Upper Calf Creek Falls is not nearly as popular as Lower Calf Creek Falls, and for good reason. The trail is 1.8 miles round trip and descends 500' in that short distance. The first half of the hike takes you down very steep slick rock with no switchbacks. The second half of the trail is over sand, with some rocky areas mixed in just to keep it interesting. There is no shade except under a few trees along the trail until you reach the bottom of the falls. Down at the bottom of the falls, there are some boulders to sit on and relax and it is about 30 degrees cooler under the canyon walls. The 88" waterfall is stunning. It doesn't have nearly the volume of water as the lower falls, but it is still gorgeous. The pool around the bottom is fairly stagnant, so swimming isn't recommended, but you can try catching some tadpoles. There is, however, an amazing swimming hole up at the top of the falls. It requires a hike up and around to reach the top, but the heat had taken it's toll on the kids, so we just headed back. Needless to say, going up the trail is a lot harder than getting down. We camped at Deer Creek Campground near Boulder, Utah. It is a beautiful little campground with a creek runnning right beside it. The creek is only ankle deep and exploring and playing in it for hours in the evenings was the highlight of the trip for B and H. They built little rafts from driftwood and grass and raced them down the creek. We recommend staying on the campgrounds against the cliff. It keeps you out of the desert sun until much later in the morning. Make sure to check the weather ahead of time if you plan on staying there, as flash floods are possible.
Activity rating: 0-10
Kid fun: 10
Difficulty: 9
Cost: $7/night camping
No comments:
Post a Comment