Lower Calf Creek Falls: hike length and fee
Lower Calf Creek Falls drops 126 feet into a sandstone amphitheater at the end of a 6-mile round-trip hike through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, mostly across sand with little shade along the way. The trailhead sits inside the BLM's Calf Creek Recreation Area, off Highway 12 about 15 miles east of Escalante, where a $5 per-vehicle day-use fee applies. It's one of the stops in our waterfalls in Utah guide; for other states, start from the waterfalls near me map.
Fact box
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37.829°N, 111.420°W, Garfield County, per USGS GNIS (GNIS-1429974) |
| Height | 126 ft (Bureau of Land Management, as of September 2026) |
| Trail length | 6.0 miles round trip, on a developed trail adjacent to Calf Creek (BLM, as of September 2026) |
| Difficulty | Moderately difficult, due to sandy sections; the hike can be hot (BLM) |
| Fee | $5.00 per vehicle, day use (BLM, as of September 2026) |
| Trailhead | Calf Creek Recreation Area, off Highway 12, about 15 miles east of Escalante |
| Legal status | Public, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (BLM) |
| Season | No seasonal closure noted in the sources we checked (September 2026); heat makes this an early start in warm months, see Before you go |
| Nearby | Upper Calf Creek Falls, a separate BLM trailhead a few miles farther north on Highway 12 toward Boulder (not covered on this page) |
Getting there and the hike
The trail starts at the Calf Creek Recreation Area, off Highway 12 about 15 miles east of Escalante, where hikers pay a day-use fee of $5.00 per vehicle (BLM, Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail). From there, "the 6.0 mile round trip hike to the 126 foot lower falls is on a developed trail adjacent to Calf Creek," per the Bureau of Land Management, which also notes the hike is moderately difficult due to sandy sections. Most of the route runs across open sand with little shade, and there's no reliable water source along the way; in warm months the timing matters more than the mileage. The BLM's own description says as much: the hike can be hot.
The falls
Lower Calf Creek Falls drops 126 feet into a sandstone amphitheater inside Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. A separate BLM trailhead a few miles farther north on Highway 12, toward Boulder, reaches Upper Calf Creek Falls by its own, shorter route into a different stretch of the canyon; it's a different trip with its own trailhead and isn't covered on this page.
How this guide was researched
This page was compiled from the Bureau of Land Management's official Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail page. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Fees and trail conditions can change. Last checked September 2026.
FAQ
How long is the hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls?
6.0 miles round trip on a developed trail adjacent to Calf Creek, with sandy sections that make it moderately difficult (BLM).
How much does it cost to hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls?
$5.00 per vehicle for day use at the BLM's Calf Creek Recreation Area trailhead (as of September 2026).
How tall is Lower Calf Creek Falls?
126 feet, dropping into a sandstone amphitheater (BLM).
Is the Lower Calf Creek Falls hike hard?
The BLM rates it moderately difficult because of the sandy sections. Heat on the exposed route is a bigger factor than the distance.
Is there a shorter waterfall hike nearby?
Upper Calf Creek Falls has its own trailhead a few miles farther north on Highway 12, toward Boulder. It's the shorter of the two hikes, but a separate trip.
We haven't visited these places ourselves, and every page says so rather than implying otherwise. Details are compiled from public land-manager, USGS and NOAA sources and cross-checked where possible; conditions, access rules and fees change without notice, so confirm with the managing agency before you go. Page last checked September 2026. Read our full methodology.