Little Cottonwood Creek Trail | Little Cottonwood

Hiking Little Cottonwood Creek Trail - Little Cottonwood Hiking Little Cottonwood Creek Trail

Little Cottonwood

Overview

RATING: Easy Hike

Sun

Sunny, with a high near 76. East southeast wind around 6 mph.

76 | 55

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 77. South wind around 6 mph.

77 | 56

Tue

Partly sunny, with a high near 77.

77 | 58

Wed

Sunny, with a high near 78.

78 | 57

Thu

Sunny, with a high near 78.

78 | 57

View Full Weather Details
SEASON: Spring, Summer, Fall
GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear

Sun

Sunny, with a high near 76. East southeast wind around 6 mph.

76 | 55

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 77. South wind around 6 mph.

77 | 56

Tue

Partly sunny, with a high near 77.

77 | 58

Wed

Sunny, with a high near 78.

78 | 57

Thu

Sunny, with a high near 78.

78 | 57

View Full Weather Details
Morning light on the canyon walls.

Morning light on the canyon walls.

The Little Cottonwood Creek trail is a very popular multi-use trail. On a typical weekend afternoon, you are likely to see families, cyclists, and trail runners enjoying the path. It is charming, and if it weren't for the road noise, you would forget you are a few minutes from a major city.

From the mouth of the canyon to the Lisa Falls Trailhead is about 3 miles, making for a 6-mile round trip hike. I recommend doing a one-way hike with a car shuttle if you can. If you want a shorter walk without a shuttle, I recommend starting at Temple Quarry and meandering as far as desired. I found the lower section particularly lovely.

Impressive boulders abound.

Impressive boulders abound.

Getting There

Little Cottonwood Canyon is on the east side of the Salt Lake City Valley. Get there by following I-215 to the east, taking exit 6 off the interstate and heading east toward the mountains.

Follow 6200 South which becomes Wasatch Blvd for 1.8 miles to the stop light and signs for Big Cottonwood Canyon. Continue south (straight) through the light an additional 2.3 miles to a junction and light. Stay left here, reaching the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon in an additional 1.6 miles.

The trailhead is on the right at the mouth of the canyon and is signed Temple Quarry.

The upper trailhead is 2.8 miles up from the mouth of the canyon, with a dirt parking area on the right.

Diane contemplating a log climb onto one of the huge boulders.

Diane contemplating a log climb onto one of the huge boulders.

Route

Note: The Temple Quarry trailhead has a short interpretive trail. The trail is about 0.3 miles long and has information on the area. The short trail is a highly recommended side trip that only takes a few minutes.

From the Temple Quarry trailhead, follow the wide dirt trail as it heads east and enters the canyon. This first part is sunny and can be hot. In 5-10 minutes, the trail reaches a paved road. Stay straight, on Granite Cliffs Road, then take the next right onto Power Plant Lane. Looks carefully for signs pointing the way to the trail. The path is picked up again just past the power plant.

The wide trail soon crosses Little Cottonwood Creek and begins passing boulders the size of houses! The trail is now well shaded, cool relief on a hot day.

The trail follows the creek up the canyon, always gaining a bit of elevation, but never steep. At about 2.5 miles, the trail crosses the creek again on a wide bridge. Stay right here on the main path. It passes an old, small water wheel, and continues to a major junction at about 2.9 miles. Go left here, up the hill to the Lisa Falls Trailhead if you shuttled a car.

Interested in more distance? You can continue to the Ruin in Little Cottonwood Canyon from here by continuing straight. The old power plant is about a mile up the trail.


Maps

Route - One Way From Canyon Bottom / 3.08 miles / Elevation Range 5,430 - 6,496 ft.
Printable Maps:

Trailhead - Quarry

12T 434462mE 4491524mN

N40° 34' 19" W111° 46' 27"

Junction

12T 438576mE 4491430mN

N40° 34' 17" W111° 43' 32"

Trailhead - Lisa Falls

12T 438495mE 4491541mN

N40° 34' 21" W111° 43' 36"

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