Mt Youth - Hiking - Donut Falls, Big Cottonwood Cyn 6/3/26

Sample Itinerary:

10-12 pm - Hike

Directions: Summerer Trailhead, Big Cottonwood Cyn

Cost: $10 day pass (pay with a card at the kiosk at the trailhead or free with National Parks Pass

Activity: 

Hike Donut Falls - 1.6 miles round trip from the summer trailhead. Usually there is good parking midweek and midday. If not, park back at the road and it will be a 3.8 mile round trip hike. Trail starts south of bathrooms, follow trail signs through forest. There is a bridge that is out on the original trail but there are several logs still covering it and it is crossable. You can also take the dirt road up and hang a left after about 1/2 mile to join back to the main trail heading to the falls. You will then head up "ground squirrel alley" due to the high consentration of these little guys begging for your food. The trail will turn to the left and down into the gorge. There is a rope hand line to help scramble down 15 ft of rock. The gorge before the falls has high danger of rock fall. Best with donuts at the falls :) Climb to the falls up the rocky scramble at your own risk due to pas rock slides. The falls fall into the hole in a rock and made a cool cavern that is great to climb into. This time of year - spring run off, it was hard to get it but late summer and fall you can get into it. All Trails Trip Report

Bathrooms - at trailheads

Cell reception - no

Dogs - no

Gear: 1 L water, snacks, hiking shoes, shorts/T-shirt, long sleeve, rain jacket, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, backpack