Scout Falls

Scout Falls, located up American Fork Canyon, is reached by using the Timpooneke Trailhead. This hike is short enough to be back to your car in just a couple of hours, or you can see it on your way to the summit of Mount Timpanogos.

Scout Falls Hike Details

Distance – 3.0 miles roundtrip
Approximate hiking time – 2.5 to 4 hours
Elevation at trailhead – 7365 feet
Elevation at the Falls – 8190 feet
Elevation gain – 825 feet
Difficulty – Moderate, because of some tricky parts at the top of the trail.
Trail – well maintained trail of dirt and rocks.
Amount of water recommended – 2 liters
Bathrooms – At the trailhead
Seasons to hike – Late Spring, Summer, and Fall
Permits needed – $6 fee paid at ranger booth
Pets allowed – Yes

How to get there:

If coming from Salt Lake City take Interstate 15 south and take Exit 284 Highland/Alpine. Turn left (East) onto UT-92 (also known as Timpanogos Highway) Head east on UT-92 for 12.5 miles. (Along the way you’ll pass through a fee station where it is $6 for a 3-day pass.)

If coming from Provo or farther south, take Interstate 15 north to Ext 275 (Pleasant Grove Blvd.) Turn right (east) on to Pleasant Grove Blvd and turn left (north) at the very first stoplight, only 0.3 of a mile after exiting the freeway. This road is 2000 W/N County Blvd. Continue on this road for 5.5 miles. (The name of this road will change several times along the way. Just stay on it until you reach UT-92/11000 North. Turn right (east) onto UT-92/11000 North and follow it for 6.2 miles up the canyon. (Along the way, you’ll pass through a fee station where it is $6 for a 3-day pass.)

Continue past the fee station for about 8 miles and then turn right onto FR-056 toward the Timpooneke Camp Ground. After 0.3 miles you will see a parking lot for the Mount Timpanogos Trailhead. You have arrived.

(I created a Google Map for this hike at the bottom of this post)

What to bring on this hike:
(Click on an item for more information)

Hitting the Trail!

From the parking lot you will have several trails available to you. You will also have bathroom facilities here if you need them. About 25 yards up the trail there is an information booth and several signs and maps to look at. The trail you want is the Timpooneke Trail to Mt. Timpanogos. It is a well traveled trail and you could have a lot of company, especially on the weekends. The hike is 7.5 miles to the top of Mt. Timpanogos. The turn off for Scout Falls is 1.5 miles from the trailhead and is clearly marked with a sign.

The trail is comfortable for hiking and easy to follow. There are very few level sections along the trail. Most of it is a steady up hill climb. The hike can be divided roughly into thirds. The first section takes you through shaded forests. Here it is quiet and peaceful. It helps you to appreciate “getting away” for a while.

The first part of the hike leads you through lush green foliage and aspens

After about a half mile you will transition from the forest into scrub oak, aspen, and bushes. You will have visibility down into the valley on your left. You begin to notice the noise from the wind in the trees as it rushes through the valley. As the trail opens up you will get your first glimpse of Scout Falls if you know where to look. It is still several hundred feet above you and at the far end of the valley. It looks like two small fingers of water against a dark background. This, of course, depends on the time of year for your visit and the amount of water going over the falls. You can get a clear view of the part of the trail you are now on when you look back down the valley from Scout Falls.

Looking back toward the trailhead you enjoy beautiful views

About half way to the Falls, the trail turns back to the left, narrows a bit, and eases back into some trees. Here you will find some interesting rocks to hike around and a couple of natural areas to sit down for a rest. The last third of the trail is characterized by water and a lot of vegetation. You will also begin to hear water from the Falls and from all around you. You will see several stream crossings and may even see some areas of water on the trail itself. Some of the streams seem to be runoff from above and others seem to be from springs. On our last visit to the Falls, we counted seven water crossings along the trail. Just past the largest water crossing, you will see the first switch back on the trail. It is a sharp turn to the right. A false trail goes to the left and will come out below the Falls. This is not an approved trail and will require the hiker to climb on loose rocks, which can be quite dangerous.

The approved trail goes to the west and south. You have about .25 miles to go from here to the Falls. You will walk on a couple of wooden “bridges” that have been erected to preserve the trail and to prevent erosion. After a bit you will see another sharp switch back to the left and one more stream crossing before you come to the sign for Scout Falls. The trail to Mt. Timpanogos turns to the right and Scout Falls is straight ahead.

The trail to Scout Falls will take you under refreshing small runoff,

This next section of the trail is only 200 yards or so, but there are some difficult areas, especially for kids. This section of the trail is why we rate this a moderate hike over all. You should exercise caution on this part of the trail, especially if traveling with kids. You will have to climb up and over some tree roots on the trail. You will also have to negotiate an area of the trail that is about 30 feet long, has a rock wall on the right, and has an unprotected drop off on the left side. The trail is very narrow here. Just beyond the narrow part you will get a good view of the falls. The trail continues to the base of the falls, but there it is wet and quite slippery. You will have to decide if you want to continue or just take your pictures from here.