Zion's Right Fork Waterfalls: Exploration in Depth + Trail Report

Zion's Right Fork has much more to offer than the stunning Double Falls

Zion National Park has a less-crowded, almost private canyon for exploration called the Right Fork.  Also known as the Great West Canyon, this Right Fork is just south of the Left Fork and the famous Subway.  This canyon is longer, deeper and requires more time to explore.  It's a full 6 miles of hiking just to reach the good stuff.

Doubles Falls is the first amazing sight you will find here.  There isn't a prettier waterfall in Zion National Park.  I would argue this is the prettiest waterfall in all of Utah.  The setting is serene and so remote.  I swam here on both my visits and loved the showers coming off the upper shelf.

Photography here is rich in possibilities.  This trip I took of photo of my wife and the canyon from behind the falls which you see above.  The water drops in 4 different wet sheets while I have a view down the Great West Canyon.  If you look closely at the center, you'll spy my wife sitting on a rock enjoying the peaceful area.  I'll include other pictures of this waterfall from other vantage points.  

Double Falls, a standard view from the approaching trail

Grasses and Double Falls:  a view from the far left side of the pool

Double Falls in the Larger Right Fork Canyon

Most people run out of time and energy after reaching the paradisiacal Double Falls.  I can't blame them for lingering here and then beginning the long trek out.  I kept going on this, my second journey, here.  To bypass Double Falls, you walk back downstream about 100 meters and will find a steep path up the sandstone on the right which is also the south side on the canyon (all directions will be oriented if you are hiking upstream — to the canyon right is on the right of the stream as you hike up the canyon, got it?).

The trail between Double Falls and the next waterfall is through some trees, over loose canyon scree and generally higher up on the wall debris.  The river is left behind and you won't see it for awhile.  There is a trail albeit not obvious in all places.  After 20-30 minutes of bushwhacking, you'll drop down to "Boulder Falls" (named by me) or waterfall #2.

"Boulder Falls", Waterfall #2 up the Right Fork of Zion.  You can see why "boulder falls" is an appropriate name!

Boulder falls is lovely but also very rugged.  I walked around and waded too here but it's too shallow for a swim.  To bypass this set of boulders, you must hike again on the right (south) side above the falls.  On my way back, I looked at the north side as a quicker route.  I could find no safe way on that side and ended up backtracking to get on the south side trail again.  Those boulders would require a jump and a drop of many feet (6-10 or more) and that's a huge no-no in the backcountry.  A broken leg here would be disastrous!  Better to not take that risk.

Some other pictures of "Boulder Falls":

Here's a self portrait of me, an exhausted wet hiker at Boulder Falls.
I include this shot for perspective on those boulders.  They are 6 to 15 feet high
and too large to scale.  Best to bypass them on the right (South) side.

Boulder Falls — a closer view with blue skies above.

Above Boulder Falls are smaller waterways which were the best route upstream.  Here are 2 pictures of the typical "trail" in this section.

A slippery shelf of slickrock in the Right Fork

Deep pool but small waterfall in this part of the canyon

This section between Boulder Falls and the next waterfall is delightful, beautiful and you'll be so happy seeing what is around the next corner.  There are many views and all of them good.  The abundance of clear water in the desert is like a drug to me, a natural high.

Staying to the right and south isn't such a necessity in this section of the canyon.  I found myself crisscrossing the stream and working my way past successive obstacles.  Nothing was too challenging right here.  This eventually led to the beautiful #3 waterfall, which I'll name "Red Flower Waterfall".  That has a Zen ring to it and this place certainly leads the explorer to contemplate the perfection of such moments as these.

Red Flower Waterfall, Waterfall #3

Hiking around Red Flower Waterfall, this was my last view

As you can see from the above photo, this is another shelf waterfall and this time you bypass by hiking on the left or north side of the stream.  It's not much further before reaching the most picturesque waterfall of all.  I found this just before the end and have named it "Secret Oasis" but I guess the secret is out so maybe that's a poor name.

Secret Oasis in Zion's Right Fork, Waterfall #4

The walls here are getting constricting and close.  It's becoming more of a slot canyon and the end is near.  I discovered the lovely red flowers here again but changed to a wide-angle lens and inverted my tripod so I could get a very low perspective.  This allows the flowers to take a much larger part of the frame and emphasizes their delicate beauty in the midst of a greater surrounding.  This fourth waterfall is small but the flowers and the distant pine tree and cliffs make this my favorite photograph of the whole trip.

The same tall straight pine tree in this picture is also in my photo of Barrier Falls.  To reach Barrier Falls from the Secret Oasis, just climb around this small waterfall on the left (north).  This is an easy bypass and Barrier Falls is just a few feet away.

Imposing and silent: Barrier Falls in Right Fork of Zion.  Waterfall #5

Barrier Falls is named appropriately.  The long steep slope made slippery by seeping water makes this the end of the hike.  It is impossible to go further.  I had wondered if there might be some kind of bypass to Barrier Falls but there truly is not.  The canyon walls narrow here and make it impossible to circumvent this wonder.  So enjoy Barrier Falls.  You've made it as far as you can go and this lovely deep long pool is a great place to swim or rest or both.  The waterfall itself is not really that great because it simply seeps down the large rock face, never really collecting into a chute of water at any point.

If you've made it this far, you are probably tired but happy.  This hike is strenuous but highly rewarding and off the beaten path despite being in Zion National Park.

Gordon's hike rating:

Hike Difficulty:                   ★★★★★ Very Strenuous with Class 3 Scrambling

Trail Condition:                   ★ Poor:  Good route-finding and common sense is necessary

Trail Hazards:                      ★★★ Moderate:  Hip-deep water, steep slopes, bushes, boulders

Trailhead:                              Grapevine or Right Fork (Grapevine is better)

Time Required:                     All day hike, (minimum 10 hours to reach Double Falls and then return)

Distance round trip:              12 miles or longer

Off the Beaten Path:             ★★★★★ Yes, 5 Stars

Scenery:                                ★★★★★ Spectacular, 5 Stars

Photographic Potential:        ★★★★★ Spectacular, 5 Stars