I have been to Stewart falls so many times I don’t think I can narrow it down to just one experience. The good news is, even having hiked it dozens of times I’m still not sick of it!

 

Located at the base of Mt. Timpanogas the hike offers an amazing experience without having to drive to far away from the city. I will warn you up front however, the hike is very well known and is very close to Aspen Grove and the Sundance Ski Resort so there can be a lot of other hikers on the trail, especially on the weekends.

Even with the extra traffic, the hike is a ton of fun and a great place to take the family.

 

To get to the trial, get off I-15 at exit 272 and follow 800 North in Orem up into Provo Canyon. You will drive about 4.5 miles until you reach a tunnel and shortly after you will take a left up towards the Sundance Ski Resort. Pass the resort and Aspen Grove until you reach the rangers fee station (where there is a small charge to get into the state park) and then take a left into the parking lot. The trailhead is on the southwest side behind the bathrooms.

 

The trailhead is marked by a sign that says “Stewarts Cascades” and will take you southwest towards Mt. Timpanogas and then wrap back around the opposite direction along the ridge of the hill. Make sure you don’t go west for to long otherwise you will eventually end up on top of Timp. You will know you’re on the right path after about 5 or 10 minutes when you walk past the water tank along side the trail.

 

The hike itself isn’t difficult. There is a slight incline for about a mile into the hike but then it gradually begins to descend until you reach the waterfalls. There are a few steep hills along the trails but nothing you will have to worry about. The hike is great for all ages and is very family friendly.

 

This canyon is beautiful; I’m always stunned at how green it is even in the middle of July. The trail goes up through the pine trees, opens up to a gorgeous view of the canyon and then drops you back into a jungle of aspen trees and ferns. I guess I should probably note that there is a lot of stinging nettle up here so be careful if you decide to go off trail.

 

Eventually you will begin to hear the roar of the waterfall and know you are close. Keep your eyes up because when you come around the bend you will be able to see the top of Stewart falls as well as another small waterfall just off to the south. The trail comes out onto a small Cliffside above the waterfall that is great for pictures so make sure you take advantage of it. Once you’re ready to get down to the base of the falls just follow the trail to the left of the outcropping, it’s the easiest safest way to get down.

 

The waterfall itself is a two-tiered cascade facing to the east of the canyon so if your planning on getting wet make sure you go in the afternoon, it can get kind of cold in the shadow of the cliffs. There are multiple ways to get up on top of the first tier of the waterfall, the safest being to climb up to the right and follow the path along the cliffs. There is a way to get up there right next the waterfall but I wouldn’t recommend it cause it can me wet and mossy making it a little slick and dangerous.

 

Whenever we go up we make sure to plan for time to play around, get wet and have a snack. Then when you are ready to go, just follow the same path you came up on.

 

We’d love see pictures and hear about your experiences at Stewart Falls. Just connect with us through Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and share your adventure with us by using #xputah!