Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail: Magical Waterfall Hike
The Lower Calf Creek Falls trail in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument fits right into Utah’s renowned striking, unforgettable landscapes. This guide covers every detail about hiking Lower Calf Creek Falls, including the best time of year, directions, where to stay, and more.
The very definition of an oasis in the desert, the off-the-beaten-path Lower Calf Creek Falls trail leads to a 126-foot waterfall that flows year-round into a perfectly circular pool. And yes, you can swim in it!
Along the way, you’ll pass Moab-esque bright orange-red slickrock, lush vegetation along the creek bottom, and ancient pictographs.
Although the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail is in remote Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, it’s super accessible, right off a highway — and amazingly, still very much a hidden gem. A very, VERY different experience than Zion!
With a tremendous effort-to-reward ratio, this Utah waterfall hike should be on every outdoor enthusiast’s bucket list. In this guide, we’re detailing everything you need to know. Let’s dive in!
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Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail Highlights
- Location: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, near the town of Escalante
- Distance: 6.1 miles out-and-back
- Elevation: 530 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Pets allowed? Yes, leashed dogs welcome
- Detailed trail notes + directions
It’s not often that you can hike to a proper swimming hole in the middle of the desert, much less year-round. Yet, that’s exactly the experience you’ll get on the Lower Calf Creek Falls Utah hike.
The trail follows Calf Creek itself, through quintessential Southwest terrain that includes steep red rock canyons, ledges of slickrock, and towering straight cliffs before ending at a real-life oasis in the desert: Lower Calf Creek Falls.
This gorgeous Utah waterfall hike is worthwhile any time of year, tumbling 126 feet down a colorful rock face. Best of all? The hike clocks in at under six miles round trip, and it’s fairly easy.
Know Before You Go
The Lower Calf Creek Falls hike isn’t long or technical, but it is remote. With that in mind, we included some important things to know before hitting the trail.
In a hurry or looking specifically for details on the trail itself? Skip to our section-by-section breakdown of the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail.
Getting There
Lower Calf Creek Falls Utah is in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, just off Scenic Byway 12. It’s 15 miles east of Escalante, near mile marker 75.
The trail head is easily accessible by car (the 12 is a state highway), and the drive itself makes an awesome scenic road trip in itself.
Local tip: this Utah waterfall hike is between highly underrated Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Park.
Best Time to Hike Lower Calf Creek Falls Utah
The best time to do the Lower Calf Creek Falls hike is the spring and fall—specifically April & May and September & October.
These months offer milder temperatures and stable weather, plus let you avoid busy times like spring break.
As a bonus, you’ll enjoy wildflowers and tons of greenery on the trail in the spring, and even some changing foliage in the fall. In fact, this area is one of the best to see fall colors in Utah!
Lower Calf Creek Falls flows year-round (amazingly!), so you don’t have to worry about there being no water flow in the summer or winter months, like so many other Utah waterfall hikes. However, the falls are still at their most impressive shortly after rainfall.
How Long Does it Take to Hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls Utah?
It takes an average of 3-4 hours to hike the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail. However, this varies significantly, depending on your pace and how long you spend at the falls. The trail is fairly easy overall, but does have stretches of sand that can be slow getting through.
We hike at a very average pace and spent almost five hours on the trail, including nearly 1.5 hours at the waterfall.
How Difficult is This Utah Waterfall Hike?
The Lower Calf Creek Falls hike is officially rated moderate. Personally, we feel it leans more toward the easy side of moderate.
It’s exposed, meaning there’s almost no shade (be EXTREMELY careful in the summer months!), and you’ll hike through sand on parts of the trail.
Other than that, it’s not at all difficult or technical, and the elevation gain is very gradual. In fact, this is an excellent trail for beginner hikers or families!
Parking at the Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail head
There’s a day-use parking lot at the trailhead ($5 per car, payable at the kiosk), but it’s small and fills up quickly. You may also find overflow parking in the gravel area between Highway 12 and the lot (we did!).
What About Upper Calf Creek Falls Utah?
Upper Calf Creek Falls is only a few miles away, but can’t be accessed via the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail. It’s beautiful in its own right, but smaller (88 feet) and far less popular, largely because it’s more remote and requires a shorter but much more difficult hike.
If you have time to hike both the upper and lower falls, do! If you’re hoping for a Utah waterfall hike all to yourself, the upper falls may be worth it — but we recommend the Lower Calf Creek Falls hike if you can only do one.
Using AllTrails to Find Lower Calf Creek Falls
Cell service is non-existent in most of Grand Staircase (and a LOT of other BLM land, too). That’s exactly why we always download trail maps ahead of time on AllTrails.
The free version of AllTrails is awesome, but if you frequently hike in cell phone dead zones, the ability to download and access trail maps offline is well worth $2.99 a month.
Try a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+!
Lower Calf Creek Falls Utah Route Details
Start your Lower Calf Creek Falls hike from the parking lot. Stop at the self-pay kiosk to get a parking permit ($5 a day) and run it back to your vehicle before setting off. Grab a trail guide, too!
Insider tip: if you have a national parks annual pass (you should have one, BTW!), your fee is covered! Put the card somewhere visible on your dash, in lieu of a day-use parking tag.
As you head north, you’ll walk on a paved road through the Calf Creek Recreation Area Campground before hitting the trail. Pretty quickly, you’ll see a sign on the left indicating the official start of the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail.
Once you leave the pavement, the trail climbs slightly, then levels out and alternates between hard-packed dirt, slickrock, and sand.
