Lisa Falls - Little Cottonwood Canyon

Lisa Falls, located up Little Cottonwood Canyon, is a short and easy hike that all will enjoy. While the waterflow varies, the Spring snow melt months of March and April are the best times to visit Lisa Falls. It is very child-friendly and even allows for some easy and fun boulder hopping if you’d like. Since it is such a short hike, it can be done in conjunction with other day hikes up Little Cottonwood Canyon.

Lisa Falls Hike Details

Distance – 0.45 miles roundtrip
Approximate hiking time – 30 minutes to 1 hour
Elevation at trailhead – 6516 feet
Elevation at Lisa Falls – 6644 feet
Elevation gain – 128 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – Dirt and rock, some easy boulder hopping
Amount of water recommended – 1 liter
Bathrooms – None
Season to hike – Late March to early November
Permits – None needed
Pets – Not permitted

How to get there:

From Salt Lake City or from Provo, take I-15 to the 9000 South exit (Exit 295). Turn east onto 9000 South (UT-209) and follow it for 7.2 miles to the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Even though you stay on the same road, 9000 South changes to 9400 South and then to 9600 South as it heads east and goes into Little Cottonwood Canyon. Arriving at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon, you come to a junction with Wasatch Blvd from the north. Turn right at this junction which will continue up Little Cottonwood Canyon. Continue up Little Cottonwood Canyon Road for 2.7 miles, which is between mileposts 6 and 7. You’ll see a small parking area on the right side of the road, followed by a small parking area on the left side of the road. Park on the left side of the road if possible, as the trail to Lisa Falls starts there.

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

Hitting the Trail!

There isn’t a sign for Lisa Falls at the start of the trailhead, probably because Lisa Falls does not flow year-around. The soaring cliffs that Lisa Falls descends are popular rock climbing spots and it is common to see climbers above the falls. While the rock looks like granite, it is actually quartz monzonite, which is very similar to granite.

Spring runoff along the Lisa Falls trail

The trail is very easy to follow. It heads straight for Lisa Falls, and during the Spring runoff, there is a small stream that parallels the trail on the left. After hiking for only a couple of minutes, you’ll reach Lisa Falls. It is a unique waterfall as it cascades along the smooth face of the quartz monzonite cliffs above. Lisa Falls provides a high reward for little effort, which is always a bonus.

View from the base of Lisa Falls

This is a great hike to do in combination with some other shorter hikes in Little Cottonwood Canyon, as the hike to Lisa Falls and back will take less than an hour.

What should you bring?