Donut Falls Hiking Guide
Donut Falls gets its name honestly: the creek disappears into a hole worn through the roof of a small cave and pours out below, which is a genuinely odd thing to watch and completely irresistible to children. The walk in is a mile and a half through fir and aspen with about 500 feet of gain, which puts it within reach of almost anyone. It is the most popular family hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon and it behaves accordingly.
The Walk
From the Jordan Pines area the trail follows an old road grade before narrowing into forest and dropping toward the creek. The final approach to the falls involves scrambling over wet rock, and this is where the hike stops being casual — the rock is slick, the drop is real, and people get hurt here every summer. Many families view from below rather than climbing into the alcove, which is the sensible call with small children.
Parking Is the Whole Problem
The lot is small, the canyon has strict no-roadside-parking enforcement, and on a summer weekend it fills before eight in the morning. Rangers turn cars around and ticket the optimistic. Weekday mornings are dramatically easier. There is a shuttle in some seasons for parts of the canyon — check current arrangements, because Big Cottonwood access has been actively managed and changed in recent years.
Watershed Rules
Big Cottonwood, Little Cottonwood, City Creek and Parleys canyons supply Salt Lake City's drinking water, and dogs are banned outright in the protected watershed — not leashed, banned. Rangers ticket for it. Mill Creek Canyon sits outside the watershed and is the local answer for dog owners. Donut Falls is in Big Cottonwood, so no dogs. Wading in the creek is also prohibited for the same reason, which disappoints a lot of families on a hot day. The rules exist because this water goes to the city's taps with minimal treatment, and enforcement is real rather than theoretical.
Season
Late spring through October is the window, with the road and trail snowbound in winter — though the lower canyon is a popular snowshoe once the snow settles. Flow is strongest during June snowmelt and thins through late summer. Autumn brings excellent colour in the canyon and much smaller crowds once the school year starts, which makes late September arguably the best time to come.
Making a Bigger Day of It
Because the walk is short, most people pair it with something else in Big Cottonwood. Lake Blanche at the canyon mouth is the serious option; Willow Heights and the Brighton lakes higher up offer middle ground. If you have children who have just been told they cannot wade, having a second, longer stop planned tends to help the afternoon go better.
Hiking tips for Donut Falls
- Arrive before 8 a.m. on summer weekends — the lot fills that early and canyon roadside parking is ticketed.
- View the falls from below with small children; the final scramble into the alcove is slick rock over a real drop.
- No dogs and no wading — Big Cottonwood is drinking-water catchment and both rules are enforced.
- Come in late September for strong colour and a fraction of the summer crowds.
- Check current Big Cottonwood access and shuttle arrangements, which have changed repeatedly in recent years.
Nearby trails to explore
- Lake Blanche
- Cecret Lake
- Living Room Trail
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Donut Falls is where Salt Lake families start hiking together. Use TrailMates to find relaxed Big Cottonwood outings that work with kids and mixed abilities. Download the TrailMates app to find a group.