HIKING TO DOUGHNUT FALLS
September 2002 - 15 photos


Doughnut Falls, (or Donut Falls), is located in Big Cottonwood Canyon above Salt Lake City, Utah.  On September 21st, 2002 our group took this short hike, to view the falls. The name "Doughnut Falls" is derived from a round shaped hole in the rock that a small waterfall tumbles through.  Over the years the falling water eroded a hole in the rock through the top of a small cave. There has been a large rockslide come down in front of the cave and you have to climb up the right side of it to see anything now. This is not a safe practice and one person has already died there. All you can see from below is the stream disappearing into the round shaped hole. Some have said that the slide destroyed the cave, but it is just hard to see it from below. It's still there. Myself, I think climbing up the rocks to see the cave and falls is worth the risk. But that's just me, it may not be true for everyone, especially those without climbing skills.


Click for Photos
Doughnut Falls

The falls and trail are now open to hikers again.

New status! It seems that Salt Lake City has purchased the private property around Doughnut Falls and it is now open for hiking again, though few stopped hiking when it was posted. Most of the area around this hike is private property, so don't wander off the trail. Hiking above the falls is not allowed.

Click here to view current and past status

The hike is 1.5 milles round trip, with an Elevation Gain of 360 ft, Highest Elevation about 7,800 ft. The trailhead is 9 miles along Big Cottonwood Canyon Road. As you travel into the canyon, just before the Spruces Campground, at Jordan Pines Picnic area, there is a paved road then dirt that goes south (or right as you travel up the canyon) from the main road. This spur road ends at a parking lot. This road also serves several private property lots. (Please respect their private property, and stay on the road or designated trails).

Click here for map of the area

 Map;

   - 15 photos -
to look at these photos
click   'View Photos'   button

Related Photos

There are other hikes to Doughnut Falls below
Doughnut Falls, 2004
 Doughnut Falls, 2004


Doughnut Falls, 2008
 Doughnut Falls, 2008




The photos shown on this and the following pages were taken with an Olympus C-2500L SLR Digital 2.5 Megapixel Camera, with 3x optical zoom. The original resolution was set at 1280 x 1024. These photos are now 625 x 500 to save computer memory.   You are welcome to look at or download any of the photos. If you use them on any other webpage, please give credit and refer back to me.



[an error occurred while processing this directive] Visitors on site now ( [an error occurred while processing this directive] )
Total visits  [an error occurred while processing this directive]