Lower Pine Creek Falls Trail

Lower Pine Creek Falls Trail is an informal, roughly 0.7-mile out-and-back from the first Highway 9 switchback east of Canyon Junction to a small, two-tier waterfall and pool. The dirt approach follows Pine Creek upstream; the mapped line stays with the creek corridor. It’s a short outing with a rougher finish than the mileage suggests. Allow 30 to 60 minutes. Published round-trip estimates vary from about 0.7 to 0.8 mile. The informal creek route can wander around boulders and pools.

The start is a fairly clear dirt path through open scrub toward trees along the creek. Farther in, the tread fades. Expect several stream crossings, boulder hopping, and short scrambles over sandstone. The last stretch can mean clambering around a pool and between large blocks; wet rock makes each step less certain. The payoff is a low, split cascade spilling over sandstone ledges into a shaded pool with a small sandy edge. This is the first-switchback falls walk, not the separate pools below the second switchback or the longer upper-canyon route.

Use the small paved pullout beside the Pine Creek bridge at the first Highway 9 switchback east of Canyon Junction. This is an informal access, not a developed trailhead. Pets aren't allowed on this route; Zion permits them only on the paved Pa’rus Trail, while service animals are allowed throughout the park. Flash floods can rise quickly in this drainage. Stay out when storms threaten. The route is a poor fit if you want a smooth path or are uncomfortable crossing shallow water and scrambling over uneven boulders.