Battle Creek Falls is a popular family hike in Utah Valley that leads to a beautiful 50 foot waterfall. This is a trail the whole crew is sure to enjoy, and it is heavily trafficked by families and students from nearby Brigham Young and Utah Valley Universities, so it is best to do it on a week day, if you can manage. Here are all the deets you need to enjoy this hike:
Location: Pleasant Grove, Utah. At the end of 200 south
Duration: Approximately 1.3 miles round trip, give or take a smidge
Difficulty: Relatively easy, though it gets a bit steep at the end
Cost: Nada
When to Visit: Enjoy anytime of the year!
Good to Know: Dog friendly, so bring the pooches! Just keep them on a leash. There are trash cans and a port a pottie at the trail head
How to Get There
I just typed "Battle Creek Falls" on Google maps and it took me straight there. If you prefer a more old school approach to directions, just take 200 S in Pleasant Grove as far East as the road will take you. This road will end at the trail head. Need more visual confirmation that you are on the right track? Head towards the giant "G" on the mountainside. The G trail and Battle Creek Falls share a parking lot and trail head.
The Trail
Once you hit the dirt parking area the trail is easy to pick up, just follow the hoards of people. If by some miracle you've timed your visit right and you don't see others you can follow up the trail, look at the Kiwanis Park sign that leads to the pavilion area. From here you will see a trail to the right that leads up into the canyon. Head up that bad boy. It is around .6 miles to the fall, but don't let the short distance fool you, it's all up hill for around 450 feet in elevation gain. So it'll take you a bit longer to traverse than a normal .6 would. The trail itself is well worn and mostly follows along Battle Creek, which provides many pleasant areas to stop and take a breather.
The trail ranges from a little rocky to very rocky, with the area around the fall being covered in shale to the point the city has bolted down some rubber mats to help with traction. Once you arrive at the falls, you can either follow a trail down to the bottom of the falls, or you can keep climbing to the top and beyond. Obviously, descending down to the fall is a must, and this is as far as most hikers care to venture. The path is steep and a little unsteady due to rocks, so take care. This is a great spot for photos and picnics, so take your time and enjoy!
Wanting a little more of a challenge? Continue on past the falls. If you thought the trail has been steep up to this point, you are in for a real treat, because it gets a hella of a lot steeper as you climb up the mountain. There are a few pretty areas to stop at and appreciate along the trail that come pretty soon after the main waterfall. It's worth exploring maybe 10-15 minutes further up the trail. The Battle Creek trail eventually conjoins with the Curly Springs trail, which then meets up with the Dry Canyon trail. I'm not exactly sure where this whole chain of trails ends up spitting you out, but I believe it is on the west face of Mount Timpanogos somewhere.
Honestly, unless you are looking for a killer workout you are not missing much on the higher end of this trail. I asked someone who was heading down how it was, and they replied "It was alright". Dispite that less than stellar review, I pressed on quite a ways further. The FOMO was strong, and one persons "alright" can be another ones "this is amazing", right? I was convinced, for whatever reason, it had to get more interesting at some point. It didn't. Eventually the FOMO stopped outweighing the physical effort I was exerting so I threw in the towel. As I type this the day after hiking it, I can tell you there are muscles in my bum I had forgotten about, but I am now acutely aware of their existence. Buns of steel, baby, this hike is better than any StairMaster. Did I mention it was steep?
I mean, don't get me wrong, it was pretty. Being that close to snow covered mountain peaks never makes for a bad day, and you can to see an amazing view of the valley as you come down. I don't regret doing it, but it's not a trail I am itching to go on again either. One and done for the extended package, thank you.
When to Go
There's nothing like a cool mountain stream on a hot summer's day, which makes hiking to the waterfall perfection. Spring and fall are an excellent time to visit. To avoid crowds, take the usual precaution of avoiding weekends and head out as early as possible. Winter is a less popular time to visit, though it can still draw a crowd. Crampons my be necessary if the trail is packed down.
If you arrive to the trail head and decide Battle Creek is too peoplely for your taste, give the G trail a go! There is nothing we Utahans love more than claiming our territory by putting a giant letter on the side of a mountain and then hiking to it. I've not done this hike, but I can imagine it would give you a birds eye view of the valley below and it is sure to be less crowded than the hike to the falls. Pass under the Kiwanis Park sign and pick up the trail on the other side of the pavilion. This trail is popular for mountain bikers as well.
What Is Kiwanis Park?
Wanting to throw a party? The Kiwanis Park pavilion is available through the city of Pleasant Grove. There are plenty of large picnic tables under the pavilion along with barbecue pits and even a nice campfire pit area. I do not recommend using the pit toilets. Uh uh, nope, don't even look in there, you will regret it. I don't think they have been touched by anyone other than vandals since the 90's. Best to stick with the port a pottie at the trail head.
If you are only planning on hiking to the waterfall and back, I would give yourself at least an hour so there is no rush. If hiking with small kids, I would plan on 2 hours. This is a pleasant hike the whole family is sure to enjoy!
Feed Me
Need a snacky snack before driving home? Chubby's Neighborhood Cafe seems to be a popular spot with an outstanding rating and impressive reviews on Google. Long time local hang out Purple Turtle has been around since well before my first visit to the area nearly 20 years ago, and has been a local tradition for generations.
{as always: practice LEAVE NO TRACE. stay hydrated. tell someone where you are going. wear appropriate clothing. be mindful of the weather. be nice to fellow hikers. have fun, make good choices, & hike smart}