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Donut Falls
4.8 ★★★★★ 674 Google reviews · Running trail in Salt Lake City, Utah · Hours vary
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Distance
- 1 mi
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Not reported
Confirmed from Donut Falls' own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Easy trail featuring a waterfall that flows through a doughnut-shaped hole in a rock and down into a cave.
What runners say about Donut Falls
“The waterfall is beautiful and you can climb up until you get to the small cave.”
“Fantastic views, little to no bugs, plenty of shade on the trail, mostly easy hike to the falls.”
This unique waterfall is actually a very easy hike. Although the hike to the base is very strait forward it’s a bit tricky to make the final climb up to the actual cave. Of you want to go inside the cave you have to scramble up a short section on boulders.
Really cool waterfall that goes through the top of a little cave. This trail is easy up until the river and rocks section, where you have to walk through the water and climb up slippery rocks. For this, I wouldn’t recommend it to families with young children except to see the falls from afar.
What a great trail up in Big Cottonwood Canyon. It’s less than a mile in from the trailhead. There’s a small parking lot so you may have to park on the road but be careful because they ticket everyone. There is a large parking lot at the top of the trail, which will increase the distance to Donut Fall.
This is is a pretty cool place. The hike is short, about a mile. It pretty wide, so no issues going up. There were people with a stroller as well. Initially there is a small hill but once you pass that, everything is pretty easy to navigate.
Trail conditions & character
“) on your way up make sure you swing around and view the cave with the waterfall coming in it ( on the left right before the last rope and the dirt part).”
“There are some areas where you will need to climb or descend with the aid of ropes - a big rock or the mountain side on the way up the falls to see the donut hole.”
“For a shorter hike drive up the road and park at the upper trailhead parking.”
Plan your run at Donut Falls
The practical stuff
- AccessHours vary — hours are not posted for this trail, so check before an early or late run
- Distance1 mi as reported — check whether that is one way or a round trip before you commit
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
Running trails near Salt Lake City
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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Gloria Falls Trailhead
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Wasatch Crest Trail
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Cecret Lake Trail
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Wildflower-filled alpine lake reached via leisurely trails that wind through trees and boulders.