Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
The falls drop 200 feet down a sheer cliff, and they sit 1.2 miles from a residential street in Ogden. That proximity is the whole appeal, and also why the trail is busy; a few hundred people can be on it on a good weekend. About three quarters of a mile up you cross the Bonneville Shoreline Trail at a wooden bridge, and the last stretch is a scramble over loose rock that needs a hand on younger kids. Part of the route crosses private land, so stay on the trail.
The Trail
Steep but short to a 200 ft falls above Ogden.
Pack Loadout (Moderate)
2 liters water, trail shoes, sun layer, snacks, small first-aid kit.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Glassmans Pond (Ogden) (Fishing, 2 mi) · Fort Buenaventura Pond (Fishing, 3 mi) · Anderson Cove Campground (Camping, 4 mi) · Pineview Reservoir (Fishing, 5 mi)
More hikes nearby: Adams Canyon (Hike, 9 mi) · Ben Lomond via North Skyline (Hike, 12 mi) · Frary Peak (Hike, 21 mi) · Ensign Peak (Hike, 29 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Waterfall Canyon hike?
- 2.4 miles round trip with 1141 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Waterfall Canyon?
- Moderate. Kid rating: 3 out of 5.
- When should I hike Waterfall Canyon?
- Best season: March-Nov.
- Why hike Waterfall Canyon?
- You can leave a car on 29th Street in Ogden and be standing under a 200 foot waterfall after 1.2 miles of climbing. The trade is a steep 1,141 feet of gain and a final scramble across a boulder field. In winter the falls freeze solid, which is worth seeing but demands traction on your boots.