Water Canyon Trail in Hildale, Utah is a beautiful hike that offers spectacular views of pools, slot-like passageways, waterfalls, and much more. One of the things we love about this hike is that you can tailor it to fit your abilities. If you prefer a fairly easy and beautiful hike, you can go up to the waterfall at the end of the slot canyon and turn back. From the waterfall to White Dome, the trail becomes strenuous. There are many sections along the trails that are fairly narrow with sheer drop-offs. Others will require scrambling with the use of both hands. However, the views are definitely a pay-off! Water Canyon trail is also a popular canyoneering route, check it out here if you’re interested.
Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surround areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!
Stats
Where
Water Canyon Trail trailhead:
Water Canyon Rd, Hildale, UT 84784
37°02’16.8″N 112°57’19.3″W
Waterfall at the end of the slot canyon:
37°03’02.1″N 112°57’42.0″W
Parking
There is a small dirt lot right in front of the trailhead. If that is full, you can either park on the side of the road or backtrack down the road for another smaller parking area. If you park on the side of the road, please make sure to pull over all the way so cars can pass.
Restroom
There is pit toilet at the trailhead.
Fee
Free
Weather
Distance
To White Domes: 6+ miles R.T.
To the waterfall: 2.7 miles R.T.
Elevation Gain
To White Domes: 2,112 ft
To the waterfall: 550 ft
Level
Moderate to the waterfall.
Difficult from the waterfall too White Domes.
Time:
2 – 8 hours depends on how far you go.
Pet-friendly
Dog are allowed but they need to be on leash. We saw tons of dogs hiking to the waterfall at the end of the slot canyon, however, we wouldn’t recommend bringing your pups past that part.
Ideal Weather
Spring – The water level will be higher and colder than usual. This is a nice time to hike, as you may see a number of waterfalls.
Summer – VERY HOT! Make sure to leave early to avoid the heat. The hike out will be in full sun. The upper section of the hike is extremely exposed. It is best to AVOID a summer afternoon hike here.
Fall – A great time to hike Water Canyon trail.
Winter – Usually cold, snowy, and icy. Trail is dangerous and is not recommended unless conditions are unseasonably warm and dry.
Video
The Adventure
Getting to the Trailhead
Water Canyon trailhead is located on Water Canyon Road in Hildale, Utah. You should be able to use GPS to map your way there. Water Canyon Road is a gravel road for a short distance, then becomes a dirt road for the rest of the way. This dirt road can be rutted and bumpy. It is also impassable when wet. The parking and the trailhead for the Water Canyon trail is located at the end of this dirt road, right after a small reservoir.
Hiking to the Canyon and Waterfall
We started our hike for the Water Canyon trail a bit later in the evening, which actually was perfect because it was a pretty warm day. The trail starts out fairly flat and full of soft sand. That doesn’t last too long. Soon enough, the trail starts to gain elevation. We also had to scramble past boulders and tree roots. Be careful when you’re scrambling through the rocks and boulders. The silty sand can make the boulders slippery. There seems to be multiple trails along the way, however, they either take you down to the stream or merge back together. You won’t get lost as long as you hike along the stream toward the narrowing canyon.
Water Canyon trail is quite beautiful as it snakes above the stream, through juniper trees, tall red cliffs, and then winds over small gullies. Don’t forget to look above on the right for the super cool arch. Depending on the season, the Water Canyon trail can be full of greenery, beautiful wildflowers, and even wild blackberries. In fact, part of the trail is actually cut through patches of wild blackberries. Watch out for thorns as you walk through it. Don’t forget to look back at the beautiful valleys behind you as you climb higher.
After a mile or so, you’ll start to see the tall canyon walls, rising up on both sides. The closer you get, the more impressive these canyon walls will become. We followed the rocky trail as it dropped down into this gorgeous canyon. Depending on the season, this whole area can either be full of water or mostly dry with small puddles. It can be very slippery here because of the mud and the moss-covered rocks so be careful when you hike through this section. We recommend wearing good hiking shoes with great traction. For hikes with water and mud, we love using our approach shoes. These approach shoes are meant for canyoneering but they are amazing for hiking in the water and give great traction on slippery muddy rocks.
The Canyon and Waterfall
This section of the Water Canyon trail is beautiful! It is incredible being in the middle of the towering canyon walls. It made us feel so tiny. It also reminds us of the subway in Zion. These canyon walls are really interesting. The bottoms of the walls are wet and mossy. It looks like the water is seeping through the wall itself, creating the dark vertical streaks running all the way down. The canyon looks completely different depending on the seasons.
As we walked further, the canyon walls narrowed in. There is a running stream/waterfall to the right. We followed the stream and climbed up the super slippery rocky area, toward the left. You’ll want to stay left as you climb out of this narrow section onto a plateau. The view on top of the plateau is really pretty. When the water flow is higher, there might be a bigger waterfall flowing down from the cliff above. Most people spend some time here exploring the area and then hike back.
The Hike to the Top of the Canyon
Even though it looks like a dead-end at the plateau, if you’re up for it, you can actually hike all the way up to White Dome. From this point, the Water Canyon trail is considered strenuous. It is full of narrow sections with sheer drop-offs, steep elevation gain, and areas that require bouldering using both hands. Unless you’re an experienced hiker or canyoneer, we recommend turning back. However, if you are up for it, it is a must! On our first time here, we turned back after spending time at the plateau as we ran out of daylight. We also knew that we would come back for canyoneering in two weeks.
Once you climb up to the plateau above the canyon floor, look for a narrow trail that will lead you up the left side of the canyon. This trail can be slippery and very narrow, sometimes less than a foot wide. At times, it seems to disappear, however, if you look closely, you’ll find it again. Although there are no official signs, there are rock cairns along the way, marking the correct trail for you to follow. At certain spots, we have to climb up a few tall ledges. It helps if you have some climbing skills or have people help pull you up.
At this point, the Water Canyon trail gets steep pretty fast. There are multiple switchbacks along the way. As we hiked higher, the view becomes extra beautiful. We can see the whole canyon and the upper plateau from up here. There is no shade here so it can get extremely warm on a hot day. Once you reach the top, the trail fades. From up here, you’ll get an almost 360 view of the surrounding area. This is a perfect place for a quick lunch before heading back.
If you want to hike to White Dome from here, you will need a reliable GPS system, bring a compass, and know how to find your way. There are no trails to follow. You’ll probably want to bring camping gear as It is also a very long strenuous day hike.
As for canyoneers, you’ll follow a different route back to the canyon for your rappels. We’ll cover this in our upcoming article.
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
adventure gear
Good hiking shoes are recommended on these adventures. Vy uses the Merrell Women’s Moab 2 hiking boots
Dustin’s shoes are Targhee III Waterproof
There isn’t a lot of shade in the desert. Make sure to use lots of sunscreens! We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30.
Face sunscreen is also important. We love these tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
You need to bring a lot of water for this hike. Especially if you do the full hike. Vy loves the Camelback L.U.X.E.
For shorter hikes, the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L is perfect to hold water and your essentials.
If you want something lighter, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket
As mentioned above, these La Sportiva TX3 approach shoes are awesome for hiking through water. They have excellent traction on wet rocks and muddy area.
This is the male version of the La Sportiva TX3.
other things to bring
Always good to bring some snacks with you. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
camera gear
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