Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
This one sits outside the park's main gate, four miles east on Highway 12, so you skip the entrance line and the rim road entirely. It is under a mile round trip along a creek to a waterfall and a damp alcove that grows icicles in winter, and the whole thing takes well under an hour. You still need a valid park pass in the vehicle. Get in the water at the bridge crossings only, not wherever looks good.
The Trail
Hoodoos + a waterfall the kids can splash near, no rim driving needed.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Easy)
Water bottle, sunscreen, hat, snacks, comfortable shoes.
Official figures differ. NPS lists 0.8 miles round trip with about 150 feet of elevation change (NPS). Our distance and gain come from GPS tracks, so treat both as approximate.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: North Campground (Bryce) (Camping, 4 mi) · Sunset Campground (Bryce) (Camping, 5 mi) · Sevier River (Upper) (Fishing, 18 mi) · Wide Hollow Reservoir (Fishing, 27 mi)
More hikes nearby: Fairyland Loop (Hike, 2 mi) · Queen's Garden + Navajo Loop (Hike, 4 mi) · Peekaboo Loop (Hike, 4 mi) · Angel's Palace (Hike, 12 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Mossy Cave & Waterfall hike?
- 0.9 miles round trip with 121 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Mossy Cave & Waterfall?
- Easy. Kid rating: 5 out of 5.
- When should I hike Mossy Cave & Waterfall?
- Best season: Spring-Fall.
- Why hike Mossy Cave & Waterfall?
- Because you get hoodoos and running water for less than a mile of walking, and the trailhead is out on Highway 12 rather than inside the park loop. Pets are not allowed, and the park asks you to stay on the main trail since the rock and plants beside it are fragile. In winter the falls turn to icicles.