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Ghost Falls is a wee little waterfall located in Corner Canyon in Draper. The trail features a few creeks, scrub oak forests, a Silica Pit, and a small waterfall. The reason it is named Ghost Falls is because the waterfall has been known to dry up some years at the end of the season. But it was still flowing pretty good today! This is another little trail we tend to do often.
It is the stupid Daylight Saving Time Ending time change which means we lose an hour of light in the evening. I hates it! So I had to really make an effort to get going before it got too late to try and prevent being out on the trail after dark. We managed to just make it today haha. I deserve a cookie.
Quick Details:
Length: 2.8 miles out and back.
Trail Type: Out and back, loop options.
Difficulty: DR3. It is mostly super easy, but there is a stretch that is a bit of a climb.
Elevation Gain: About 700 feet.
Restroom: Yes, fancy flush toilets even.
Dogs? No. Above the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) is watershed here, and most of the trail is above it.
Other Info: There is an absolute spiderweb of trails in this canyon. I recommend having the most up to date map handy just in case.
To Get Here:
There are a few trailheads that can access the canyon. I prefer the Coyote Hollow Trailhead for this destination.
Take i15 to 14600 south in Draper and head east. Turn right on Traverse Ridge Rd. Turn Left on Mike Weir Dr. Turn right on Pinion Hill Ln. an immediate right on Canyon Vista Dr. An immediate left on Gray Fox Dr. and an immediate right onto Cayote Hollow Ct. Take that to the end to the Coyote Hollow Trailhead.
It still just tickles me that we have a Waynes World Dr, (PSP (Passenger Seat Photography)).
Box Elder Peak above the canyon (PSP).
The Trail:
There are a few trails here, but you want the one on the northeast part of the parking lot, just to the right of the restrooms.
As I mentioned, it is a huge web of trails, but it is generally signed pretty well. Just follow signs for Canyon Hollow. So left here.
Then a right here. Dogs are not allowed above this point, so if you brought Fido, go left and explore the lower canyon.
Another option to get to the falls is to go left and follow the BST down to the crossroads, then up the Lower Canyon Trail (again no dogs above the BST). But right is my preferred route.
Into the scrub oak! Most of the leaves appear to have just.. shriveled up and died.
The canyon below.
Some kind of container that they are doing something with water in. It is super loud!
These leaves look like they are properly turning color.
Ooh! we might get out from under the shadow of the mountain for a minute.
The crossroads below.
Burnham Gorge.
The Silica Pit.
Again.
Love the random splashes of color.
Back into the woods.
The valley below.
Continuing along.
The bottom of the canyon.
Burnham Gorge again.
The moon coming up over the mountains.
The oaks through here have changed.
Color on the other side of the canyon.
The corner of Corner Canyon.
More golden oaks.
Little side gully with the downhill bikes only Rush Trail above.
Speaking of, here goes one now.
Based on all of the whooping and hollering I can hear at times, it sounds like a super fun trail to ride down. We just got some bikes and started riding paved trails so far. Maybe we'll work our way up to this one day.
Some nekkid oaks.
Fallen leaves.
The little stream coming out of Memorial Cove.
Some bright maple leaves.
Gnarly burl.
Memorial Cove and the stream coming out of it.
Downstream.
Upstream again.
The cove again. It is pretty cool, and only adds about 1/10th of a mile.
Fun spooky trees.
Going around the ridge.
More maples.
One of the spots that triggers my fear of heights, but it’s not too bad honestly. Sometimes I can tell the lizard brain to kick rocks, not often, but sometimes.
The corner of Corner Canyon.
The canyon and valley below.
Better view of the canyon, with the corner.
The other side of the canyon.
Eventually the Canyon Hollow trail connects to the Lower Canyon Trail (which is an old dirt road) for a bit.
Continuing up.
The first turn off. This will take you to Ghost Falls via the other side of the canyon. I just really do not like that trail. It is very thin along a steep slope. So, why suffer when there is a better way?
You can take this second turn off, and it is a little more pretty, and a little more of a gentle climb. But, going forward, while a little more steep, is more direct.
The short climb.
Pretty oak leaves.
Myrtle Spurge, a particularly nasty noxious weed. Be sure not to touch it. It’s sap can cause burns.
The Hoof N Boot trail crosses over here. I still need to look into that trail.
The first gate. There is a fine little desire path around it to the left. Or you can open it and go through it, just be sure to close it behind you. But honestly, the side path is fine.
The 2nd gate. You want to go left here.
The 1st of 4 bridges. (2nd of 5 if you took the scenic route).
It is over a pretty deep trench. I have never seen water in it so either something got diverted, or this is where the snowmelt goes.
Continuing along.
The valley below. I can even make out The Claw from here. Also, oof it is a bit hazy today.
