Lower Calf Creek Falls — Attraction in Teasdale

One of the first hikes I ever went over the 8+ years of experience I have gained journeying throughout Beautiful Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The hike is accessed by first entering through Lower Calf Creek Recreation Area/Campground. After winding down Scenic HW 12 and turning right if coming from Boulder/ Turning left if traveling from Escalante. Once in campground and parked, a $5 fee is required to continue on the trail. In Winter months there usually isn’t a Campground host monitoring entrance but it’s good to still drop recreation fee in Dropbox if you have it. After walking the the short distance through the campground, the road becomes a rocky dirt trail marking the beginning of Lower Calf Creek Falls. The hike is an out an back trail totaling a little over 5.8 miles round trip. It’s rated moderate and is great for family hikes. Be sure to bring plenty of water, especially in hot summer season because the trail winds through calf creek canyon up and down slick rock features, sandy trails, and sage brush meadows leaving you pretty exposed to sunlight until reaching the falls. The sacred hidden Gem awaits hikers at the end and offers a very rewarding environment to relax, eat lunch, and appreciate the natural falls that helped carve its way through the Sandstone. I unfortunately wasn’t able to upload photos from all my previous trips to the falls over the years and my most recent trip only shows pics from various sections of the snow covered trail. Hope this gives you an idea and gets to excited to check this special hike out. It is often extremely populated during busy summer season because it is one of the only places that offers camping and bathrooms in the entire National Monument. Most of the land is BLM and requires permits for extended overnight hikes for those looking to see all the other Magic the staircase offers. If you or anybody in your group do not know the area and have little experience navigating unmarked Desert trails in the middle of nowhere then it’s in your best interest to hire a guide to lead you safely to your point of interest. I was a hiking guide for 5 amazing seasons in the Grand Staircase and fell in love with that land and all its hidden magic. Calf Creek will not Disappoint. Please respect the trail and surrounding land on the hike, leave no trace and pack in and pack out what you bring with you, and avoid stepping on Crypto-Biotic Soil patches that nourish the plants. They form over very long periods of time so remember to never Bust the Crust. Cheers and hope my long detailed rant helps give you better understanding on what to plan for and expect when seeking out...

This is a very scenic area of southern Utah to see and the hike itself is surrounded by so many other amazing places to see along Highway 12. We went in late March 2021 and it made for perfect weather. I am sure this place is freezing in the winter and incredibly hot in the middle of the summer. As it is located in the canyon, there is not a lot of available parking (which, at the time of this writing was a $5.00 cash payment left in an envelope) and it is a single road with a lot of turns both in and out (so anything longer than a long bed truck could be problematic.) The hike itself is about three miles in and another three out. We saw all sorts of ages making the hike – even children younger than our seven-year-old who did a great job navigating the many turns and slight changes in elevation. For the reasonably fit, you should count on between sixty to ninety minutes each way. I would personally recommend at least a single water bottle for each hiker. About two miles in you will begin to see the widening creek flowing with crystal clear water in which you will see many fish navigating the flow. It is so amazingly beautiful. In the afternoon, you will find many shady places along the way to take a rest and, in a couple of places, a bench to sit on. After working up a sweat along the way to the falls, when you arrive it will be cool and moist. These falls are unreal and amazing to watch. Take a minute to take off your shoes and dip your feet in the cold water – it feels great. Stay on the marked trail (as requested by the many signs) and, above...

Great hike. Its a long hike! Either go in the early morning or later afternoon when its cooled down. I would go in the morning if you have kids going. Its up and down the entire way. I had to carry my 4 year old back after a mile in. Of course we went during the hottest part of the day (12 oclock in the afternoon) and my family insisted that we hike the entire way. July is probably not the best time to go with small kids and in the middle of the day like we did. If you have older kids, older then 4, and have plenty of water, you should be fine. Make sure you have plenty of water. 2 liters at least per person if you go when its hot. i guess this applies to people that dont hike a ton. regardless, its a good hike and a long hike so keep that in mind. you will weave back and forth through the canyon.

At the end of the long hike, there is a beautiful water fall and it has a nice area to swim. Cold water, very cold water but refreshing. Hope fully some of these pictures can help you see and understand what the hike is like. without telling my entire hike experience, with my kids, little water and everyone but a few of us insisting we hike the three mile hike there, it was ok. maybe on the next visit will i enjoy it more.

the parking isnt the biggest area, seems limited. hopefully you can find a parking spot without having to travel else where to park.

sorry i cant write more right now, the flies out side are really...