Lower Calf Creek Falls, Waterfall in Garfield County, Utah.

Lower Calf Creek Falls drops about 126 feet over a sandstone alcove at the head of Calf Creek Canyon, a tributary of the Escalante River. The canyon walls are Navajo sandstone, and the falls pour into a pool at the base. A trail follows the creek from the canyon mouth to the falls.

The waterfall formed over millions of years as water gradually carved through layers of sandstone on the Colorado Plateau. This slow erosion shaped the canyon landscape we see today.

The Fremont people left pictographs and granaries along the trail; the figures are painted in red pigment on the canyon walls. Look for the large anthropomorphic figure with a trapezoidal body, a hallmark of Fremont rock art. The stone granaries stored maize and seeds in dry alcoves above the creek.

The trail to the falls is about 6 miles round trip and follows Calf Creek through a sandy canyon bottom, with shallow stream crossings and some uneven rock. Allow roughly three hours. There is little shade on much of the route, so carry plenty of water and wear shoes with good grip; the sand and wet stones can be slippery.

The falls drop about 126 feet over a sandstone ledge, and the pool below stays cold even in summer. Look for the large cottonwood trees and the hanging gardens of moss and ferns on the cliff face, fed by spray rather than the creek itself.