Shortly into this Utah waterfall hike, you’ll see the first of 15 numbered viewpoints on your right. Each stop points out historical details, and if you grabbed a trail guide, it’ll tell you exactly what you’re looking at. You can also view it online, if you’re curious.
As you’d expect, some stops are more interesting than others. For example, #6 features Fremont culture granaries, stone storage structures used primarily for grain. Stop #9, about 1.8 miles in, is another must-see: ancient pictographs dating back to 1200 AD on the canyon wall.
The first half of the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail is almost entirely exposed, traveling between the massive sandstone canyon walls. A couple of times, you’ll cross slickrock ledges, but this half is mostly flat and level. Minus the handful of sand sections, that is.
During the second half of the hike, you’ll closely follow the clear stream of Calf Creek itself. Keep your eyes open for trout!
Several sections of this half pass under canopies of trees and have decent shade. The Lower Calf Creek Utah trail winds some here and may be muddy in spots, but largely remains flat.
Right around 2.8 miles in, you’ll hear the distinct roar of the waterfall. You should also be able to see the top of the falls above the trees up ahead.
Once you reach Lower Calf Creek Falls, walk around the pool and base of the falls to get different viewpoints and spend plenty of time relaxing on the sandy “beach” or under shade trees.
Of course, you can’t leave without taking a dip! The water is COLD but refreshing—think of it like a plunge pool. Plus, you’ll feel nice and cool hiking back out! To get back, simply retrace your steps.
Tips for Hiking Lower Calf Creek Falls Utah
- Pack LOTS of water. Don’t underestimate the desert on this Utah waterfall hike! Even on cool days, the sun and lack of humidity on the Lower Calf Creek Falls hike quickly dehydrate.
- Bring cash — or your national parks pass. There’s a small day-use fee of $5 to park in the lot, but America the Beautiful passes cover the fee. If you have one, display it on your dash.
- “Go” before you go. The only bathrooms are in the parking lot, before you get on the trail.
- Fido can tag along. Grand Staircase, including the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail, is one of the most dog-friendly places in the National Park System!
- Time your hike accordingly. The trail loses light quickly at sunset, because it’s inside a steep canyon. Factor this in if you’re hiking late in the day.
Lower Calf Creek Falls Packing List
- America the Beautiful pass (AKA a national parks annual pass)
- Quality hydration pack with water bladder
- Sturdy hiking shoes. For desert hikes like the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail, we prefer lower-profile shoes or sandals. Our favorites are adidas Terrex Swift R3 Gore-Tex shoes and Chacos.
- Wool socks. If you want to swim, it’s a good idea to bring an extra pair or sandals to hike out in.
- Light layers, including a long-sleeved shirt with built-in UPF like the Patagonia Tropic Comfort Natural Sun UPF Hoody or Mountain Hardwear Crater Lake Long Sleeve Hoody, and a packable rain jacket
- Bug spray
- Binoculars
- Microfiber towel
- Sun protection, such as reef-safe sunscreen (it’s better for the environment all around) and a wide-brimmed hat
- Headlamp and extra batteries. We LOVE both the BioLite HeadLamp 325 and Petzl Tactikka
- Navigation. Again, we HIGHLY recommend AllTrails+!
- Even if you’re not sure the premium subscription is for you, sign up for the free version at the very least. Use our link to TRY a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+!
- Backup battery for your phone
- Garmin InReach Mini – satellite communicator for when you truly have no service. If you hike often, it’s well worth the cost. Also a great gift for outdoorsy folks!
- Waterproof cover for your hiking pack
- Dry bag. Useful on water hikes, in case you need to keep your stuff dry while you cross.
- Cell-phone compatible tripod with remote
- Plenty of snacks and extra water
- Extra plastic bag for packing out trash. ALWAYS practice Leave No Trace!
Other Things to Do Nearby
Explore Devils Garden. This small area off Hole-in-the-Rock Road has unique rock formations, including small arches and hoodoos, accessed via a short, easy hike.
Drive the Burr Trail Scenic Backway. This scenic drive takes you through stunning desert landscapes between Boulder and Lake Powell. It’s paved, but may be impassable even with 4WD after heavy rain.
- Stop by Kiva Koffeehouse. This Escalante cafe has great coffee and food, but its views are the real standout. Plus, there’s nothing like a cold coffee post Utah waterfall hike!
Where to Stay Near Lower Calf Creek Falls
Calf Creek Recreation Area Campground
This well-maintained, 13-site campground is the best place to stay for hiking Lower Calf Creek Falls Utah. Right at the trailhead, it has potable water and pit toilets, and half the sites sit on the creek.
Sites are first-come, first-served and cost $15 per night. America the Beautiful passholders get a 50% discount. There’s a 26-foot vehicle limit, and sites in the back require crossing a creek.
Notably, you may be able to park overnight in the overflow gravel lot near the highway. Be sure to ask the camp host before assuming, though!
This is an especially great option if you want to rent an RV from RVShare for access to all your creature comforts, but you don’t want to have to maneuver it through camp. RVShare even offers campground delivery, making it truly stress-free!
Ofland Escalante (Formerly Yonder Escalante)
We love a good unique stay, and that’s precisely what Ofland Escalante delivers. Choose from cabins, RV or tent camping sites, or luxury Airstreams. There’s even a drive-in movie theater.
Escalante Yurts
It doesn’t get much more unique than a luxury yurt in the desert! Escalante Yurts have electricity, wi-fi, and oversized decks, and even include continental breakfast.
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