. But what a gorgeous place! Parking was relatively easy and we had to bring our own gear :) would love to be back here on our next trip!

    Cathy S.

    Tranquil mountain trail leading to a lovely waterfall. Some parts of the trail are narrow which can mean some close passing with other hikers. Patience is key. The falls are gorgeous all day, but be prepared for a lot of congestion in the afternoon - may diminish your experience if you were expecting a solo visit.

    Looks like an elephant's foot!
    Joyce W.

    Past Cottonwood, in Wasatch forest. Lots of cars and lots of families this Sunday! 2 Trailways. One is a well worn dirt shady covered hiking trail and the other is a wide cement road. They converge to a single dirt worn trail. Lots of prarie dogs squeaking to be fed up by the rapids. Would've liked more signs showing the last 5% of the trail through 5 choices of entrances.

    The part I skipped!
    Julie h.

    I checked out donut falls on my first day in Salt Lake City. I drove and parked where the google location was when I had searched for it. I had to walk up the road a little north and ask someone where the trail actually was. The weather couldn't be more perfect! I realized along my hike I passed numerous parking lots that I could of parked at to make my hike shorter. However I'm glad I did the longer haul. Many families were there, many with new borns strapped to them as they walked. There was a few benches along the way. There was one tricky part where I had to climb rocks down a few feet. Without others there to watch I probably would have thought it was the end of the trail. Once you jumped down there was a few more steps up a creek trying to not get your feet wet before the donut falls. So many people were there hiking up the rocks but I passed on that. With the wet shoes from the creek and my tired jelly legs it seemed to dare devilish. I was happy enough with the view I got!

    Henry L.

    An extremely easy and fun hike for the whole family. The only downside is that it will get extremely packed even on weekdays, so try to get here early. Parking can be difficult and you will likely be forced to park off the road. If you are more daring, you can drive in and park in the small parking lot right before the trailhead, otherwise you will park in the "outer" parking lot and spend about 20 min hiking to the actual trailhead. As for the hike itself, it is very shaded and enjoyable, with very little uphill climbs. Note that you'll have to do a bit of scrambling when you get to a small creek. Once you cross that, you will then begin making your way to the falls. It is extremely beautiful and excellent for family photos.

    Icy trail. Spikes are necessary
    Elizabeth P.

    So many people have told me about donut falls. They said it was a spiritual experience, they were absolutely right. My friend and I decided to take an early hike to the falls. We took our snowshoe spikes and poles in case the trail still had snow. Well, glad we did. The trail is icy and dangerous is you don't have spikes and poles. The first waterfall is small but you can still climb into the cave to have the full experience. The second, and main attraction is spectacular. The waterfall is powerful and loud. It's cold in the cave but it's worth every minute. There's a log to sit on inside so take some snacks and enjoy the time in there by yourself or with your special person. We are definitely coming back when the weather gets warmer.

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    1 month ago

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    24 days ago

    Great hike! Getting up to the actual fall is a little sketchy. Just make sure you have good shoes that can get wet!

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    3 years ago

    Fun hike and not too intense. It's worth seeing. I would definitely recommend checking this place out if you haven't already.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Donut Falls

    Review Highlights - Donut Falls

    “In the winter, the road to the trailhead is closed, so you will park at the gate right off Big Cottonwood Canyon Road.”

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    The Living Room Trail - Cairns at the top

    The Living Room Trail

    4.4(39 reviews)
    12.3 mi•University, East Bench

    I love taking friends from out of town on this hike! It's long enough that you feel like you did…read moresomething active, but not too far or too difficult that your friends never trust you to pick a trail again. The trail can be crowded at certain times of the day/year and it can seem confusing because of lack of signage/multiple spur trails but you really can't get lost if you keep heading towards the mountains. This trail is dog friendly! And the dog owners are very respectful and responsible. Which makes this trail even more fun to try!

    Trivia: What university originally established in 1850 as the University of Deseret and used in the…read more2002 Winter Olympics sits rather close to the base of this trail? Finding the actual trail can be a little bit of a challenge. From the road where everyone seems to park, we started on a shaded, tree-lined trail that looked promising. But after a short jaunt, we arrived in a dusty, tree free area with trails going in lots of directions. The group in front of us took off like they knew where they were going, but I wasn't fooled by their confidence. Yay Me! But BOOO on the existence of trail markings. I reviewed the map and pointed my hiking companion and I to the trail I thought was most closely aligned with GOOGLE maps and AllTrails. Service was a little spotty. Luckily, it all worked out! The trail is a solid 1000-1200 feet of elevation over a mile which is a solid click of UP. Bring water as shade is rare and the trees are really more shrubs and bush size. The living room area is superb, but depending on the time of day, VERY congested. The seats will feel like the best chair you've ever parked your tired rump, and you will begrudgingly give them up when the crowds form around you.

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    The Living Room Trail
    The Living Room Trail
    The Living Room Trail - Sunrise views

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    Sunrise views

    Antelope Island State Park - Finally captured a beautiful and elusive Chukar along one of the trails! I love their red eyes and beak! (March 2025)

    Antelope Island State Park

    4.3(310 reviews)
    39.6 mi

    Highly recommended, two unforgettables for me 1. Getting…read moreclose to see Bisons, Bisons, and Bisons 2. Getting close to touch the Salt lake, a little scoop of the foam quickly turned to salt You can observe the bisons right off the road. Beach to the edge of the lake/beach is a 15-minutes short walk.

