Gloria Falls

Gloria Falls is a beautiful waterfall located in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The trail features some beautiful mixed forest, wildflowers, a creek, a couple small side waterfalls, and or course the stately Gloria Falls. We tried to do this a couple weeks ago and had to turn back due to there being too much snow. Today there were a couple short muddy patches, but nothing too bad. Otherwise it was completely dry. We have done this before, but I really enjoyed it so I decided to come back.

Quick Details:

Length: The trail guide I used said 2.2 out and back, but I fount it closer to 2.6 out and back.
Trail Type: Out and back.
Difficulty: DR3. Its a bit of a climb, but not too bad.
Elevation Gain: About 700 ft.
Restroom: Yes, pit toilettes.
Dogs? No. Little Cottonwood Canyon is watershed.
Other Info:

To Get Here:

From where the 2 roads merge at the mouth of the canyon, head about 5.4 miles up. There will be a likely very crowded parking lot on the right. Careful, it kind of sneaks up on you. If you hit Snowbird, you went too far.

There is a storm coming in that is blowing up a bunch of dust that is obscuring the mountains. (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)). Yuck! Oh and don’t mind the filthy windshield.

Heading up the canyon.

I thought this might be Gloria Falls, but now I don’t think so (PSP).

The Trail:

Fun clouds looking down canyon.

I wonder how old this sign is? It is apparently old enough that they edited out unleashed. Now I wonder when the total pet ban happened.

You start out in a lovely aspen forest.

The bridge to cross Little Cottonwood Creek.

Another trailhead sign. You will follow the signs for Red Pine Lake which is also a great hike.

Downstream.

Upstream.

Looking back towards the cliffs on the other side.

Pretty forest.

Back into the aspens.

Little unnamed creek.

The other side.

Looks like there was an avalanche through here.

Some pretty clematis.

More pretty forest.

Wild strawberry?

Some of the recent mud-rain left its mark on this plant.

View of the canyon.

The first little side waterfall. Again, it does not appear that this creek is named.

Some of the trail you can’t help but notice how high up you are, which does trigger my fear of heights a little bit. However, the trail is an old service road, so it is plenty wide, and for the most part the trees cover that up. So, I am good.

View across the canyon.

Continuing up. A lot of the trail is pretty rocky.

More clematis.

The 2nd little side waterfall. Again, unnamed.

View across the canyon again.

More clematis.

More pretty forest.

I think this is White Baldy.

Lots of larkspur.

When the trail swings into White Pine Gulch it gets a lot better, in terms of feeling like we are way up there.

Short muddy section.

Very large tree.

Little spring.

More of the rocky trail.

Here we reach the junction. We want to keep right and stay on the Red Pine Lake trail. Red Pine Lake is a pretty hike. I have yet to do White Pine Lake, it kind of goes a bit beyond my threshold, plus I am not sure if my fear of heights would handle it okay. 

Another old kiosk.

White Pine Fork.

The trail thins out a bit, and continues up on the east side of the creek. For 1-2 tenths of a mile.

The bridge crossing over White Pine Fork.

Downstream.

Upstream. This is pretty, but you aren’t quite there yet.

There are a couple of trails to get up. I find that is you go left immediately after the bridge, and stay near the creek for most of the way, that is easiest.

We did not do that today though haha. Either way, you will go left and depart the main trail. Otherwise you will head towards Red Pine Lake.

Instead we followed this little side stream up.

Into the woods.

The creek.

Found a patch of snow still hanging on.

The creek again.

There is one part of the trail next to the creek that I do not like, so at the big hill, I veer away from the creek and climb that instead.

At the top of the hill we found one of those lean-to structures.

As well as our first glimpse of the falls.

Last little bit is back to next to the creek. Considering how many people we saw on the way up and down today, I am surprised it was not busier.

WOOO it is really gushing today!

It’s a lot taller than it seems in pictures.

I love the many little tiers.

Such a neat waterfall.

Quick video.

The top.

I try to avoid getting people in my shots when possible, but I wanted to show scale.

The creek below.

The waterfall again.

Okay, we had fun enjoying the waterfall, but it was time to head on back.

Squirrel.

The trail leading out of the narrow gorge.

Pretty forest.

Squirrel!

Smaller cascade on the creek.

Almost down to the bridge again.

The bridge.

Upstream.

I struggle identifying yellow wildflowers, but I think this might be a western wallflower.

The creek at the junction.

I noticed a tiny little hidden waterfall through the trees.

Forest and mountains.

More forest.

Chipmunk! Man, where were all the critters on the way up?

More larkspur.

Rocky trail, pretty forest.

Crossing over the ridge from White Pine Gulch to Little Cottonwood Canyon.

More larkspur.

Forest.

View across the canyon.

The upper side waterfall.

More pretty forest.

Another view across the canyon.

View up canyon.

Clematis.

The lower side waterfall.

Meadow below.

Panoramic of the other side of the canyon.

Aspens.

Back to the avalanche area.

Back down to the little side creek.

Puddle reflections.

The bridge over Little Cottonwood Creek.

Which appears to need some repairs. o.O

Kind of old looking.

Downstream.

The last 1 - 2 tenths of a mile is back uphill. But it is pretty gentle so it’s not so bad.

Pretty aspens.

We saw a hairy woodpecker back at the trailhead. You can distinguish a hairy from a downy by the fact that they are a little bit bigger, and their bill is quite a bit longer, almost as long as their heads. Where as downy woodpeckers are smaller, and their bill is smaller than their heads.

I really enjoyed our adventure today! The weather was great, the falls were gushing, it wasn’t too busy at the falls, and no crazy climbers this time haha. The trail is nice and green, and the wildflowers are just getting started. 10 out of 10 squirrels.

As for difficulty, its a bit of a climb, but not too bad. DR3.

Dogs are not allowed in Little Cottonwood Canyon so be sure to leave Fido home.