Scout Falls - Timpanogos - Road Trip Ryan

Overview

Wed

74° | 58°

Thu

75° | 58°

Fri

73° | 58°

Sat

68° | 55°

Sun

67° | 51°

( Rated 3.0 / 1 Ratings )

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RATING: Easy/Moderate

LENGTH: 1-2 hours (3 miles)

MAPS: TIMPANOGOS CAVE, UT

SEASON: Late Spring, Summer, Fall

GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear

WATER: Filterable at the falls, but bring all you need.

NOTES: Reaching the trailhead requires a fee ($10 in 2025 for a 3-day pass) or a National Parks Pass.

Parking requires a permit on weekends in the summer. See the Timpooneke Trailhead Timed Tickets site for current rules and permit availability.

Wed

74° | 58°

Thu

75° | 58°

Fri

73° | 58°

Sat

68° | 55°

Sun

67° | 51°

Looking out from the falls.

Scout Falls offers a bite-sized taste of Mount Timpanogos without requiring an all-day, 15-mile epic to go all the way to the summit.

Branching off early from the popular Timpooneke Trail, this short out-and-back hike visits a mossy, multi-tiered waterfall cascading down a sheer limestone cliff face. It’s one of the best family-friendly day hikes along the Alpine Loop, perfect for a crisp morning outing or a quick evening stretch. The trail continues to the top of Timpanogos, and sees heavy use.

Difficulty Note: Though much easier than trying to reach the summit, this is still a fairly strenuous trail. Particularly the last short section from the main trail to the falls has a steep, rocky section. I think it is beginner- and family-friendly, but the last section may be a little slow going. Key an eye on small children near some of the steep slopes.

Looking up from near the trailhead.

Getting There

From the fee booth in American Fork Canyon, head east up the canyon on UT-92 E. The road passes Timpanogos Cave, and meanders up. Stay on UT-92 for 8.1 miles to the Timpooneke Campground on the right.

Turn into the camground, and follow the main campground road up for about 0.3 miles to the trailhead and parking lot.

Scout Falls in late summer.

The difficult route! Very rocky and loose.

Route Description

From the trailhead, head south on the trail. In just a minute, it comes to a prominent 4-way junction. Go straight here, south up the valley. (Left is the Salamander Flat Trail, and right is the Equestrian Campground Trail.)

The trail begins climbing. About 1.1 miles from the trailhead, it comes to its first switchback with a social trail going off on the left.

Difficult Route: This social trail goes to Scout Falls, but via a harder route than the standard Scout Falls trail. If you take it, it traverses east a couple of minutes, then climbs a steep, rocky, loose section up to the cliff and falls. Not terribly difficult, but one group on my visit was butt-scooting down due to the looseness.

Continue up the main trail. At about 1.4 miles, at a switchback, a second trail leaves on the left and goes to Scout Falls. This is the more common Scout Falls side trail.

Follow this trail east. There is one rough spot at a mess of tree roots that some people might want a hand on, then over to the falls.

Return the same way.