Hike to Scout Falls - refreshingly cool!
- Girls Gone Adventuring
- Jun 3, 2018
- 3 min read
Is there a more refreshing way to start an early summer morning than a dunk under an ice-cold waterfall? I think not...
This Adventure to Scout Falls up American Fork Canyon was at the perfect time of year - the falls were running big and beautiful, the forest was green and vibrant, the weather was brisk and clean, the hike was relatively calm but full of interesting little waterfalls and incredible scenery.
Our guide on this trip was our good friend Caroline Welsh. She's a hiking guru (her husband calls her a "mountain rat", as opposed to a "gym rat") and gets up hiking twice a week almost year round. Yah, she's pretty dang amazing!
We headed up American Fork Canyon at first light to begin our hike from the Timpanooke Campground up to Scout Falls. The campground and parking lot for the hike lies about 8 miles up the canyon from the pay station at the bottom (it's $6 for a 1-3 day pass). When you start the hike from the parking lot there are 3 marked paths to choose from - take the middle path with the sign saying "Timpanooke".
It's a little less than 1 1/2 miles to the falls, about 3 miles roundtrip. It took us about an hour to get up and a little less than that to get back down. We did have 2 teenagers and 2 dogs with us on this hike, but I'm not sure if that slowed us down or quickened our pace?? It's a fairly straight forward trail, not too difficult or long, a good one for almost any experience level. We crossed multiple little waterfalls and streams as we went along, which added to the beauty of this hike a hundred-times over. This is the beginning of the hike to Mount Timp so you may decide to just keep going the additional 6 miles and head straight to the top!
When you get to the first switchback and see a big log dead ahead, don't take that trail. It will take you to the falls but it's a long, steep scramble up a boulder/rock slide area that's pretty difficult to climb. If you keep going up the path to the next switchback, it's a much better path to the falls. It feels like you're going too far and won't ever head back the right way, but it's about 10 minutes past the log and that first switch back so be patient and keep going. You'll see the sign saying "Scout Falls" pointing off to the left once you've reached the right spot.
You do need to climb up through the tree roots on this trail - it looks like the trail dead-ends at the tree just a little ways from the "Scout Falls" sign, but climb up the tree roots and you'll see the trail continue on to the falls.
We were rewarded with incredible views of the valley and a stunning stop at the falls. Since it's still early spring they are running strong and wild and the sound and spray from the falls is amazing! We can't pass up any opportunity for Adventure so standing under the ice-cold waterfall was just what we needed :) Nothing like a bucket of ice cascading down your back and head to wake you right up!
We loved this hike and will definitely be doing it again. I'd love to try it in the fall to see the difference in the flow of the falls and see the valley in all it's fall colored glory!
HOW TO DO THIS YOURSELF:
1) Head up American Fork Canyon by taking Highway 92 from I-15 through Highland, past Cedar Hills, and straight on till morning. There's a $6 fee to enter the canyon, which is good for a 1-3 day pass.
2) Pack a water bottle, a few snacks, and a dry sweatshirt to put on after you douse yourself in the Falls :)
3) Timing: It's about 8 miles up the canyon to Timpanooke campground, which took us about 20-30 minutes to drive. We started hiking at 7:20 and were at the falls by 8:20. We played around in the falls for a bit and were back to the parking lot around 9:10. You could stay longer and have a picnic or spend more time relaxing at the Falls before heading back down.
** Is there an Adventure you think we should discover? Comment below
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