Big Cottonwood Canyon
Distance: 0.75 miles one way (1.5 miles RT), ~420 feet elevation
Difficulty: Easy
I'd recommend going between summer-fall, but I've also enjoyed snowshoeing there too!
Dogs ARE NOT allowed
The easiest hiking trail in the book! Perfect for any family, with any age of kids. I did this one the week of my due date with Ellie, and was just fine taking it slow. The trail is located 9 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon. You'll turn off to the right and you'll see the Jordan Pines Picnic Area sign as you drive up a narrow road to get to the trailhead. There is limited parking here, but I've seen cars parked on the side of the road leading up to the trailhead parking lot and I've never seen tickets issued out. There are restrooms at the bottom on the south end of the parking lot. The trail up to the falls is wide with slight elevation. It's a beautiful trail. It winds through the trees and you can hear the stream/falls the whole second half of the hike. There's one part when you're getting close to the falls, that involves getting down a little bit of an obstacle with some big rocks. You may need to help your younger kids down that part. And from there, if you'd like to get closer to the falls, you can cross a small log bridge to get a better view. I'd recommend stopping at that point if you have children with you. If you are wanting to be a little more adventurous, you can climb up to the actual "donut hole" to see it close-up, but do so at your own risk. Enjoy!
^^My very first Momstrong hike... such a great memory with some amazing women!
^^This pic was taken a few days before Ellie was due... so fun to look back on this adventure.
