🥾 The Journey: A Colorful Oasis in a Scarred Canyon

⛰️ Hidden Haven: A Guide to the Waterfall in Brian Head's Burn Scar

The stunning and colorful Hidden Haven Waterfall near Brian Head, Utah, cascading over red and black cliffs covered in vibrant green moss.

The incredible contrast of red rock, black cliffs, and green moss at Hidden Haven.

After the breathtaking views of Cedar Breaks, you're often left feeling inspired and energized, wanting just one more adventure for the day. Tucked away near Brian Head is the perfect answer: Hidden Haven. This short trail leads to one of the most uniquely colorful waterfalls I’ve ever seen. But this is a hike with a story—it’s a place of incredible beauty born from the aftermath of a massive wildfire. The journey is a constant reminder of nature's power, both to destroy and to create stunning resilience. It's a gem I've returned to multiple times, and its beauty never fails to amaze me.

⚠️ Know Before You Go: Burn Scar & Flash Flood Risk

This is extremely important. The trail to Hidden Haven is in the burn scar of the 2017 Brian Head fire. The landscape is beautiful but vulnerable.

♦️ CHECK THE FORECAST: DO NOT attempt this hike if there is any rain in the forecast for the surrounding area. The burn scar creates a high risk of flash floods and debris flows (falling trees, mud, rocks) that can come down the canyon with little warning.
♦️ CONSTANT CHANGE: The trail conditions can change dramatically from year to year as new logs and debris wash over the falls and down the creek bed. Be prepared for an obstacle course.
♦️ STAY AWARE: If the weather looks threatening, turn around immediately. Your safety is more important than any photo.

🗺️ Adventure at a Glance

🏞️ Location: Near Parowan & Brian Head, Utah, just off Highway 143.
🥾 Hike: Hidden Haven Waterfall Trail
📏 Distance: Approx. 1.4 miles round trip.
📈 Elevation Gain: About 300 feet.
⏱️ Time to Complete: 1-1.5 hours
⭐ Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (5 out of 5 Diamonds)

A COLLECTION OF FAVORITE WATERFALLS

This VR Getaway is a journey to some of my favorite waterfalls, and the vibrant, colorful Hidden Haven makes a star appearance at the 2:40 mark. See for yourself why this spot is so special!

🥾 The Journey: A Colorful Oasis in a Scarred Canyon

A Trail of Constant Change

The first thing you notice on the Hidden Haven trail are the warning signs. They make it clear this area was heavily impacted by the Brian Head fire. Because the vegetation that once held the soil is gone, the canyon is in a constant state of flux. Each time I've visited, the path has been slightly different, with new logjams and debris fields to navigate. It's a humbling reminder of the area's history, but the local trail crews do a wonderful job of keeping the path to the waterfall accessible.

The Reward: A Kaleidoscope of Color

After a short and adventurous hike, you're rewarded with the waterfall, and it is absolutely breathtaking. The colors are what make it so unique. The water cascades over tall cliffs streaked with bright red and deep black rock, while a vibrant green moss thrives in the constant spray. The contrast is simply stunning. It’s a photographer’s dream and a perfect spot to just sit and soak in the beauty. Despite the obstacles, I've been drawn back 3 or 4 times—it's just that incredible.

Soaking in the beauty of the falls.

💡 Pro-Tips & Trail Guide

♦️ Finding the Trailhead: There are a few access points, but the main one is an easy-to-miss pullout on the west side of Highway 143, south of Parowan and north of Brian Head. Look for the "Hidden Haven" sign.
♦️ The Fork in the Trail: The trail is Y-shaped. The path to the right (heading upstream) leads to the waterfall. I haven't yet explored the path to the left, but I believe it leads to a scenic viewpoint.
♦️ Perfect Add-On Hike: This is a fantastic, short hike to do after a day exploring Cedar Breaks National Monument. The trailhead is just a short drive away.
♦️ Other Nearby Gems: This area is packed with amazing sights! Don't miss Cascade Falls (where water shoots out of a lava tube!) and the incredible rock formations of Noah's Ark / Vermillion Castle.

⭐ Final Thoughts

Hidden Haven is a powerful lesson in contrasts—a place where the scars of a wildfire have given way to a vibrant, colorful, and resilient oasis. It’s a short hike with a massive reward, but one that demands respect for the power of nature. As long as the skies are clear, I can't recommend this beautiful trail enough. You won’t regret seeing this gem for yourself.

Sending Love and Positive Vibes,

Shauna from VRGetaway

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Use a VR Headset to Transport Yourself on a Road Trip to some Magical Places. First to Noah’s Ark, Vermillion Castle & Hidden Haven Waterfall in Dixie National Forest, then to photographers favorite viewpoints of Cedar Breaks National Monument & Horseshoe Bend. Then we will do a sunrise hike to DevilsBridge that looks like an entrance to a Fairy Kingdom, and then we will head to Fay Trail in the Secret Forest to see something magical. From there we will watch Sunrise over the Grand Canyon in the Spring from the Desert Watchtower. Our last spot will be journeying into the depths of the epic Buckskin Gulch slot canyon to find the Dragon. So what are you waiting for? Grab your VR Headset and transport yourself into this magical road trip with me that is sure to make you smile and give your day a positive boost.

