⚡ The Quick Scoop
The Vibe: A beautiful, challenging hike through steep mountain terrain that rewards you with an incredibly spiritual, roaring waterfall.
Must See: The roaring Gloria Falls and the breathtaking sunrise views of the Little Cottonwood Canyon granite peaks.
Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (An absolute 5-Diamond hike!)
When I think of the word "Gloria", I immediately think of the Latin phrase Gloria In Excelsis Deo, which translates to "Glory to the Most High God." I can confidently tell you that this is exactly what I felt when I finally reached this spectacular waterfall in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
I found myself standing there just saying, "Thank you, Father, for creating this magnificent work of art." It is truly that beautiful! But getting to that moment of pure awe took a little bit of treacherous footwork and a whole lot of mud.
👇 Choose Your Path
The Treacherous Bridge & The Spring Snow Illusion
The journey to Gloria Falls starts at the very popular Red Pine / White Pine Lake Trailhead, about 20 minutes up Little Cottonwood Canyon. The drive up is spectacular, especially if you catch the sunrise lighting up the massive granite mountain peaks!
The trail begins by winding through the pines until you reach the river. Here, you have to cross a wooden bridge that famously has absolutely no handrails! It definitely gets your heart pumping right from the start.
❄️ The Unexpected Slide
Down in the Salt Lake Valley, it gets beautifully warm in May. The "waterfall chasing" fever always hits me, and you feel like the snow is pretty much gone. But you have to remember: this is WAY back in the mountains! It always surprises me just how much snow is still up here in early June.
I have to constantly remind myself: "Bring that jacket, and your poles, and your spikes!" Without them, navigating the steep inclines is a slippery nightmare. If I am silly and forget my gear, I end up sliding like crazy, desperately grabbing onto pine trees just trying to keep myself from sliding straight down into the freezing river below!
The Secret Switchback & Spur Trails
After you cross the handrail-less bridge, the trail naturally wants to follow the river. This is where a lot of hikers get into trouble! In the spring and early summer, the real trail is often completely buried under deep snow.
Because people are just doing their absolute best to conquer the mountain without sliding into the river, they end up making dozens of confusing "spur trails." The turn-off gets so incredibly confusing with people wandering in every direction!
🧭 Navigating the Turn
Instead of hugging the water or following a sketchy footprint path into the brush, you must keep your eyes peeled for a sharp right switchback. It feels counterintuitive because you are turning away from the river, but this path takes you up and safely around the dangerous drop-off zone. Once you crest that section, the trail will guide you perfectly right back down to the roaring base of Gloria Falls.
Any time I tried to get down to the river too early, I ended up having to backtrack. Trust the switchback!
🗺️ The Hilarious GPS Zigzag
I had to laugh out loud when I looked back at my recorded GPS track on my Gaia map app after this hike. Because the real trail is so easily obscured by snow and fake spur trails, my recorded path looked like an absolute crazy zigzag! It just proves how incredibly easy it is to get turned around up here if you aren't paying close attention. It is a hilarious badge of honor showing exactly how hard I worked to find those falls! LOL.
The Staircase Falls & The Heart Rock
When I finally made it to the falls, the sheer power and beauty of the rushing water was overwhelming. Gloria Falls is so interesting because the water cascades down a series of rocky "stairs."
On the right-hand side of the falls, there is actually a neat little rock platform. In the spring, the water is raging too hard to get close, but if you visit in late summer when the flow slows down, you can actually sit right out on that platform next to the cascading water! I sat down on the rocks near the base to catch my breath and just soak in the incredible energy of the canyon.
❤️ A Message from Above
Right now, there is so much turmoil in the world. I deeply hurt for people who are so caught up in anger and darkness that they can't seem to see beauty and love anymore.
As I sat by Gloria Falls, I looked down and saw a perfectly shaped heart rock resting right in front of me. I have been surprised lately that I keep finding the shape of hearts on my journeys! I truly believe they are not accidents. They are meant to calm my heart, and to remind me to forward that message to you: God really does love you.
Please, look for the good out there. He wants you to know that there is still so much love and light in this world, even when the path to find it gets slippery and steep.
🥾 Extending the Adventure: The Sister Lakes
Because the detour to Gloria Falls makes for a relatively short excursion, I almost always pair it with an extended adventure further up the canyon. The two main trail options from here are White Pine Lake and Red Pine Lake.
White Pine Lake is a much longer hike that will take up the majority of your day. I actually planned to do an overnight backpacking trip up there once! But I quickly found out that the terrain around the lake is incredibly bouldery, making it super hard to find a flat, safe place to pitch a tent anywhere close to the water.
Red Pine Lake is my personal favorite to pair with the waterfall. In fact, I actually love to call this one "Heart Lake"! If you scramble up just a little bit of elevation past the shoreline and look down on it, the entire lake is shaped exactly like a giant heart. It perfectly matches the heart-shaped rock I found at the falls, making the entire journey feel like one big, beautiful message of love.
Transport Yourself: 360° VR Tours
Experience the majesty of Gloria Falls for yourself! Click and drag the videos below to look all the way up the rushing water.
Standing at Gloria Falls (360° Video)
Make sure you move around so you don't miss anything!
Winter Waterfalls Trailer (VR)
A sneak peek of my winter/spring waterfall adventures.
Tiny Planet View
A fun, warped "Tiny Planet" perspective of the rushing falls!
The Explorer's Guide
🗺️ Adventure at a Glance
- 🏞️ Location: Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah
- 📍 Trailhead: Red Pine / White Pine Lake Trailhead (50 mins East of SLC)
- 🥾 Activity: Steep forest hiking with river crossings
- ⚠️ Difficulty: Moderate/Hard (Expect snow/mud in early summer!)
- 🏅 Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎
Helpful Hints for Your Visit
- The Bridge: Start on the trail following the signs for Red Pine Lake. You will cross a wooden bridge with no handrails—turn LEFT after crossing.
- The Switchback: Remember, do not follow the river once the trail gets sketchy! Watch for the sharp right switchback to take you safely up and around.
- Keep Going: If you have extra time and energy, continue walking up the White Pine or Red Pine Lake trails. The views of the surrounding granite peaks in Little Cottonwood are absolutely breathtaking!
The Alpine Scrapbook
A collection of my favorite moments from the slippery, snowy hike up to Gloria Falls.
✨ Ask the Trail Guide
Curious about Little Cottonwood Canyon, hiking with microspikes, or Red Pine Lake? Ask our AI Guide!
Find Your Glory
The hike up to Gloria Falls tested my balance on the slippery snow and my navigation skills near the river, but the reward of standing in front of that roaring water and finding a beautiful heart-shaped message made every step completely worth it. I hope this VR journey brings a little bit of that glory and peace into your day!
Sending Love and Positive Vibes,
Shauna @ VRGetaway
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