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Ghost Falls is a small waterfall located in Corner Canyon in Draper. The trail features a lovely scrub oak forest, wildflowers, a creek and the small waterfall. So far, this is one of my favorite trails in the Corner Canyon trail network. But, there are still trails we have yet to explore. There are a LOT of trails in this canyon. There are several ways to get to Ghost Falls but so far this is my preferred route so we tend to do it fairly often.
Quick Details:
Length: About 2.8 miles out and back.
Trail Type: Out and back, loop options.
Difficulty: DR4. It’s a little bit of a climb, with a short steeper section. The steep part does have a easier alternate though so it can be a DR3.
Elevation Gain: About 700 feet.
Restroom: Yes, flush toilets at the trailhead.
Dogs? No. Dogs are not allowed above the Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST) in the canyon due to protected watershed restrictions.
Other Info: Do not use if muddy! I recommend having a back-up option if it has been wet recently. May I suggest Alien Tower?
As I mentioned, there is a vast web of trails and it can be a little confusing if you are not familiar with the area. I recommend having to the trail map on your phone, or printed out. They update the link often, so here is their main trails page as well. Although, until you are familiar with the area the map is also equally confusing.
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.
The flags are at half mast in honor of Dolly Parton, may she rest in peace (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).
The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (PSP).
The mountains above Corner Canyon (PSP).
I love these signs.
The Trail:
The trail picks up at the northeast corner of the parking lot, by the big kiosk to the right of the restrooms.
You want to follow the signs for the Canyon Hollow Trail. The trail is fairly well marked for the most part.
Pretty forest.
Trail split. You wanna hang right here.
The corner of Corner Canyon.
Continuing along.
The crossroads below.
Pretty purple flower.
The Silica Pit.
I love the random splashes of color in it.
Forest.
Bee on a flower.
Burnham Gorge on the other side of the canyon.
Continuing along.
A lot of leaves are just drying out on the branch rather than changing color. This years drought sucks.
A major split. Just keep forward between the fences (not the opening on the right fence). And watch for fast downhill bikes crossing the trail.
View down.
You can see The Claw below.
Pretty yellow flower.
Forest.
Another split. Again, keep right.
More yellow flowers.
Trails on the other side of the canyon.
More forest.
Side creek.
Forest.
About halfway up (3/4 of a mile) we reach Memorial Cove. We will explore this more on the way down.
The little stream coming out of it.
Flowing down the small side gully.
Fun tree tunnel.
More pretty forest.
Super short section that triggers my fear of heights slightly. But, it’s not too bad and I am able to get through without struggling. I guess it's more of a quick twinge, then it's fine.
View down. Looking at the corner of Corner Canyon.
There are a couple small mud holes today. Nothing that we were not able to step across. If there was much more of it we definitely would have turned back. It must not have rained down here as much as it did by us! I did have some alternate options in mind in case this trail was too muddy to use though. I always try to just in case.
Now we are on the Lower Canyon Road, there is a gate on the left you will pass by.
The Lower Canyon Road, which shares a path with the Canyon Hollow Trail through here.
The first split to the left. It is labeled as the Ghost Falls Trail, and it will absolutely get you there, but that trail goes along the other side of the canyon on a thinner trail on a steeper slope and it absolutely triggers my fear of heights. So, I prefer to stay on the Canyon Hollow trail to the right.
More of the yellow flowers. There are a lot of them up here.
More dying leaves.
The 2nd turn off from the road. Here you have another option. The main Canyon Hollow Trails goes to the left, and is a little easier, and just a smidge longer. Or you can continue along the Lower Canyon Road for a more straightforward, directly UP option. I chose the latter today.
UP! It’s a little bit overgrown here.
More yellow flowers.
With a beetle.
Where the Hoof N Boot trail crosses. We still need to check that trail out sometime.
The 2nd gate. You can choose to open it and go through it, just remember to close it behind you. Or you know, just use the little path to the side.
Just above it the Canyon Hollow Trails connects again. Like I said, they both get here, but the Canyon Hollow Trail is a little easier and longer.
The 3rd gate. Here we want to swing left.
Almost immediately we come to the first bridge we will cross today (there is an additional one below if you go the easier route I mentioned).
Over a deep gorge.
Another spot that twinges my fear of heights, for just a second anyway.
Around another ridge.
Muddy trail use etiquette.
This is the trail split you want. Go left, and slightly downhill. It is signed, but its a little hidden there to the right.
Better look at the sign.
Down into the hollow.
Another small mud patch.
Forest.
A random fireweed still hanging on.
Forest.
Lots of Oregon grape.
Bridge #2.
Over a tiny stream.
Bridge #3.
Corner Canyon Creek. It’s a little bit more substantial.
Right after that bridge you hit a 4-way intersection. You want to go to the left.
The Phantom Footpath to the right.
