Hiking to the Battle Creek Falls

Rating: Easy, however, there is a steep climb the last 50 yards to the falls.
Distance: 1.2 miles roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 450 feet
Tips: This route is congested. To avoid the crowds, we recommend going on a weekday or early in the morning.
Dog Friendly

The Battle Creek Falls Trail leads to a stunning 50-foot waterfall in the foothills above Pleasant Grove and is a wonderful family trek. While the hike is brief, it packs a powerful punch, climbing nearly 430 feet in just 0.6 miles. This trail is appropriate for the majority of healthy adults and children. The trip to Battle Creek Falls is suitable for children and dogs.

As it goes up the canyon, the trail closely follows Battle Creek. The hike’s first half is on a nice, graded dirt road with a mild climb. The trail narrows and becomes more difficult as one climbs further up the canyon (about halfway to the falls). The real work comes when the trail crosses Battle Creek on a little wooden bridge. The last stretch to the waterfall is short but steep and difficult.

The Route to the Falls

The Battle Creek Trail begins in Kiwanis Park (40.363036, -111.70075) on the east side of Pleasant Grove. Drive east on 200 South/E Battle Creek Drive in Pleasant Grove for about 2.5 miles to the sizable gravel parking lot at the end of the road. From the trailhead, take the “Battle Creek Trail No. 050” hiking trail on the north end of the parking area. The waterfall is not mentioned, but this is the exact trail.

The trail starts on a large gravel road that follows a little brook. After a short stroll on the wide road, you will come to a small pond where you can stop and hurl some pebbles. The trail then narrows significantly and slowly climbs to the waterfall. You’ll soon cross a bridge, and around the corner you will find a small cave – which is simply a small hole in the rock, but we always stop and take a picture here. The steepest part of the trail begins immediately after the cave. The most difficult element of the climb is that the trail is covered with shale, making it possible for anyone to slide and fall. So keep those small ones close.

As you near the finish of the journey, you will hear and then see the waterfall through the trees. A tiny route leading down to the park’s base can be found on the right-hand side at the top. We like to do the short hike to the top first (it’s just about 100 feet higher) since you get a beautiful view of the cascade from the side. Then we return to the turnoff and descend to the waterfall’s base.

Return in the same direction you came. The round trip distance is about 1.2 miles.

As a side note, Battle Creek was the site of the first battle between Native Americans and Utah Pioneers in February 1849, which took place near the canyon’s mouth. The town of Battle Creek is now known as Pleasant Grove, but the name of the creek and canyon above the city remains.

Press here to check what to expect when visiting the Battle Creek Falls Trailhead.

Battle Creek Falls Winter Hike

Visiting the falls at different seasons of the year will bring a new and unique experience each time. Visit during runoff in early spring to see the water gushing over the falls at full force. If you visit during the summer months, the lower creek may be dry, with the falls barely flowing enough to produce a refreshing mist on a hot summer day.

There was no snow on our visit in early December, so much of the route was the same except for the green vegetation. However, because the trail follows the north side of the canyon, there were some ice and slippery areas. Most of the icy areas were at the water collect basin and on the steep stretch of the trail near the falls. The trail down to the base of the falls had a few frozen areas as well, although they were easy to avoid during our visit.

We arrived at the base of the falls to find a massive portion of snow and ice covering the creek. The cascades cascaded over the ice-covered cliff, revealing stunning ice formations. Although seeing Battle Creek Falls in the winter presented a few additional hurdles, viewing these spectacular falls in the grip of winter was well worth the effort.

Whatever time of year you choose to visit the falls, make sure you have the necessary equipment. Carry plenty of water for you and your family throughout the scorching summer months. Please exercise caution around high water in the early spring. In the winter, bring good boots or perhaps a pair of snowshoes for when the trail is snow-covered.