Hiking the Small Stuff: Bridal Veil Falls

Summer is officially winding down, and school is just two weeks away! Panicking that we haven't completed my list of "Small Hikes," I needed my husband's reminder that we can still go hiking in the fall. The weather will get better and better, and weekends are still a thing. So, you need not worry if you haven't hit up Bridal Veil Falls yet.

So, does Bridal Veil Falls count as a hike? I submit that this is a nice, small hike of sorts for little ones, albeit a wet one. It's located in Provo Canyon, and following the signs, I turned onto a small access road. The falls are a little ways down the road, and even when we seemed to be there, it was unclear where to park to get to the falls the fastest. We opted by a bridge; you've got to cross the Provo River, after all.

Once on the other side, you're on a paved path and need to watch out for bicycles and skateboards. However, just under the falls is a designated "walking zone" to keep you and the littles from getting run over. 

A short ways down the path and voila! You're at the base of the magnificent falls. We were there on a Monday afternoon in July, and it was crowded enough to require some effort to maintain social distancing.

We did not bring our water shoes, foolishly, but that didn't stop us from stepping down into the water and climbing a ways up the rocky falls.

Or, if climbing sounds too intimidating, there's a shallow pool of sorts at the base where kids splashed and played. Again, I envied the parents with the foresight to dress their kids in swimsuits and water shoes!

Meeting up with cousins for this escapade, we had kids ranging from one to ten-years-old, and all seemed to enjoy the experience. My young boys both needed ample help from able-bodied grownups (ones not carrying the baby, usually) to climb on the slick, wet rocks. Still, there aren't many child-friendly hikes in this canyon, so it was great to have an excursion they could enjoy even if they needed a strong arm to hold onto. Even with sloshing shoes, it was a success.