Horsetail Falls

Horsetail Falls from Dry Creek TH
 Hike Time (roundtrip): 2.5 to 4.0 hours
 Distance (roundtrip): 3.8 miles
 Elevation Gain: 1490 feet
Main Aspect: South
 Climb Rate: 784 feet per mile
 Average Grade: 15%
Notes: The first half mile is uneventful as you walk through an open maple/oak area. You enter a conifer stand (evergreen grove) at the half mile mark and the scenery suddenly changes. Continuing up the main trail, there is lots of sights and lots of sounds. There is a place to observe the falls from 1/5 mile away.
Trailhead Elevation: 5660 ft
Trailhead Outhouse: No
Area: Utah Valley
Area Location: Various locations on east and north ends of the valley
Area Fee: None
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Notes: Dry Creek is a popular trailhead with hikers and horse riders, located in the northeast corner of Alpine. It is one of the few trailheads left in Alpine that does not cross private land and is assured of never being cut off by development. The trailhead is at the end of the road that goes past the Alpine Rodeo Grounds.
Destination Elevation: 7150 Feature: Falls
Notes: It is a popular destination in northern Utah Valley. You have to leave the trail for a short distance to get to the actual falls.


Horse Tail Falls is a beautiful hike just above the city of Alpine Utah.  The distance to the falls is a short 2.1 miles, but is fairly steep with an elevation gain of almost 1600 feet.  The trail is wide and well marked and is a great destination for a group hike, horseback ride or a challenging trail run.

Summary

Distance: 2.1 miles  (one way)
Alpine, Utah Horse Tail Falls, Dry Creek Trail
Horse Tail Falls in morning light

Trailhead Elevation: 5600 ft (Approx.)
Falls Elevation: 72oo ft (Approx)
Trail Head Name: Dry Creek
Location: Alpine, Utah
Rating: (moderate – due to steepness)
Getting There:

Horse Tail Falls is accessed using the Dry Creek Trail head that is just outside of the quiet town of Alpine Utah.  From I-15 take the Highland/Alpine exit onto the Timpanogos Highway (SR-92).  The quickest way from here is to turn onto 5300 West and continue it on to Main street.  Go straight through the traffic circle and then turn right onto 200 North.  Take the 2nd left onto Grove Drive and you’ll pretty much follow Grove Drive all the way to the Dry Creek Trail Head.  You’ll pass the Rodeo grounds on your right just a bit before you get to the trail head, but don’t stop at the small trail at the Rodeo grounds, keep going till you see the big sign that says Dry Creek.  There is a medium sized dirt parking lot to leave your vehicle.  The beginning of the trail is well marked and should be easy to find.

The Trail:
The trail is on the East side of the parking lot and has good signage.  This is a wilderness area, so no type of wheeled vehicle is allowed, which is a bit disapointing because it would make for a great mountain bike ride.  The trail starts out with a good climb, and maintains this grade for quite a bit of the trail, however there are just a few spots where the trail levels out for a moment giving your calves a bit of a rest.

After about 1/10 of a mile you will see a trail split off to the left. This trail crosses the river below and makes its way to the base of Horse Tail Falls.  This trail is more narrow and there is a lot more up and down.  I haven’t taken this trail all the way to Horse Tail Falls yet, but will update with new information once I get to it.

The main trail is about a roads width for much of the way and has a few spots where it splits and then rejoins.  Much of the trail has good tree cover which is especially nice if you hike it during the middle of the day.  About a quarter mile into the hike you will see a post with no sign and a trail that heads off to the right and up the hillside.  This trail goes up the mountain to the top and is very steep.

The main trail continues up, up and up with a few stream crossings, all of which have small foot bridges, in case you don’t want to get your feet wet.  At about the two mile mark
will come to a fork on the trail.  Head left to continue to the top of the falls, or you can head right to access the North Mountain or Deer Creek – Dry Creek Trail.  On the left side of the trail you will notice a small game trail that heads down and through the bushes and trees.  This small game trail will take you to the bottom of Horse Tail falls, but requires a little bit of bush whacking.

Continue on the main trail and you will climb just a bit more until you are up above the falls.  From here you can get a decent look at the falls, but for the best view you may want to take one of many game trails down to the base of the falls.  You can also head back down the trail to take the game trail to the base of the falls that is just across from the signed junction.

The Falls:

Horse Tail Falls is about 35 feet high and is well worth the hike up to see it.  It is a little more spectacular looking during the run-off season as there is more water, but even in dry years it is a sight not to be missed.  Just above the falls the river moves swiftly as it cuts through the canyon rock.  If you do decide to explore around the falls, carefully plan your route down and up, as the rock can be a little slick due to the moisture and humidity of the falls.


