If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten-path adventure in Payson Canyon, Utah, you should check out Double Falls. Double Falls is a wonderful hidden waterfall, tucked behind breathtaking golden aspen trees. Even though the trail is less than a mile long, it is packed full of beauty and fun, and we think it is totally worth a visit.
Double Falls Trailhead
39.943000, -111.656691
Big dirt area for parking
Free
There are no restrooms here.
Dogs are allowed, but we don’t recommend taking them down the rope to the waterfalls.
0.8 miles R.T.
147 ft
Easy to Moderate
Takes an average of 30 minutes to 1 hour
The best time to do this hike is in the fall. This trail is full of aspen trees, and they are spectacular in the fall.
Since there’s no signage for the Double Falls Trail trailhead, it is a bit tricky to find. We put the coordinates for the trailhead above, so you can use them to GPS your way there. To get to the Double Falls trailhead, drive about 9.8 miles up Payson Canyon. Here, you’ll reach a pullout for Lower Jones Ranch Trailhead. If you’re going up the canyon, it is on the left side. There is a large dirt lot with a big sign and some camping options. There is tons of parking here. The map board won’t help you find the Double Falls Trail, but you can park there.
To find the trailhead, go toward the very back of the parking area, to the areas that are used for camping. Don’t follow the road winding downhill. You’ll need to walk to the smaller camping area on the right. Pretty much, you’ll need to walk with your back to the sign. Once you pass a large firepit, you should see a small trail. From here, it is a short distance to a stream crossing. If you see the stream crossing, you’re on the right trail.
We pulled into the parking lot for Lower Jones Ranch after finishing Grotto Falls. After parking, we made our way to the trailhead. The trailhead was a bit hard to find, but not too bad. Once we found the fire pit, we found the trail with no issue. The stream crossing wasn’t that bad either. It could be that we came in November, so the flow wasn’t as bad.
After we crossed the stream, we were greeted by our first aspen trees. The leaves on these trees are almost mesmerizing, and it hardly takes any wind at all to make the golden leaves dance. You’ll be surrounded by the Aspen trees for about 0.3 miles. The further we hiked in, the more the aspen trees became plentiful. This is definitely a trail that you will want to bring your camera on.
The first 0.2 miles were fairly flat, with just a small descent into the valley. However, after that, the trail got steeper. During the dry months, this won’t be a problem. Unfortunately, it rained off and on during our visit. So, the ground was pretty muddy and slippery. Even our La Sportiva shoes struggled to gain traction. Some hills had boulders you could use for grip, but other hills were just mud and loose soil. Somehow, both of us managed to stay upright.
At 0.4 miles, the trail splits, with one ending at the top of the stream. To get to Double Falls, we followed the other trail to continue down the mountain. If you really want to go down to the bottom of Double Falls, there is a slippery path. Someone tied a rope there to help people descend. From the top, you can’t see much of the falls. However, the way down can be sketchy and very slippery, especially if there was recent rain. Only attempt this if you’re 100% sure you are capable.
We, of course, made our way down the rope. It was so muddy that we got mud everywhere. However, the Double Falls was definitely worth the effort. The waterfall has 2 stages, with each stage around 20ft tall. This trail was so off the beaten path that we were the only ones here. Sadly, we didn’t get to spend much time here. The weather started to turn, so we hurried back to the car. The climb back up was much easier than the climb down.
For such a short hike, we really like Double Falls Trail. I guess we just really like hikes with fun obstacles. If you’re driving the Nebo Loop Scenic Drive, check out Grotto Falls. It is a beautiful short stop. If you love aspen trees, we recommend hiking Stewart Falls or Bridal Veil Falls. The views on these two hikes are beautiful in the autumn. We also love Letchworth State Park.
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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