Little Willow & Rocky Mouth Falls

Along the northwest slopes of Mount Jordan are two waterfalls that are not as well-known as other hikes along the Wasatch Front.  A delightful time to take these hikes is during the autumn season when the weather is cooler and the leaves are changing color.  The Little Willow Waterfall is reached by hiking the Sawmill Trail, which begins at the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and ascends into Little Willow Canyon.  There are also various rock outcroppings in both Big and Little Willow Canyons that often attract rock climbers to the area.  Continuing into Big Willow Canyon will reward you with more of an alpine setting of small streams and shade from pine trees.  Reaching the Rocky Mouth Waterfall involves a very short hike that is suitable for both children and adults.  Due to the area being in a watershed, no dogs are allowed on either of these hikes.

The trail to the Rocky Mouth Waterfall begins at the Rocky Mouth Trailhead along the east side of Wasatch Boulevard at about 11200 South.  To reach this point from I-15, take the 12300 South exit (Exit 291) and turn east towards Draper along 12300 South (SR 71).  After 2.0 miles the street turns into the Draper Parkway and curves northward to eventually become 1700 East.  At approximately 3.3 miles, turn right (east) onto Wasatch Boulevard and continue driving another 2.3 miles to reach the trailhead.  No trailhead parking is allowed on the streets above the Rocky Mouth Trailhead.  The route for accessing the Sawmill Trail begins at the Hidden Valley Park, which are the same directions as above – only drive 1.7 miles along Wasatch Boulevard instead of the 2.3.  Parking is available near the pavilion at Hidden Valley Park, which is south of the larger church parking lot to the right (southeast) of the street.  It is preferred that this area be used for trailhead parking, not the church parking lot itself.

Marker designating the Rocky Mouth
Trailhead east along Wasatch Blvd.

Posing next to the Rocky Mouth
Waterfall during low runoff

From Hidden Valley Park, the Sawmill Trail is reached by following the asphalt pathway at the east end of the parking area to the benches and sign directing you to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.  Follow the dirt road for approximately 0.15 miles to a gate and sign that indicates the Bonneville Shoreline Trail.  Continue hiking around the gate and up the road until the sign directing you to the Sawmill Trail is reached off to the right (south).  Please respect private property by not proceeding past the second gate.  For about the next half-mile, the Sawmill Trail climbs rather steeply through several switchbacks to a nice viewpoint where it turns into Little Willow Canyon.  Once in Little Willow Canyon, the route becomes less steep for the remaining distance to the Little Willow Waterfall.  Before reaching the waterfall; the trail forks at an avalanche warning sign where the left (east) fork of the trail continues over a ridge into Big Willow Canyon.  A lower cascade must be skirted around to reach the actual waterfall, which sits at an approximate elevation of 6,820 feet.  Distance from the Hidden Valley parking area to the Little Willow Waterfall is about 1.7 miles one-way with an elevation gain of approximately 1,700 feet.

View looking northward towards the
Hounds Tooth from the Sawmill Trail

The route to the Rocky Mouth Waterfall climbs a stairway from the trailhead and continues along the edge of a residential street for about 750 feet.  Look for the sign and entrance into a narrow passageway that leads across private property to the waterfall.  Again, respect private property and observe the regulations for continued access to this beauty of nature.  Total distance one-way is just under a half-mile with an elevation gain of approximately 300 feet.

The lower cascade area below
the Little Willow Waterfall

The Little Willow Waterfall
during low runoff