Waterfalls in the Desert

Finding a waterfall in the desert is just…magical and awe-inspiring. It’s unexpected, displaced and it makes the stark surroundings of stone and heat simply delightful.

Waterfalls hidden in the desert have been slowly discovered and mapped over the years. Some are kept secret so that they don’t become large tourist attractions, while others are just on the ‘down-low’. While revealing a few of our secrets (not all), here are some of our favorite desert waterfalls:

Calf Creek Falls

This hidden waterfall is located near the southern Utah town of Escalante and is tucked a few miles back in a beautiful canyon. Four Season Guides visits this waterfall on their Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Basecamp Tour. This guided hiking trip is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. There are endless sandstone canyons, natural arches, hanging gardens, ancient Native American ruins and of course… the waterfall.

With the basecamp tour, Four Season Guides sets up the camping arrangements, and you hike into the beautiful locations and camp out with the crew. Their experienced Utah hiking guides will lead you on a variety of unforgettable day hikes to many off-the-beaten-path locations. Expect to camp each night at a lakeside campsite where you will be treated to delicious meals prepared by your guide. You can relax by the fire and enjoy the night’s sky while taking in all the views of the day.

You can also enjoy this waterfall on Four Season Guides’ Best of Canyon Country Lodge based tour. If camping out isn’t for you, here you can stay at a lodge and enjoy day hikes with guides to all the remote and beautiful spots hidden in Southern Utah’s deserts. On this tour, Four Season Guides will lead you through Zion as well as Bryce National Park. It doesn’t stop there… expect to also explore the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

Thunder River & Deer Creek Falls

 Another pair of waterfalls hidden in the Grand Canyon are Thunder River and Deer Creek Falls. These towering waterfalls are a great reward after a long and arduous hike. To get to these waterfalls, consider the Deer Creek Thunder River Loop backpacking trip with Four Season Guides. This hike is definitely not for the beginner, but the reward is an incredibly impressive waterfall.

With this hike, you backpack into the remote western Grand Canyon where you will be treated to endless vistas, slick rock expanses, turbulent streams, and gorgeous narrow canyons. Camp out in a tourist-free wilderness with nothing but the quiet sounds of nature to surround you. 

Thunder River explodes right out of the canyon wall and cascades down through a shady oasis towards Tapeats Creek, another spring-fed stream that carves an impressive canyon as it tumbles its way towards the Colorado River. The Narrows of Deer Creek is one of the most beautiful places in all of Grand Canyon. Cool off in its sparkling pools, explore the sandstone ledges or just lounge around on “The Patio”. Then follow the creek to a nearly 200-foot plunge to the Colorado River at Deer Creek Falls.

These rugged trails offer memorable views of the Colorado River, Great Thumb Mesa and Steamboat Mountain, all of which are a true testament to Grand Canyon’s designation as a World Heritage Site. This remote section of the Canyon will both challenge and endlessly reward the intrepid hiker that chooses to explore its wondrous depths. This is truly an adventure of a lifetime!

Cheyava Falls

 Also hidden in Grand Canyon, off of Clear Creek, is the beautiful Cheyava Falls. This waterfall can be accessed with Four Season Guides’ Clear Creek Backpacking tour.

This adventure is another for fit hikers looking to spend some time in the quieter Grand Canyon backcountry. A trip to Clear Creek has a bit of everything you could want, from a hike below the rim to a magnificent view of the Colorado River, Phantom Ranch, freshwater streams, waterfalls and ancient ruins. Clear Creek lies just east of Bright Angel Canyon and the popular trans-canyon corridor. Despite its proximity to this popular area, Clear Creek provides a true wilderness experience and rewards the backpacker who chooses to makes the journey there.

You will have the opportunity to explore the numerous side canyons in the area, visit Cheyava Falls or follow Clear Creek down to its confluence with the Colorado River. The possibilities are endless. Regardless of how you spend your days, this exciting backpack adventure is sure to challenge and reward you.

To book your enjoyable, peaceful and quiet hike or backpacking trip to these mind-blowing, Instagram-worthy waterfalls, call Four Season Guides at 1-877-655-2850 or visit their website at https://fsguides.com.