Doughnut Falls is a 20-foot plunge waterfall on Mill D South Fork in Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake County, Utah, where the creek drops through a hole in the rock into a small cave. The walk to it is short and easy, and Wikipedia counts it among the shortest waterfall trails in northern Utah.
The falls
The creek makes a single 20-foot drop. The creek plunges into a pothole that has punched through to a cave underneath, leaving a natural arch of rock; from inside, visitors look up at the water falling through the opening into the pool. That hole gives the falls their name, often spelled Donut Falls.
Getting there
The Mill D Trailhead is about 9 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon; from there the road turns toward the Jordan Pines picnic area. The walk is about 0.8 mile each way with 200 to 300 feet of gain and a $10 parking fee. There are two lots, and if the upper one is full, starting from the lower lot adds about 2 miles. The trailhead has restrooms and pit toilets.
In winter the road is gated, and the walk begins lower down. The winter route from Reynolds Flat measures 3.5 miles round trip with 521 feet of gain.
When to go
Summer through early autumn is the recommended season. The falls often freeze in winter, when the gate closure makes the approach longer.
On site
Big Cottonwood Canyon is a protected watershed for Salt Lake City's drinking water, and the city's rules ban dogs, horses and other domestic animals, as well as swimming and wading, so the creek at the falls is for looking, not splashing.
Reaching the cave means climbing up a small cascade over wet, slippery rock. Hikers are asked to stop at the marked end of the trail rather than scramble farther. On March 22, 2026, a man slipped and fell about 10 feet near the falls and was hurt, though not critically; Salt Lake County search and rescue crews responded. Hiking sandals or water-resistant boots are recommended for the wet rock.
Nearby
Silver Fork Falls is about 2.1 miles away. Lake Blanche Falls is about 2.7 miles away, and Lake Lillian Falls is about 2.9 miles, both on Mill B South Fork.
Distances are straight-line.