July 18, 2025 Bell Canyon

 Bell Canyon

hikers: Mark and Lecia

distance: 2.8 miles

We started at Bell Canyon Granite Trail head off Little Cottonwood Road. 

This is partway up the trail because I was so focused on it I forget to take pictures at the trailhead.

We have snowshoed this trail in the winter but never hiked from this trailhead in the summer.  I was surprised to see how how much we were going uphill on snowshoes and how many rocks were underneath the snow and how steep the dropoff is on one side!  I didn't remember or notice it in the snow. We only went to the reservoir on snowshoes.

This time we followed the same trail and it was about .67 miles to the reservoir. 

 We continued on past the reservoir even though we knew we didn't have enough time to get to the lower falls before we would need to turn around. From the reservoir you continue up a service road and then there is a sign to turn left to go to the falls.

 At this point you are in the canyon and the trail no longer has a drop-off on one side and no more noise from the city. 

It is a really pretty trail and fairly flat at that point before it starts going up hill. We came to a creek and could hear the rushing water even before we saw it.  

You can see the bridge you will cross.

This is a view from the bridge.

It is Bells Canyon Creek and there is a bridge you cross and then continue uphill.  It wasn't long after this that we turned around because of time.  We had gone about 1.4 miles at this point. 

This is where we turned around.

On the way back it was lightly sprinkling.  After we passed the reservoir it started to rain. 

I took this picture right before it started to rain.

 Then it poured! I was absolutely soaked in just minutes. The rain was pelting and the wind was blowing and there was thunder and lightening. I was glad to get back to the car, and yet we had passed people going up! 

We need to do this hike again when we have time to go to the lower falls.  From what I have read the trail gets steeper and more difficult just before the falls but I'm willing to give it a try.  We passed or were passed by hikers going both ways but the trail didn't feel crowded above the reservoir. It is a beautiful and well used trail. The trailheads are convenient since you don't even have to drive up the canyon. Because it is easy to get to it is well used and parking fills up.