Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Hiking Bullion Falls

Bullion Falls is a must-see in Piute County.

When I lived in Marysvale, it was always fun to introduce friends to Bullion Canyon with a hike to Bullion Falls. My son Bridger and I have hiked it a couple of times together, and during my most recent return trip to Utah, we introduced my husband to two of the waterfalls in Bullion Canyon. 

Chuck taking a break on a comfy rock.
Of course, we took our cameras along. What's Team Bennorth without our photo gear? I wanted to document our time together with Bridger and the puppies, and Chuck planned to capture the beauty of the canyon and waterfalls. 

Photo credit: Bridger Waters

The wooden sign at the bottom of the trail says it is one mile to the falls. After hiking uphill for awhile, we noticed another sign, metal, that states it is one mile to the falls. STILL? 


So let's just say it's approximately a two mile out and back hike. It is a moderate level hike with a lot of rocks along the path. It is well-suited to older children, and not too difficult for seniors like Chuck and me. 

Bristol can sleep anywhere, even on a bunch of jagged rocks.

We took mini breaks along the way to catch our breath, and the puppies took advantage of the time to rest. Partway up the trail, there is a bonus waterfall, Cascade Falls. We took pictures there before heading up to the main attraction, Bullion Falls.

Bridger and me.

Bullion Falls is a beautiful 75 foot waterfall. I've never hiked above it, but we hear there are more waterfalls further up the trail. 


Since we were managing harnessed puppies on dog leashes, cameras, and Chuck even had his tripod, I didn't think about bringing water bottles. "It's only a mile," I thought. 

Bridger, Bristol, and Sami taking a well-deserved break.

Well, I should have known better. One mile of steadily increasing elevation in Utah is much different from walking on a flat trail in Illinois. I was good and thirsty by the time we reached the larger falls, and was wishing I'd packed my CamelBak hydration pack in the Highlander for hands-free access to water. We all would have enjoyed a drink or two during our hike. Live and learn. 

Chuck capturing the beauty of Bullion Falls.

NEXT time we will bring water! I let the puppies drink from the mountain stream that crossed the trail, much to Chuck's dismay. He was worried about giardia in the water. My dogs have always taken drinks from the streams, lakes and puddles, so I wasn't too worried, but I promised to stick to tap water for Bristol and Sam in the future. We have such pampered puppies.

One pooped pup.
Bristol and Sami were such good little troupers during their first hiking experience in Utah. The farthest they'd ever walked before was 1.2 miles on flat midwestern sidewalks, and during that day, we easily racked up three miles on my walking app. 

Another pooped pup.
Bristol and Sam took turns napping on my backpack on our way back into Marysvale. Since we had some time to kill before Chuck had a senior photo shoot to do for one of Bridger's friends, we treated ourselves to a yummy meal at Dixon's Dawgs in Marysvale. Bridger ordered a fancy hot dog with peppers and cheese, while Chuck enjoyed a bacon cheeseburger. I just can't resist their Chicago-style dogs. They are identical to what I order at Portillo's in Chicagoland. My mouth is watering just thinking about those hot dogs. 

Chicago-style, just the way I get them in Illinois.
Marysvale will always hold a special place in my heart. So many of my good friends live there, and the canyon was a place of healing for me during the months following Daddy's death. It was so nice to see some of our friends after our hike, and to just soak up the beauty that is Marysvale. We'll be back. Often.

Marysvale's valley is surrounded by the rugged mountains I used to call home.


The AllTrails app will give you the particulars about the location coordinates, map, and other details about the Bullion Falls hike HERE

Most of my shots that day were courtesy of my iPhone 6s. These are a few of my favorite captures with my Canon:

Cascade Falls, below Bullion Falls.

We're so glad Bridger was able to take some time off work to hike with us.

Sami Girl.






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