Calf Creek Falls - Upper
Calf Creek Falls is one of the most enchanting areas of the Grand Staircase-Escalante area, a verdant oasis amid the tumbled stone monoliths of the desert.
*Recommended guides:
The Wildland Trekking Company →
Utah Slickrock Guides →
Named for its use as a natural pen for calves back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the creek remained relatively unknown as a tourist destination until the formation of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, under the Clinton administration. Walking between mineral-streaked cliffs of Navajo Sandstone, hikers pass beaver ponds and pre-historic rock art sites en route to the paradisiacal pools.
The trailhead is located at the Calf Creek Campground on Highway 12, 11 miles south of the town of Boulder, and 15 miles east of the town of Escalante. The highway follows the route of the creek for most of the distance, atop the bluff to the east of the canyon.
Upper Calf Creek Falls Trailhead
(37.854408, -111.434696)
The trailhead is located at the south end of the Hogsback on Highwat 12, below Boulder, and drops off the west side of a white sandstone bluff, descending into the creek below. Though the trail is not long, it is very steep—dropping 500 feet from the road, down into the creek—and difficult to navigate in some areas, requiring stamina, and rock-scrambling talent.