Oculus Quest Headset Links

This Roadtripping to Sedona's Fairyland & Grand Canyon also spotlights thsi trail at the begining.

VR 360 Video of Roadtripping to Sedona's Fairylands & Grand Canyon.

2D Version of Above

Hidden Haven Tiny Planet and 2D Version of Video

Hidden Haven Waterfall

How I found the Hidden Haven Waterfall.

As I was driving home from Cedar Breaks Flower Festival and from doing the Hikes Bartizan Arch and Cascade Falls, instead of being in Google maps like I normally am, I was in Gaia maps, and I noticed a waterfall, but no trail going to it coming up. I was curious, so I was looking for any pull off on the road so I could look and see if I could catch a glimpse. I was surprised when I did find a pull off, it had a tiny path through some greenery and a sign that said Hidden Haven. I think if I had not known there was a waterfall hiding back in there, I might not have thought much about it, but it was a fun knowledge to know that the hidden thing back there was a waterfall... I just had no idea it would be such an incredible waterfall when I found it!

Cool bench leg made out of a tree stump. Fabulous! I love the root feet!

Information about Hidden Haven Trail

About 3.5 miles south of Salt Lake City.
Trail is Medium Difficulty because of the bouldering and obstacles.
Trail is appropriate for kids 10 and up.
Trail is about 1.4 miles round trip for the waterfall. If you go to the viewpoint that I bet is quite the Haven, I think your total would be about 2.5 miles.
Trail has cute campsites, picnic tables, and benches along the trail.
Trail has a split, so it is Y shaped. The one side goes to the waterfall, and I am sad to say I don't know where they other side goes. Quite sure it is a spot with spectacular views of the cliffs from where it ends up.
The problem with this trail is that because of the fire in Bryan Head a few years ago, it has left lots of dead trees and caused mudslides in this area. As a result, the stream here has had a beating lately and is an area you might want to avoid if there is a rainstorm coming, for you never know what might wash downstream. That being said, when you get into the river it is similar to hiking Kanarraville where there is some bouldering, but it is not that hard and is a fun challenge to build your hiking skills.
There are actually 3 trailheads to this trail. Two are just on the main road up to Bryan head. The other trail is off the new road just off the 143 that travels along Benson Creek. It will be on your right soon after you turn onto this new road. This would make this trail even shorter.

Hidden Haven Trailhead Sign

Cool hikes in the area that you should do while you are in the area.

This area surprisingly has some fabulous hikes that surround this waterfall. If you are thinking about heading down to see this waterfall, I would recommend making sure you catch these other great trails while your at it.

Map above has Bryan head in the bottom. The green trail is Hidden Haven. The Red is my trail at Noah's ark where I forgot to turn off my recording. The Purple line is Vermillion Castle.

The map below has Bryan head on the top and shows Bartizan Arch in blue. The light blue section is from Ramparts to the Arch. The Orange trail is Cascade Falls that is below Navajo lake. This map is fun for you can see how far the water has to travel in the lava tunnel before coming out at Cascade Falls.

Cascade Falls

Cascade Falls is about 40 min from here, and is super interesting for it comes out of the mountain from a lava tube. If you head to Bryan head, and then past Bryan head around Navajo Lake you will notice some Lava Fields. In fact, if you watch closely on the left side of the road you will see a sign that says Lava Field. If you drive on that road about 1/2 a mile you will see how huge the volcano eruption was that was in this area, and it is quite humbling to realize the power and devastation a volcano eruption could have. Once you realize in your head about this volcano and the lava flow, you will be surprised when you explore this area how often you will all of a sudden see a lava flow off to the side of the road. Quite fascinating to envision the hot red lava flowing and destroying and then creating all these flows. Anyway, Navajo lake is around all these lava flows, and on the east side by the dam there is a sink hole, and water sinks into that and into a lava tunnel, and then the water shoots out at Cascade Falls. Fascinating Place. Biggest issues with this falls are 2 things. 1. There are multiple Cascade Falls in Utah, so make sure you get the one by Cedar City. 2. Make sure when you use Google Maps you get the Cascade Falls TRAILHEAD (Don't forget to type that trailhead word in.) by Cedar City. It can get you way above the falls with no way to get to it if you forget Trailhead. However on that dirt road above Cascade Falls there is great free campsites and cell service which might be nice to know. Check out more here:

Cascade Falls and Sunrays

Link to Cascade Falls

Cascade Falls- by Cedar City

Noah's Ark

Great hike just east of Hidden Haven. If the bridge has not been rebuilt, crossing the stream is easiest down a little ways by the old house. Take hiking sticks if you plan on doing the whole trail, but even just doing a section of this trail is really nice.

Link to blog post on Noah's Ark

You can also get great views of Noah's ark that is not quite as treacherous from the great trail across the road from Noah's Ark called Vermillion Castle trail. The only tricky thing about this trail is that it gets a little tricky to find the Cairns, so I would make sure you have an external GPS and the GAIA app map of this area downloaded and start recording when the trail gets a little tricky about 2 miles in. That way you will have a safe trail out.

and

Bartizan Arch Trail in Cedar Breaks just past Ramparts lookout.