One of my hiking buddies noticed a waterfall a little east of Bridal Veil falls last year. She figured out how to get there and my kids and I tagged along. This pleasant hike is mostly flat, along the Provo River Trail. After a mile or so from the trailhead, a small path branches off behind a stone building. A brief climb takes you to Upper Falls, with great views of the canyon.
OVERVIEW
Where: Provo Canyon, starting from the bridge by the dam east of the Bridal Veil parking lot
Grown up difficulty: easy
Five year old difficulty: easy
Length and elevation: around 3 miles round trip with around 500 ft gain, depending where you park
To see: river, waterfall, cool rocks
Busyness: Provo River Trail is quite busy, but this branch off is not
Alltrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/upper-falls
DETAILS
Provo River Trail is one of our favorite paved trails. There is a lot to see, especially with the river and waterfalls, and in the summer it is significantly cooler than the rest of the valley.
For this hike, you can make it longer (closer to 3 miles) by starting at the main parking lot for Bridal Veil falls and passing picnic areas. If you’re in a hurry, take the same exit, but drive the road that follows the river as far as you can. Cross the bridge, then hike east looking for a building covered in graffiti.
Behind the building is the dirt path that will take you to the waterfall. It is steep after this, but really short. We only saw 3-4 others on this part of the trail when we went.
There’s not really anywhere to sit and snack, but the water feels great during the hot summer, and my son loved checking out all of the different rocks.
REVIEW
Faves: waterfalls! My kids do great when a waterfall is the destination/
Hardest: the steepness
Gear: I need ankle support for steep hikes like this. Snacks, water, sunscreen will be helpful too.