Horsetail Falls

Tucked in the northern reaches of Utah Valley near the town of Alpine, Utah is a waterfall known as Horsetail Falls.  Though not as popular as other nearby waterfalls, Horsetail Falls has a beauty of its own that is well worth hiking to see.  From a fairly narrow channel at the top, the water spreads out as it cascades onto the rocks below.  The amount of water varies depending on seasonal runoff and the time of year visited, yet each season provides its own special type of beauty.  There are several stream crossings along the trail that can cause a little apprehension during heavy runoff, but most have narrow log bridges to cross on.  At the end of Dry Creek Canyon sits the Pfeifferhorn, which is a pyramid-shaped peak that forms part of the Salt Lake-Utah County line.  Continuing up the Dry Creek Trail beyond Horsetail Falls eventually takes you to the north saddle of Box Elder Peak.

To reach the trailhead for Dry Creek Canyon along I-15 coming from the north, take the Timpanogos Highway exit (Exit 284) and turn left (east) onto SR 92.  Follow this route for approximately 5.6 miles and turn left (north) onto 5300 West, which becomes Main Street going into the town of Alpine.  Continue straight through the traffic circle along Main Street and turn right (east) at 200 North.  Turn left (north) again on Grove Drive (200 East) and follow it the remaining distance to the trailhead (about 2.5 miles).  At the junction with Oakridge Drive, turn right (southeast) briefly to cross Dry Creek before continuing northward again past the rodeo grounds to the parking area.  If coming from the south along I-15, take the Pleasant Grove Boulevard exit (Exit 275) and turn right (northeast) onto Pleasant Grove Boulevard.  Turn left (northwest) at the next traffic signal onto 2000 West, which turns into North County Boulevard to the Mount Timpanogos LDS Temple.  Continue following this road northward, which eventually curves and turns into Canyon Crest Road to the traffic circle (about 7.3 miles from Exit 275).  At the traffic circle, turn right (north) onto Main Street and follow the remaining previous directions to reach the trailhead.

Horsetail Falls (white area) as seen
from a lower viewing point near trail

Hiker crosses one of several
narrow log bridges along the trail

Be prepared for large crowds during weekends and holidays that can fill the parking lot to capacity.  The well-marked trail begins at the east edge of the parking lot and passes an informational board as it curves northward, then northeastward.  Much of the first part of the trail is open with less shade, but it soon narrows upon entering the more forested areas towards the canyon.  There are some fairly steep portions along the way along with a few level areas for resting and catching your breath.  At around 1.2 miles from the trailhead, you reach a grassy meadow area know as Shingle Mill Flat, which provides a great place to camp and observe wildlife.  Since this is part of the Lone Peak Wilderness Area, no camping is allowed within 200 feet of any water sources, and of course, "Leave No Trace" camping techniques apply at all times.  Beyond the meadow, the trail continues up the canyon with frequent paths forking off to the left towards Dry Creek.  A good lower viewing point of the waterfall lies just over a half-mile past the meadow at around 7,000 feet elevation.  Upon reaching the Deer Creek-Dry Creek directional sign, go to the left (northward) to reach the top of the waterfall.  At this point, various paths with moderate exposure lead to different spots for viewing the waterfall.  Extreme caution must be exercised – particularly around the waterfall – to avoid slips and falls on wet surfaces.  Distance from the trailhead to the top of Horsetail Falls (7,250 feet) is approximately 2.0 miles one-way with an elevation gain of about 1,600 feet.

Deer Creek-Dry Creek directional
sign not far from Horsetail Falls

Close-up view of Horsetail Falls