Then bridge #4, which means you have arrived.
But, you can’t really see it from here through the thick foliage right now.
Nightshade.
Again. I love the flowers.
This is one of the few places I am aware of that has warnings for poison ivy.
I love the cute welcome sign. I also love the little smiley face someone added above it, I haven't noticed that before now. I normally do not like people adding their "art" in our natural areas, but this is cute.
After the epic 2022/23 winter the waterfall became a pretty epic twin waterfall. It must have moved a rock because some water still flows down the trail side where the random new twin was. There really isn’t much of interest up there that was worth the scramble up anyway.
Making our way through the foliage to see the waterfall. Due to the poison ivy warnings, I am trying to ensure I don’t bush up against anything with my bare skin.
Ghost Falls. It’s kind of just a trickle, but honestly, I am surprised it is actually flowing. It is called Ghost Falls because it is known to dry up and disappear, like a ghost. But, we did get some good rain this morning so that probably helped.
There are an additional 2 little flows, so 3 coming down along the rock race.
The main falls.
More nightshade.
The main waterfall again. It’s not a big one, but it’s still pretty.
The little pool below.
More cliff.
The overgrown creek.
Alright, that was fun, time to head on back.
Back over bridge #4. If you want, you can head down the other way. I do love me a good loop, but I just don’t particularly love that trail so I don’t bother with it much. Why suffer when there is a perfectly acceptable alternate alternate route?
Looking back towards the waterfall, which you cannot see through the foliage from here. Let alone the creek!
The 4 way split again. Despite the sign saying Ghost Falls Trail <- you actually want to head to the right. There is an upper Ghost Falls Trailhead. We have not done that yet. One of these days haha.
We’re gonna head back down the Canyon Hollow Trail.
Bridge #3.
Bridge #2.
A sad looking flower.
Forest.
There is a creek under there somewhere.
One of 2 (that I am aware of) cars. We missed them both on the way up, and I didn’t see the blue one up or down due to how thick the foliage is right now.
Quick climb up out of the gully.
Heavy use area.
Forest.
More dead leaves. I wonder what the fall color might look like this year.
View down. It is a little hazy today.
One of many high banks for the bicycles.
More forest.
Bridge #1.
Back to the Lower Canyon Road on the left, or the Canyon Hollow Trail on the right. Again, the road is a strait line down. The hollow trail is more meandery.
The 2nd gate.
Continuing down.
Yellow flowers.
Back down to where the main Canyon Hollow Trail picks up again along the Lower Canyon Road.
Forest.
Down to the 1st gate. The Canyon Hollow Trail continues down to the left of it. Or of course you can keep going down the Lower Corner Canyon Road to the right. It will take you down to the crossroads, where you can then head up the BST to the Coyote Hollow Trailhead. Of course that means the last bit will be a climb back up. We went left.
More forest.
View down.
Hills above.
Forest.
Back down to Memorial Cove. This time we went in. It is a super short little side trail about a tenth of a mile out and back.
Fun stone staircase.
What I call the Witches Bridge.
It is a neat bridge.
It is a lot more sturdy than it looks from the side.
It is over a small side creek. Looking upstream.
Downstream.
On the bridge.
The stream below.
The bridge again.
Quick panoramic to show the whole thing.
Above the bridge there is a small memorial to Thomas R, Whipple. He was an avid outdoors man who was on the Draper Parks and Trails Council.
Crossing back over.
Heading back down.
Where the stream comes out of the bottom of the cove.
Continuing down the Canyon Hollow Trail.
Pretty forest.
Fun overhanging branch.
More forest.
View down.
That looks like some fall color coming in.
Continuing along.
Where a couple trails intersect. Including some fast downhill bike trails, so keep your head up. You want to go forward, between the fences.
Burnham Gorge.
View down.
Forest.
Neat twisted tree.
Mullein.
Little scree field.
More forest.
Back to the Silica Pit.
Dock.
The Silica Pit again.
Burnham Gorge on the other side.
The crossroad below.
View of the valley. That little exposed cliff on the right, is where the restaurant we will have dinner at is located.
Continuing along.
Forest.
Almost back to the trailhead.
I love these “There is no poop fairy Please clean up after your dogs” signs.
Back to the parking lot.
Our path today.
The view with a smidge of sunset. from The Cliff Dining Pub where we had dinner. It's a little more expensive, but worth it for the great view, and amazing food.
You can see The Claw lit up too.
Well, that was fun! It’s nice to get to do some of the lower elevation trails in the middle of summer. It’s usually way too hot to. The waterfall is way overgrown, but pretty. It wasn’t too busy today either. 8 out of 10 squirrels today.
As for difficulty, its a bit of a climb, but not too bad. DR3. DR4 if you decide to do the steep bit we did.
Dogs are not allowed above the BST here so be sure to leave Fido home for this one.
