Horsetail Falls - Dry Canyon

Horsetail Falls is a somewhat short hike located near Alpine, UT. The hike has good elevation gain and will make you work a bit to get there. The reward is worth the effort as you arrive at the falls and take a great view while being refreshed in the mist of the falls. The trail is straightforward and easy to follow.

Follow the Dry Creek Trail (also known as the Deer Canyon Trail) from its starting point in Alpine. There are signs at the trailhead showing the main trails, as well as trails that depart from the primary path headed to Box Elder Peak, among other destinations. The main trail is wide and easy to follow. It ascends fairly consistently over the course of the hike. You can hear the river in the canyon below to the North, but typically the vegetation is  too thick to see the river itself. 

Around a mile, you come to a short flat section with a large boulder on the South/East side of the trail. This is a great place to take a shaded break, let the kids play and even practice your bouldering skills.

Just past the 1.5 mile point, there is a short side trail that breaks off to a great view of the falls in the distance. Many people are tempted to stop here, but it is worth the effort to keep pushing and get to the falls themselves.

Continue on the main trail and around 1.75 miles you will cross a stream that has a crude log bridge across it. Great place to cool down on a hot day. A few hundred yards past the stream, there is a trail sign showing the direction of the Deer Creek-Dry Canyon Trail and the North Mountain Trail. The sign indicates to stay right for both. Someone has carved into the sign "FALLS" with an arrow to the left. Follow the well traveled, but less official trail as indicated. 100 yards ahead, there is another informal path that drops steeply off the left side with a rope for a hand hold. If you wish to go to the bottom of the main falls, follow this path for less than a quarter mile. 

If you wish to go to the top of the falls, continue on the path straight until you reach a switch back with a path to the left up the hill and across the ridgeline. All throughout this area there are foot paths that all essentially lead you to the river and the top of the falls. From the top, you can navigate down to the bottom of the falls without going to back to the main foot path, then loop back out the foot path with the rope support. 

All in all, a great hike that will give you a good work out or that you can take a slower pace with your kids on.