More forest.
Overhanging branches.
Another short spot I don’t love, but again, not too bad. Shut up lizard brain.
The canyon below.
The hoof N Boot trail crosses over again. Odd.
Forest.
The other side of the canyon.
Keep an eye out for this turn off to the left. It is signed for Ghost Falls but they put the sign on the right side.
The side trail takes you down along the creek. Well, a little closer anyway.
Little bit of color.
A truck in the creek.
Another one that didn’t quite make it to the creek.
The creek.
The other side of the canyon… where all the sunshine is.
More color.
Oregon grape.
Lots of it.
2nd bridge.
Over a small stream.
The 3rd bridge. You are going to want to go left at this major intersection right after it.
The stream it crosses.
There are a few trails that split of here. This is the Phantom Footpath.
This one says Ghost Falls Trail, that leads up to the upper parking lot. I have yet to check out that option.. but anyway, again, not what you want.
You want to head kind of downhill towards the fancy metal bridge. 4th and final.
It’s a fancy little bridge.
Normally you can see the waterfall from this bridge. But it’s a little overgrown today.
I love the welcome sign.
This is one of 2 places I am aware of that apparently have poison ivy, the other being Hidden Hollow. So far I have not see it in either. But, I do appreciate the warning just in case.
The last 2 spring times there was a secondary waterfall coming down that chute to the left. There is a bit of a trickle today.
The main waterfall.
Portrait mode.
With a longer exposure.
Additional trickles coming down the rockface.
One final view. This is fun, the reason it is called Ghost Falls is that it has a tendency to dry up. But uh, it is flowing pretty good still for it being November.
View down.
Cliff.
You can return the way you came up to the left, across the bridge, or you can make a loop and go down to the right. As I mentioned, I don’t particularly like that trail, so back the way we came to the left for us today.
The creek.
With the waterfall… mostly obscured by plants.
4 way intersection. You want to hang right.
Follow the signs for Canyon Hollow Trail.
I love the little Draper City logo. I wonder who makes the signs.
3rd bridge.
2nd bridge.
Some Oregon grape leaves that are turning red.
Spooky forest.
With a little bit of color hanging on.
The blue truck.
Again.
Color.
An almost perfect square tree frame.
The yellow truck.
Forest.
Sign for the cyclists.
The other side of the canyon.
The Hoof N Boots trail crossing the Canyon Hollow trail.
Forest with a high bank for the cyclists.
More forest.
The valley below.
Forrest.
The 1st bridge.
Heading down the old road for a bit.
Golden oak leaves.
Well, hello there.
I always feel bad when we startle them off, but.. we gotta get back to where we are going too! Luckily they startle off before you get too close... usually.
Maple leaves.
Where the Canyon Hollow trail splits off of the Lower Canyon Trail/old road. You can continue following the Lower Canyon Trail to the crossroads and then climb back us the BST as well. But again, we just stayed on the Canyon Hollow trail. At this point I think we have gotten to ghost falls almost every way you can, except from above.
More forest.
View of the canyon below.
Oaks.
Maples.
Down to Memorial Cove. It is a super short 1/10 of a mile add on. I thought about exploring it again today, but decided we were running low on light and still had a little ways to go to get back to the car. So we decided to skip it today. Even though there is a fun spooky bridge up there.
The little stream coming out of it.
Downstream below.
The Lower Canyon Trail (old road).
Forrest.
Spots of color.
Colorful patch of oaks.
Where the Rush Trail crosses the Canyon Hollow Trail. Keep your eyes peeled for fast downhill bikes.
The Rush Trail rules, suggestions, and a trail use counter.
It is getting dark rapidly, but I think we’re going to make it before full dark. I hate Daylight Saving Time, with a fiery passion.
The valley below and a super faint sunset.
Burnham Gorge.
Approaching the Silica Pit.
Forest.
Silica Pit.
The moon.
The valley is starting to light up.
The crossroads again.
The moon.
More oaks.
Last light.
Oaks.
Approaching the trailhead and the fancy restroom.
Last ones in the parking lot… oof. But hey, it’s not dark dark! I deserve a cookie!
The valley as we head back (PSP).
As I said, we have done Ghost Falls just about every possible way you can do it, except from above and I think this is definitely my preferred way to do it.
We had a couple cyclists pass us, and we could hear them having a grand time on the Rush Trail above us a few times, but otherwise it was just a lovely quiet walk in the woods. It was also nice to see the waterfall is still flowing that strongly this late in the year. 9 out of 10 squirrels. losing 1 due to the big web of trails.
As for difficulty, it is a pretty mild climb, with 1 short slightly steeper spot. DR3.
Dogs are not allowed above the BST in this area, and most of the trail is above the BST so be sure to leave Fido home for this one.
