Donut Falls is a 20-foot waterfall reached by a popular hiking trail in Big Cottonwood Canyon, part of the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest southeast of Salt Lake City, Utah. This guide covers current access, fees, transport and parking, accessibility, and practical tips for a first-time visit.
This guide was updated in August 2026. One point worth flagging: while the Forest Service trailhead is located 8.9 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon Road, most hiking guides recommend parking at the paved pullout near Mill D and Jordan Pines instead, since the small trailhead lot fills quickly in summer and is not recommended for driving to directly.
Quick facts
| Site status | Open |
| Day-use fee | $10 per vehicle (3-day); $20 (7-day); $60 (season) |
| Trailhead location | Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (UT-190), 8.9 miles up the canyon |
| Nearest transport | No public transit to the trailhead; a car is needed |
| Typical visit length | 1.5 to 2 hours |
Donut Falls opening hours
The trailhead is open year-round, though access changes with the seasons. In summer, most visitors reach the falls from the Forest Service trailhead 8.9 miles up the canyon; in winter, a locked gate near the highway closes the access road, and the hike starts from there instead, adding distance.
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- 🚌 See Salt Lake City’s highlights on a bus tour – and hear the Tabernacle Choir.
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- 👻 Hear SLC’s spookiest tales – on an after-dark ghost tour.
- 🍽️ Take a food tour – and taste Salt Lake City’s finest flavours.
Donut Falls fees
Day use costs $10 per vehicle for three days, $20 for seven days, or $60 for a season pass.
Fees and rules were checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026. A digital day-use pass can also be bought online through recreation.gov. The trailhead honors Interagency “America the Beautiful” passes and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest passes; display any pass on the dashboard while parked.
How to get to Donut Falls
From I-215, take the 6200 South exit and drive east about a mile to Wasatch Boulevard, then south about a mile to the junction with Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (UT-190). Turn left and continue about 9 miles up the canyon.
Most hikers park at the paved pullout near Mill D and Jordan Pines at that 9-mile point, rather than continuing on the short gravel side road to the small Forest Service trailhead lot, which fills quickly and offers limited turning space.
Parking at Donut Falls
The larger paved pullout at Mill D and Jordan Pines, right on Big Cottonwood Canyon Road, offers more space than the small gravel lot at the Forest Service trailhead itself. Either way, a valid day-use pass must be displayed while parked.
On busy summer weekends, both areas can fill by mid-morning, so an early start makes finding a spot considerably easier.
How long to spend at Donut Falls
The hike covers about 3.4 miles round trip with roughly 511 feet of elevation gain from the Forest Service trailhead, taking most hikers 1.5 to 2 hours. Starting from the highway pullout instead adds around a mile each way.
Accessibility at Donut Falls
The trailhead has two accessible vault toilets, though the trail itself is a natural dirt path with rocky and uneven sections, and is not considered wheelchair accessible. The final approach to the falls involves a rock scramble that is not suitable for visitors with limited mobility.
Cell phone service is spotty for much of the route, so downloading a trail map in advance is worth doing before setting out.
Inside Donut Falls
At the falls themselves, water drops through a hole worn into the surrounding rock, creating the “donut” shape visible from below; a short scramble, often assisted by a fixed rope, leads to a closer view.
The trail passes through spruce and fir forest alongside a flowing creek, with wildflowers common in summer and riparian scenery throughout the Big Cottonwood watershed.
Wildlife sightings along the trail include moose and deer, and hikers occasionally report rattlesnakes near the path in warmer months.
In winter, the hike becomes a popular snowshoe outing, though the locked gate near the highway adds roughly 3.5 miles round trip compared with the summer route.
The Cardiff Fork Trail #157 connects from the same general trailhead area for hikers wanting a longer outing beyond the falls.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Arrive early morning or on a weekday to find parking, since this is one of the busiest trails in the Wasatch. |
| Crowds | June through October is the most popular season, and the trail is often busy even on weekdays. |
| Layout | Swimming, wading and playing in the creek are prohibited throughout, since Big Cottonwood Canyon is a protected drinking-water watershed. |
| Entry process | Dogs and other domestic animals are not permitted on the trail at any time. |
| On-site logistics | The final approach to the falls involves wet rocks and a rope-assisted scramble, so water shoes and caution help here. |
Frequently asked questions about Donut Falls
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Donut Falls suitable for children? | Yes, the main trail is considered easy and family-friendly, though the final rock scramble to the falls needs extra caution with young children. |
| Do you need a permit or reservation for Donut Falls? | No reservation is needed, but a day-use fee or valid pass must be displayed while parked. |
| Are dogs allowed at Donut Falls? | No. Dogs and other domestic animals are prohibited on this trail. |
| Can you swim at Donut Falls? | No. Swimming, wading and playing in the water are banned throughout Big Cottonwood Canyon to protect the drinking-water watershed. |
| Is Donut Falls accessible in winter? | Yes, as a snowshoe route, though a locked highway gate adds distance to the hike compared with summer access. |
Things to do near Donut Falls
Solitude Mountain Resort and Brighton Resort, both further up Big Cottonwood Canyon, offer scenic chairlift rides and mountain biking in summer. Silver Lake, at Brighton, has a flat, accessible boardwalk loop with mountain views.
Jordan Pines Campground, near the Donut Falls turnoff, offers additional camping in the canyon. The Mill D North Fork trailhead, at the same general pullout, leads to the popular Dog Lake and Desolation Lake hikes for those wanting a longer day.
What to visit tomorrow
Bridal Veil Falls, in Provo Canyon, is about 45 minutes to an hour’s drive and drops 607 feet along a short, mostly paved trail from the parking area.
Stewart Falls, near Sundance, is a similar distance and offers a moderate forested hike to a wide, two-tiered waterfall.
Adams Canyon Waterfall, in Layton, is about 45 minutes to an hour’s drive north and involves a steeper canyon hike to a series of cascades.
Cecret Lake, in Little Cottonwood Canyon near Alta, is about 45 minutes’ drive and offers a short alpine hike to a wildflower-ringed lake rather than a waterfall.
Timpanogos Cave National Monument, in American Fork Canyon, is about an hour’s drive and combines a steep paved trail with a guided cave tour, on a similar family-outing scale to Donut Falls.
More Utah travel
Other Utah travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Plan your visit to the Natural History Museum of Utah, Utah Museum of Fine Arts and Red Butte Garden in Salt Lake City.
- Tracing Utah’s Mormon Heritage at This Is The Place and Temple Square.
- Antelope Island – the wildlife refuge of the Great Salt Lake.
- A practical guide to visiting Monument Valley.
- What to know before visiting Goosenecks State Park near Mexican Hat.
