Lower Calf Creek Falls is the most visited attraction in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, but only because of it’s proximity to scenic route 12.
The 6.7 mile roundtrip hike is pretty easy, with only 866 feet of elevation gain and a mostly well-maintained path.
The falls themselves aren’t spectacular compared to lots of others out there, but they are amazing considering that they’re in the middle of all of this dry, parched landscape.
You will not find solitude here, we saw 20 or so other people throughout the hike wearing a wide assortment of trail-ready and whiskey-tango-foxtrot clothing. Again, the easier and more popular an attraction is, the more *interesting* things you’ll see along the route!
Red Rock
Typical Utah red sandstone as you leave the Calf Creek Falls Trailhead and head up Calf Creek.
Open Space
Plenty of open space along Calf Creek.
Wetlands
Nobody would expect wetlands in the middle of dry dusty Utah.
Lower Calf Creek Falls
Taking a break at the falls.
Streaks
Mineral streaks run down the massive vertical walls.
Big Chunk
A massive chunk of rock sticking up out of the middle of nothing.
