Waterfalls in Utah

Overview of waterfalls in Utah

Donut Falls is in Big Cottonwood Canyon, with its trailhead 8.9 miles up the canyon road. Stewart Falls is on the Alpine Loop, reached from the Mount Timpanogos Trailhead at Aspen Grove or by a summer lift route from Sundance Resort. Visit Cedar City puts Kanarraville about 20 minutes south of Cedar City. The Town of Kanarraville runs the trail and sells the tickets, and the 4-mile round trip runs mostly in and along the creek.

The two northern trips use a per-vehicle Forest Service day-use pass. At the Donut Falls Trailhead it applies in summer only, but the Cardiff Fork start charges year-round. Stewart's Sundance route uses a lift ticket instead, and Donut Falls adds watershed rules that ban dogs and swimming. Kanarra Falls needs a town ticket for each person, and dogs aren't allowed there either. We'll add more Utah falls as we verify them.

Which fee or pass applies where

Forest Service day-use fees at the two northern trailheads are $10 per vehicle for 3 days, $20 for 7 days or $60 for a season. America the Beautiful passes are accepted. In Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake County says the fee covers any vehicle parked inside a posted fee area, including roadside parking, not only the official lots.

Donut Falls became a summer-season fee area in 2026, with fees required from June 1. Salt Lake Ranger District fee sites are cashless, so buy a pass at the trailhead kiosk, on recreation.gov or at the district office.

Stewart Falls: the Forest Service applies the same $10/$20/$60 schedule at the Aspen Grove trailhead, on a page updated January 8, 2026. The Sundance route needs a resort lift ticket instead; we couldn't confirm its price.

Kanarra Falls works differently. Kanarra Falls uses a town ticket, not a federal fee area, so America the Beautiful and Forest Service passes don't apply. The Town of Kanarraville charges $15 per person, and children 7 and under are free but still need a ticket.

General admission is capped at 200 tickets a day on the official ticket site. Kanarraville's own trails page gives 250, so confirm the number when you book. Tickets aren't refundable, though you can change your date up to 48 hours ahead.

Waterfalls near Salt Lake City and Provo

Donut Falls and Stewart Falls are the Utah falls on this site for a trip from Salt Lake City or Provo. From Salt Lake City, Donut Falls is up Big Cottonwood Canyon (SR-190), with the trailhead 8.9 miles up the canyon road. Visit Utah puts the hike at about 1.6 miles round trip, with 200 to 300 feet of gain.

Stewart Falls is on the Alpine Loop (SR-92). From Provo, drive up Provo Canyon on US-189 and turn onto SR-92 to the Mount Timpanogos Trailhead at Aspen Grove. From the Salt Lake City side, SR-92 climbs through American Fork Canyon, but UDOT gates that stretch each winter, per the Daily Herald. Sundance Resort's summer lift route is about 3 miles, and Sundance rates it intermediate.

Watershed and dog rules at Utah waterfalls

Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons are protected drinking-water watersheds, and Salt Lake County says dogs aren't allowed in either canyon. That includes the Donut Falls trail, so leave pets at home.

Forest Service order #04-19-85 prohibits swimming and animals in Salt Lake watershed areas, and the Donut Falls stream is part of that watershed.

Pets are banned at Kanarra Falls as well, since the canyon is the watershed for the town's drinking and irrigation water, the town says. The town allows leashed service animals only. Wading is part of that hike, since the route runs mostly in and along the creek.

At Stewart Falls, the Forest Service requires dogs on a leash at all times.

Southern Utah: Kanarra Falls near Cedar City

Kanarra Falls is the southwest Utah falls on this site, in Iron County. Visit Cedar City puts Kanarraville about 20 minutes south of Cedar City. The Town of Kanarraville gives Cedar City as 15 minutes north and St. George as 30 minutes south. The town says the trailhead starts about a mile south of town.

The town lists the hike as about 4 miles round trip, mostly in and along Kanarra Creek, with the first falls at 1.6 miles. The 20-foot ladder or staircase at the first falls can be icy, wet and slippery, the town warns.

Flash floods are a weather risk in this slot canyon. Visit Cedar City says they can come in any season, most often July to September, and advises staying out in rain or heavy-rain forecasts. Our waterfall safety guide covers moving water in general.

A flash-flood closure is treated like any other cancellation: no refund, but a manager can approve a new date.

Utah waterfall closures and conditions (Oct 2026)

As of October 2026, Donut Falls is open, Stewart Falls is seasonal and Kanarra Falls is unconfirmed.

• Donut Falls: open. The Forest Service trailhead page lists the site as open. Order #04-18-26-744 allows short trail-work closures on the Donut Falls Connector and nearby trails from August 20 to November 30, 2026, each lasting minutes to days.
• Stewart Falls: seasonal. Each winter UDOT gates SR-92 from Pine Hollow to Aspen Grove, usually around early November, according to the Daily Herald. We couldn't confirm Sundance's 2026 lift-season end date.
• Kanarra Falls: status unconfirmed. We could not find a dated 2026 town notice saying the trail is open. Its ticket site was still selling general admission in October 2026, and the town staffs the trail from March to November.

Sundance warns of fast-moving water, snowfields, steep terrain and avalanche debris on the Stewart Falls route, so check conditions before a late-season hike.

Planning tips for waterfalls in Utah

Donut Falls has a small lot and Kanarra Falls tickets often sell out, so plan both ahead.

• Donut Falls parking is tight. The Forest Service describes a small dirt lot with limited parking. The Forest Service lists the larger Cardiff Fork/Mill D Trailhead nearby as linking to the falls by a boardwalk through Cardiff Meadows. The Forest Service lists Cardiff Fork as a year-round fee area.
• Display your pass. At Donut Falls the pass must be visible from outside the vehicle.
• Take the right trail at Aspen Grove. The Mount Timpanogos summit trail starts at the same trailhead, the Forest Service says. Take the Stewart Cascade Trail #056 instead.
• Book Kanarra Falls early. The town's FAQ says most days sell out about a month ahead (April to October). The trailhead kiosk sells any left that day.
• Have a backup if Kanarra is sold out. Kanarra's FAQ points sold-out hikers to Taylor Creek, in Zion's Kolob Canyons at I-15 Exit 40. Taylor Creek is about 10 miles south. We did not check its fees or status.

Utah waterfalls FAQ