The trailhead is found at the end of Grove Drive (200 East) in Alpine. The small parking lot has been recently enlarged, but often fills up on Saturday mornings.

Access to the trail at the mouth of Dry Creek canyon was blocked in July 2013 by mudslides; but the path has been rerouted and cleared.

From the parking lot, follow the trail that heads initially to the north, passing a Forest Service notice board, but then immediately turns northeast toward a canyon.

Early on, you have views far above you of Lone Peak to the left and Pfeifferhorn (“The Little Matterhorn”) straight ahead. The trail bypasses the washed-out area and then proceeds up the canyon, on the right side (east) of the streambed. The trail is wide and exposed for the first portion, then narrows as it enters pine and aspen forests.

As the trail climbs upward, it crosses several streams that flow down from the ridge on your right. In the summer, the streams will normally be small or dried up. But in the spring and after storms, they can have stronger flows. Most now have narrow log bridges to help cross.

After a little over a mile, you reach an open grassy area called Shingle Mill Flat. This is a popular camping area on Friday evenings. Deer and moose have been seen along the trail in these areas in recent weeks. After the flat, there are a number of splits in the trail but they merge back together after a few hundred yards, so take your pick, as long as you are continuing to head the same general direction up the canyon. Staying to the left on your way up often provides better views of the canyon ahead.

After about 1.7 miles, you come to a rocky ledge on the trail with a spectacular view of the falls and the mountains above and beyond. Stop here for a rest and some photos, but be careful with children and the cliff to your left. Not far above this point there is a fork in the trail with a sign, where the Deer Creek/Dry Creek trail heads off to the east; stay left.

If you want to go near the falls and experience its thundering power up close (recommended!), you have two options. About 30 or 40 yards after the trail fork, look for a dirt embankment and scramble down the hillside. You’ll follow some game trails through a swampy area and some brush, but it soon opens up and you’ll be able to find your way near to the falls. Be cautious about the cliffs near the water.

A second option is to stay on the main trail for a few hundred yards and watch for a smaller trail that cuts sharply off to the left and up a ridge. That trail will take you to the top of the cascade, where you’ll have some spectacular views of the stream approaching the dropoff. Experienced hikers can carefully make their way down from this area to the base of the falls and then follow the previous route in reverse to loop back to the main trail. On your way down, enjoy the beautiful vista of Utah Valley spread out before you.

Details: About 4 miles round trip, with over 1,500-foot elevation gain. Plan on 3-4 hours, allowing time for exploring, relaxing, taking pictures and enjoying the peace and beauty of the setting.

When to hike: In the summer, the trail is hot in the daytime in spite of the shade along the way. There is water in several places, but in general, don’t drink it unless you filter or treat it first. You might want to go early in the morning or in the evening to avoid the heat. In the early spring, be prepared for lots of runoff in the side streams, making them more of a challenge to cross. In the winter, snowshoes or microspikes will still make this a delightful experience.

How to get there: From I-15, take the Alpine/Highland Exit 284 and proceed east on Highway 92 (Timpanogos Highway) toward American Fork Canyon. After about 5 miles, turn left in Highland on 5300 West. Go straight through at the traffic circle, onto Main Street. Turn right at 200 North, then left on 200 East (Grove Drive). Stay on this road until it dead ends at the trailhead.


The trail is fairly wide and easy for the first half-mile. The trail then slits and narrows. You'll want to stay to the left and go down a steep hill to the side of the river. Here the trail may look like a dead end, but if you continue on you'll come to a log bridge where you need to cross the river.

Because of the large amounts of run-off this spring, the river is quite high and we nearly missed seeing the bridge.

From the river crossing, the trail steadily gains in elevation. From the trailhead to the Horsetail Falls viewpoint, the elevation gain is 1,307 feet.

The trail splits in a few locations, but to get to the Horsetail Falls overlook, you need to always stay to the left.

As the trail goes on you'll find Dry Creek in the canyon below you. At about 1.7 miles you'll reach the overlook and a great view of Horsetail Falls. At 1.9 miles, there is another fork. The trail to the left looks like an animal trail, but it actually takes you to the top of Horsetail Falls.

If you continue along the trail you can eventually get to a junction that will take you either to North Mountain (on the left) or Granite Flats (the trail on the right.)

As you head back down Horsetail Falls, keep a careful look out for the bridge back across the river. If you miss the turn-off, you'll end up bushwhacking your way to a barbed-wire fence that signals the end of forest service land.