Gordon Creek Falls | Price

Hiking Gordon Creek Falls - Price Hiking Gordon Creek Falls

Price

Overview

RATING: Easy Hike

Sat

Sunny. High near 45, with temperatures falling to around 39 in the afternoon. South southwest wind 2 to 6 mph.

45 | 26

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. West northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

42 | 26

Mon

A chance of snow before 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

31 | 21

Tue

Sunny, with a high near 32.

32 | 15

Wed

Mostly sunny, with a high near 37.

37 | 16

View Full Weather Details
SEASON: Spring, Summer Fall. The area is closed Dec 1-April 15th.
GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear
WATER: Bring All You Need. The creek has water for dogs.

Sat

Sunny. High near 45, with temperatures falling to around 39 in the afternoon. South southwest wind 2 to 6 mph.

45 | 26

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. West northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

42 | 26

Mon

A chance of snow before 5pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 31. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

31 | 21

Tue

Sunny, with a high near 32.

32 | 15

Wed

Mostly sunny, with a high near 37.

37 | 16

View Full Weather Details
Lower Gordon Creek Falls

Lower Gordon Creek Falls

Gordon Creek has become a very popular attraction that Carbon County heavily promotes. The falls are quite spectacular, and it is easy to see why it has become one of the more popular hikes in the area. Being a fairly short hike, about 2 miles round trip to the lower falls, this is an excellent family friendly outing on easy hiking terrain. The trail to the lower falls is also open to those with bikes, OHV, or four-wheel-drive vehicles.

The stream provides a riparian habitat in an otherwise parched environment that is important for wildlife and birds in the area. It also provides summer grazing for sheep and cattle. An oasis in the desert.

Though the road is open to all vehicles as far as the lower falls, you will need a true four-wheel-drive vehicle. For my skill level, 4-low was helpful as was a relatively short wheelbase and narrow vehicle. The toughest spots are short, steep, boulder steps than will require clearance, four-wheel-drive and a bit of skill to negotiate. A stock Ford Ranger had no problems. For most, I would recommend walking. BLM had told me the road was open to the falls, so I drove it, not expecting it to be quite so rough. Beyond the lower falls, the road narrows and is only open to 52-inch wide or smaller vehicles.
Gordon Creek Bridge near the trailhead.

Gordon Creek Bridge near the trailhead.

Getting There

Note: You can reach the trailhead from Price, coming in from the east, but this is more and rougher dirt road than coming in from the west described here. This approach is on good, graded dirt road that should be accessible to most all when dry.

From Helper, continue south on Highway 6 toward Price. About 2 miles south of Helper, turn right (west) onto Consumers Road.

Follow Consumers Road 2.8 miles to Trestle Road on the left. This is just before Consumers Road crosses the railroad tracks. If you cross the railroad tracks, you have gone about 1/4 of a mile too far.

Reset your odometer as you turn onto Trestle Road. The road is a well-graded dirt road with many side roads. Stay on the main dirt road. At 2.5 miles, the road crosses the railroad tracks. Continue to 3.4 miles where the Gordon Creek Trailhead is on the right. Those hiking will want to park here.

Gordon Creek Bridge Side Trip
From the trailhead, if you continue to follow the road along the train tracks an additional 0.4 miles, it descends into Gordon Creek and passes under the very impressive Gordon Creek Bridge. The bridge, about 135 feet high and 634 feet long, was built between 1912-1914 at an astonishing cost of over $3 million dollars. It connected Hiawatha and Mohrland to Martin, though has been out of service for a long time.

A view of the lower half of the lower falls.

A view of the lower half of the lower falls.

Route

To The Lower Falls (1.1 miles)
From the trailhead, follow the rough dirt road west. It is flat for a short distance, then makes a very steep descent into the North Fork of Gordon Creek. This section is not rocky, but very steep.

After crossing the north fork, which is usually just an easy hop across to keep your feet dry, the road begins an ascent out of the north fork. On my visit, the uphill section after the north fork was the roughest, with the most difficult spots coming near the top.

Once up the hill, the path flattens out and Gordon Creek comes into view on the left, with the falls also soon in view. The road has one more particularly rough spot just before it reaches the flat bench of Gordon Creek at the top of the falls.

Upper Falls and Summer House Cabin (1.4 and 2.1 miles past the lower falls)
From the falls, the road continues up along Gordon Creek and becomes a true ATV trail requiring vehicles less than 52 inches wide. About 1.4 miles above the lower falls, a side road goes to a second upper falls that is not as dramatic as the lower falls.

Finally, continuing above the upper falls about 0.7 miles, the trail ends at an old sheepherder’s cabin.

Historical Note: The Summer House Cabin was built as a summer residence for sheepherders while tending sheep in the canyon in the early 1900s.

Videos

youtube thumbnail

The trail to lower Gordon Creek Falls

By: ryancornia

Maps

Lower Falls / 2.31 miles / Elevation Range 6,210 - 6,333 ft.
Upper Falls / 5.05 miles / Elevation Range 6,210 - 6,443 ft.
Old Cabin / 6.45 miles / Elevation Range 6,210 - 6,537 ft.
Printable Maps:

Hiking Trailhead

12S 503955mE 4385730mN

N39° 37' 17" W110° 57' 14"

Old Trestle Bridge

12S 503970mE 4385364mN

N39° 37' 05" W110° 57' 13"

Lower Gordon Creek Falls

12S 502874mE 4385598mN

N39° 37' 13" W110° 57' 59"

Upper Falls

12S 501328mE 4385486mN

N39° 37' 09" W110° 59' 04"

Old Cabin

12S 500406mE 4385844mN

N39° 37' 20" W110° 59' 43"

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