Lower Pine Creek Waterfall Trail
Zion Canyon National Park, UtWaterfalls, Bouldering, and Stream Jumping
Difficulty: Easy to Hard
Length: 0.6-0.8 mi
Elevation Gain: 20-60 ft
Approximate Hiking Time: 0.5 -1 hr
Features: Waterfall
Nearest Town: Springdale, Ut
Lower Pine Creek Waterfall Trail is a fun, short hike between the canyon walls to a pretty waterfall. If you’re up for it, there’s some fun bouldering at the end of the trail to get up close to the waterfall. It’s still possible to see the waterfall without bouldering though.
- Trail Condition 30%
- Usage 75%
- Trail Head Easy to Find 60%
- Kid Friendly 40%
Hike Highlights
1. Pine Creek Waterfall
The trail ends at a pretty cascading waterfall with crystal clear water. If you don’t want to climb the slickrock it’s still possible to see the waterfall from a distance.
2. Pine Creek
The trail follows Pine Creek as it runs between the canyon walls. There are a couple small creek crossings on the trail.
3. Bouldering
There is a small and relatively easy bouldering section where you climb some steep slickrock and crawl under a large boulder. If you’re comfortable… it’s really fun!
Hike Overview
Trailhead Directions
The trailhead is unmarked and located inside Zion National Park.
To reach the trailhead follow the Zion Mount Carmel Hwy past the Zion Canyon Scenic drive and over the bridge to the first U-turn on the highway. About 0.5 mi past the turn off for the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive you’ll find a scenic pullout at the next bridge on the highway passing over Pine Creek.
The only trailhead markers are a couple of garbage cans and the pullout at the Pine Creek bridge.
Hike Details
From the trailhead follow the trail between the canyon walls following Pine Creek as it winds its way through the canyon.
There are a lot of social trails through the canyon, but stick to the centermost and you’ll be fine. You really can’t get lost, but it gets annoying crisscrossing back and forth on these trails. The trail crosses Pine Creek a couple of times, but the crossings are really easy.
After 0.3 miles you’ll come to a point where you can get a peek at the waterfall, but will need to climb up a 10ft tall steep slickrock slope to continue to the base of the waterfall.
The creek reaches a point where the water gets really deep (at least in Feb). I wouldn’t recommend continuing from this point through the creek due to this really deep section, but rather climb up the slick rock if you want a close up look.
Once you’re up on the ledge continue to follow the path in through the canyon.
Much of the remainder of the distance is bouldering, using hands and feet to climb over rocks. With a fun crawl under a huge boulder propped up by smaller ones.
The view at the base of the waterfall is beautiful and worth the trip if you’re up for some climbing.
Why is this hike rated easy to moderate?
The trail to the viewpoint of the waterfall is easy. It’s a flat and short walk with just a couple stream crossings that are pretty easy.
If you choose to continue on to the base of the waterfall for the final 0.1 miles the hike is rated as hard. It will involve nouldering, climbing with hands and feet.
More Hikes to Choose From
Check out this and more hikes in and around Zion Canyon National Park and Springdale.
Kolob Arch, Kolob Canyon Zion National Park, Ut
Hike to Kolob Arch, the third longest arch and 6th longest natural bridge or arch in the world spanning 287ft long and 75ft wide.
Archeology Trail, Zion Canyon National Park, Ut
Difficulty: Easy
Length: 0.4 mi
Elevation Gain: 50 ft
Archeology Trail is an easy introductory hike with pretty views of the surrounding area and information about the ancestral Puebloan people.
Watchman Trail, Zion Canyon National Park, Ut
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 3.2 mi
Elevation Gain: 640 ft
The Watchman Trail offers views of Zion Canyon, Springdale, and the surrounding area for those who reach the top.