Provo River Falls and Slate Gorge

Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest

Provo River Falls

(location)

The sign for the falls seemed to be pointing at an iffy turnout, so I ended up hitting the brakes hard to make the actual turn into a paved lot with a bathroom. The parking requires a recreation pass for the Mirror Lake Area. (The turnout would not, though.) There's a couple signs about the importance of the area as a water source. The falls aren't a far walk, but there is a hill and some rough patches to get there. It's paved, but not accessible.

Upper level of the Provo River Falls

Patterns of erosion in this rock by the Provo River

More of the upper falls, including parts hidden above

I was expecting hard rain sometime in the afternoon based on weather I'd managed to download near Ruth Lake and again on Bald Mountain. The clouds seemed to already be getting set up for the deluge. It certainly wasn't ideal for photographs. Still, being there, I might as well keep going. There's more waterfalls to be had along this short stretch of path.

Flow along the way to the middle falls

Checking on the little tributary that comes in with the middle falls

Middle falls of Provo River Falls

Lower falls, really a cascade

The rest of what lies below

There's no trail to get down to look at the lower fall from below. There's a fence to prevent this, in fact. There's probably more to see further along. (In fact, there's the gorge up next.) I tried to grab a few more photos of what I'd already seen as the sun teased me by coming out briefly.

Details of the layered rocks the river cuts through. There were no geology signs about these.

Middle falls once more

The upper falls, but without the highest bits again

When I got back in the car, I found my missing GPS on the floor by my pedals. It was just what I wanted because I was stressing about the fact that it wouldn't be worth the gas to drive back to Wyoming and look for it, even before calculating in the odds of actually finding it, yet leaving it would mean e-waste in the environment. Assuming it was there. Which it wasn't because it was under my seat and all I needed to find it was a little hard braking. On top of the happiness finding the falls better than advertised by the forest's Mirror Lake area visitor map, I was feeling pretty good.

---

Slate Gorge

(location)

For Slate Gorge, I saw the turnout but hoped there was a nice parking area if I just keep going. Nope, just the turnout on the east side of the road. My turnaround wasn't too far further and easy enough. This parking does not require a permit, but access is a little more difficult, as is getting a good view.

Slate Gorge on the Provo River

A bit more of the gorge downstream

I walked around a little. The old road may have run a bit closer to the edge before and that's still there to walk along, but with downed trees. There's waterfalls here, too.

Far below in the Slate Gorge, a waterfall

Waterfall and Slate Gorge

I could do a little leaf peeping here, too.

Aspen turning a deep red, not just yellow

Aspen across the road are traditional yellow

I was feeling extra good for finding the bonus waterfall, but wondering where else I should be looking for more. There's undoubtedly more to see among these rock layers. There's a picnic area in between these two stops that I didn't check out. Maybe?

*Wasatch 2022 photo album*




©2022 Valerie Norton
Written 4 Dec 2022