    Great experience here at Antelope Island State Park. My friend and I visited in the late afternoon…read moreafter arriving at the airport around noon, and checking out Golden Spike National Historic Site. The day had been quite rainy, and the timing worked out perfectly as the skies cleared up later in the day. Just a quick heads up! At the time of writing, there is no potable water available on the island. Bring your own and bring plenty of it. Also there is an entry fee to cross the causeway to get onto the "island" which really isn't an island anymore because of low water levels. There is an AM station that provides information updates as you enter - make sure to check in out and stay in the know. Because we hadn't brought much water with, we decided to keep our hiking to a minimum. We were also just off the plane from the east coast, so decided to take it easy with hiking our first day at the elevation. Our first stop was at Ladyfinder Point - we took the short trail out to the point for some views! Then after that, we really wanted to get down to the water so we made our way over to Bridger Bay Beach access. From the parking area to the water is a bit of a hike given that the water levels are so low. We parked near the first bathouse and made our way down through the sand. I had opted for sandals, but the flipflops made navigating the san difficult, so I went barefoot which was a bit uncomfortable because the sand it quite coarse. But, as we got further out the sand is more compacted and the sandals were ok. About halfway out to the water, we noticed a bison in the distance. It was walking south quite a bit away from us, so we continued north to the water and kept a really good distance. Down near the water, be prepared for MANY bird carcasses and the brine flies got pretty thick as you near the water. Just keep going because it is worth it. We stood in the clear waters of the Great Salt Lake and enjoyed the breeze and setting sun. It was well worth it to go all the way down. After a short stay by the water we headed back. It was at this point that we noticed the Bison from earlier had headed in the direction of the trailhead near the showers. We again kept our distance and had no issues, but our concern was growing. We made a bit of a detour to give the bison a wider berth, but at this point he was clearly moving toward the same point we were headed to. Keeping eyes on him and picking up speed we made it back to the shower building and rinsed our feet. Meanwhile, the bison continued to make his way up the beach stopping occasionally and then continuing on. We had retreated a bit behind the concrete walls of the shower building as the bison continued walking toward us. At one point I finally decided that we should probably get to the car. Which we did... After getting in the car and preparing to depart, we turned our head and lo and behold - but who should appear. That bison! He popped up out of the trail and began scratching himself on the shower building walls were we had been standing moments ago. Then he stopped, stared at us and we had a moment of panic that the rental car might get some damage. Luckily, the bison was not in the mood for a confrontation and he lumbered through the parking lot acros the road and up the other side of the hill, scratching his head on some low trees. Honestly, it was a bit of a anxiety-inducing experience yet thrilling at the same time. After our little encounter, we made our way toward Buffalo Point where we hiked up to Altar Rock and back. On the drive up we saw the island's namesake - two young antelope cavorting around the open spaces like two kids without a care in the world. It was entertaining and memorable for sure! The hike to Buffalo Point was a short but rewarding little hike and it was perfect as the sun was starting to set. Not wanting to hike back in the dark, we didn't stay out until true sunset, but we did get some great photos and made our way back. Apparently the park has a Dark Sky designation, and we had toyed with the idea of staying until dark, BUT the skies had grown overcast again, and after a long day of travel we made the decision that we needed to get an In-N-Out burger for dinner and head to the hotel to rest and prepare for our long hike the next day. Antelope Island was a great choice, and I am so glad we experienced even just a small percentage of the island. It was well worth it and I would definitely go back!

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    Antelope Island State Park - Fielding Garr Ranch

    Fielding Garr Ranch

    Antelope Island State Park - The Rock Wrens we're putting on a fantastic show! Sunset at Buffalo Point Trail - Nov 2022

    The Rock Wrens we're putting on a fantastic show! Sunset at Buffalo Point Trail - Nov 2022

    Antelope Island State Park - Mom & son holiday hike selfie!! Top of Buffalo Point Trail - Nov 2022

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    Mom & son holiday hike selfie!! Top of Buffalo Point Trail - Nov 2022

    Bell Canyon

    Bell Canyon

    4.4(43 reviews)
    9.0 mi

    Everywhere I look these days, it seems that people are posting pictures of amazing fall colors. We…read moredo live in a beautiful state and it's appropriate for us to step outside, take a look around and appreciate when nature shows off. I joined a group of hikers and hit the trails this past week, in search of some great fall colors. Bell Canyon did not disappoint. There is plenty of parking at the trailhead, including clean bathrooms. The first part of the trail is pretty rocky and has a decent elevation gain-poles are helpful, but at the least, have good shoes with some traction. Once you get to the reservoir, it's pretty flat and there are lots of places you can get amazing pictures. Be sure to take some time down by the water-it's so calming and just beautiful. There were some detour signs on the trail, so we didn't get the full experience (not sure why it was closed, but we tried to follow signs until they suddenly stopped. So we turned around and came the way we went.) Overall, it's a beautiful hike and I'd love to come try it again when the trail is open.

    We started at the entrance on Wasatch Blvd near the residential area; and then, ended up at the…read morewaterfall. It took us about 4 hours to hike approx. 6 miles with short breaks in between for water. It's a mixer of flat, incline, rocky, slippery (snow still out towards end of hike), upward steps, and mini bridges to cross over small water streams. There are surrounding plants and trees, but most are barely blooming. Didn't see any wildlife animals, but saw a few squirrels crossing our paths lol. The hike itself wasn't too hard. I'd rate it intermediate. It was only challenging because the paths towards the end were slippery due to snow still out and melting. It was fun with some close calls. Luckily I found a stick on the way to use. We passed by the lake at the beginning of the hike, which was nice. Once we reached the waterfall, we took a refreshing break; snacked a bit; embraced the beautiful nature; and then, headed back where we started. It was harder to hike down the slippery snow than it was to hike to the waterfall. I'd come back to hike this place during fall to see the vibrant color of the trees.

    Photos
    Bell Canyon
    Bell Canyon - The universe sent me here

    The universe sent me here

    Bell Canyon

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    Donut Falls - hiking - Updated September 2026

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