Bells Canyon Waterfall

Quick Facts:

• Closest city: Sandy, UT
• Trail Name: Bells Canyon Trail to Lower Falls
• Trailhead: Bells Canyon Granite Trailhead (GPS: 40.571778, -111.796883)
• Distance: 4.6 miles roundtrip
• Not Dog Friendly

Directions: From Salt Lake, head south towards Sandy and the Cottonwood Canyons. Head to Little Cottonwood Canyon and turn up canyon. The Bells Canyon Granite Trailhead will be immediately on the right. Note that this trailhead is very popular and fills quickly- if you’re not early, you may have to park in overflow parking. There’s also a second trailhead off of Wasatch Blvd if all else fails! If you end up parking here, the hike will be a bit longer but shouldn’t be bad.

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From the Granite Trailhead, it’s under one mile to Bells Canyon Reservoir. Follow the “trail” (a wide, rocky trail that feels more like a road) to the left of the reservoir. Before long, you’ll take a left onto a dirt trail and start seeing signs directing you towards the waterfall. Follow this trail for a bit until it starts climbing steeply uphill. Once you’re on the wind-sucking uphill, you’re almost there! Watch for a final sign directing you to take a left turn towards the waterfall; you’ll hear it!

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The waterfall was even larger and more beautiful in real life than I expected it to be. I couldn’t believe I had lived in Utah for almost 9 years and this was the first time I had hiked to it! After taking some misty photos, hike back down the way you came to the trailhead.