Family Friendly Utah Hike: Battle Creek Falls

Me and my dear friend Hannah + her babe at Battle Creek Falls

Hey friends! While not all the readers are local Utah folk, I am! And Darlybird is. And you may visit someday! So I give you: Family Friendly Utah Hikes! First up, Battle Creek Falls, located in Pleasant Grove, Utah. (About 40 minutes south of Salt Lake City, 20 minutes north of Provo). This relatively simple hike is a favorite for families and kids. Here are the details:

Distance: 1.4 miles out and back (according to alltrails.com) (1.5 miles according to my Garmin)

Elevation gain: 636 feet (according to alltrails.com)

Terrain/Environment: Dirt, some small loose rocks (especially on the steeper incline as you near the waterfall, so kids will probably need help, or at least heavy supervision, at that point). Most of the hike to the waterfall is just at a slight incline, so it's not bad at all. Some shade on the trail and a lot of shade at the waterfall itself, but be sure to wear sunscreen, use sunglasses, etc. as a lot of the trail is exposed.

Population: In the summertime (when school is out) and on the weekends, I’ve noticed there are plenty of people on the trail. This makes it a safe trail to do alone (because you won’t really be alone!) and also proves that tons of kids can handle this trail (albeit pretty slowly at times). I recommend using a hiking pack for babies.

Wildlife: I saw one moose years ago, but it was easy enough to turn around just fine. Besides that, the wildlife has been pretty mild when I’ve been there.

Other: I’ve done this hike alone, with kids ages 0-6, and with adults. If you’re looking for a shorter hike with a satisfying ending, this hike is for you! If you’re looking for a longer, challenging hike, keep going (but maybe not with kids) and you can get away from some of the crowds, connect to Dry Canyon, hike Mt. Baldy, and probably a lot more. There are a lot of possibilities with this trail, but the most straightforward hike is, obviously, Battle Creek Falls.

Have you done this hike? Any more tidbits that you'd like to share? Comment below!