August 27, 2020 Gloria Falls

 Gloria Falls

hikers: Ethan, Mom, Dad

Definitely recommend this hike!

Ethan was home this week so we decided to do Gloria Falls, since it didn't work out a couple of weeks ago.  And even if it had, we would have taken Ethan there because the falls are amazing.  I think Gloria is short for glorious.  But a couple of weeks ago we didn't know that and not too far into the hike I knew that last time it was a good thing we turned around before we even got to the trail head.

Back to the hike, there are lots of websites with directions.  Here is one I used:

https://utahsadventurefamily.com/gloria-falls-little-cottonwood-canyon/

This time we parked in the red pine/white pine lake trail head parking lot.  I don't know how many times I have driven past that and didn't realize it was even there.  This is where we started the hike, right next to the bathroom.  

and headed down the trail.

and we came to the first bridge.

 I was counting bridges and wondering what qualified as a bridge because i didn't want to miss the turn off to Gloria Falls.  Let me just say that this is the first bridge and you go about a mile before you come to the second bridge where you turn off the main trail.  So relax after this bridge, and just keep going.  It's all uphill and on the side of the mountain and the aspens and pine and the view are beautiful.

Take a good look at Mark because he is finally wearing the new hiking pants that have been sitting in his  closet for over a month, and that might be the last time you see that backpack.  It's his birthday soon and I think it is time to retire his trusty backpack.  

It was about this time, or even before, that I realized it was a good thing we didn't do this hike a couple of weeks ago.  We would have been carrying both little girls.  And we would have been hungry.  The fruit snacks wouldn't have lasted long.

I was wondering if we were headed in the right direction because I knew we had to cross a bridge and since there wasn't any water why would there be a bridge?and how could there be a waterfall:  We were on the side of a mountain and little cottonwood creek was down at the bottom and I saw no sign of water.  But we saw this sign and followed it.

and then this one.

and then we saw the second bridge and water running underneath it.

here is a view upstream from the bridge.

and this is the sharp left after the bridge.

This part of the trail is lots of roots and soft dirt through the pine trees.

Then we arrived at Gloria Falls!  glorious!

We sat on a log to eat the picnic we brought.  There were other groups of people there and a nice hiker offered to take our picture so we could all be in it.

It was only 2.3 miles according to the website and look at and the reward at the end!  There was a family with a child 4 or 5 years old and it is family friendly if the kids are old enough to hike uphill for a mile.