Gordon Creek Falls

We found a new waterfall today near Price, Utah. Gordon Creek Falls is a short easy hike to a double cascade that is definitely worth the trip. It is only around 2.5 miles round trip, and you can stand right at the brink of the waterfall. To shorten the distance a bit, you can stop at the overlook instead of walking all the way to the falls.

Once you reach the trailhead (see directions below) you may be tempted to drive down the road, which doubles as the trail. We would not recommend this. You could continue in an “on road vehicle” for a couple of hundred yards, but before long, the trail turns down toward the creek, and you’d need a four-wheeler to make it. It is steep, soft, and the clearance is terrible. We were glad we’d parked at the sign and walked down.

Watch for this sign and then park at the small parking area to the right.
The road looks okay at first, but it quickly turns ugly. Walk down from the parking area.

The trail follows the ATV trail as it winds down to the creek, which you have to cross. We found a well-placed rock and got across without any trouble, and that was when the water was high with Spring runoff. In summer, this creek will be much smaller.

The trail is entirely on this dirt road.
This large hill is early on in the hike. You head down, so you’ll be hiking back up on the way to your car.
We enjoyed walking along the cliffs and watching the birds.

Since this trail is basically a road, there isn’t much shade, so make sure you take plenty of water and sunscreen. A hat is a great idea, too.

From the creek bottom, the trail climbs up fairly steeply as it winds along the creek. You can’t really get lost since you stick with the road, and as you began to level out, you can hear the waterfall in the distance. As you come around the point, the falls come into view.

The creek isn’t very wide, so it’s easy to cross.
There is a steep climb after the creek before it levels off.
The hike isn’t shady at all, so be prepared.
You will be able to hear the waterfall and catch a few glimpses as you get closer.

Gordon Creek Falls is a really nice double cascade, and though the water was really muddy when we visited, it was still beautiful. The water drops around ten feet, pools briefly, and then cascades in a veil for another 60 or so feet. If you follow the road around, you can go right to the top of falls and even dip a toe in. Obviously you’ll want to watch little ones closely if you do this. We only touched the water above the falls where it was slow and shallow.

The view from the overlook is nice, but it’s better to finish the hike all the way to the waterfall.
The waterfall is really tall. Can you see our little family standing up near the top?
We walked to the top of the waterfall and you can see how muddy it looks in the Spring.
This is looking down the larger cascade of Gordon Creek Falls.
We walked along the river for a minute and our boys had to touch the water.

Though Gordon Creek Falls was a bit of a drive from Utah County, it was a great stop just minutes from Price. We have detailed directions to this beautiful waterfall below. And if you head down to this area, make a day of it by visiting Nine Mile Canyon or the Buckhorn Wash.

Gordon Creek Falls is a great waterfall hike.

Directions

From the Wasatch Front, take Highway 6 toward Price for 62 miles. Turn right onto Consumer’s Road. Follow that road for 2.8 miles until you come to an unmarked road on the left (south). The dirt road is easily passable by car, and your only going 3.4 miles to the trailhead. Stay on the main dirt road as you go through the dry wash and across the tracks. There is a sign and small parking area for Gordon Creek Trail on the right.

Leave a Reply