Mossy Cave: A Beautiful Shork Waterfall Trek in Bryce Canyon
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
We recently relocated to Phoenix with the intention of exploring all of the national parks in Utah and California. So far, we have checked Bryce Canyon off our bucket list. I think this park is so much more impressive than Zion – the only other Utah park we visited several years ago. One of the top hikes we enjoyed on our recent trip was a beautiful trail just outside the park’s main amphitheater. Mossy Cave is a short & scenic hike which features views of the unique colorful hoodoos plus an amazing waterfall and grotto.
I wasn’t expecting the flow to be so powerful (I was so impressed), so I guess we visited at the right time. According to the park, April through September is the prime time to see the water flowing at its’ strongest. Monsoons occur most frequently in July and August so the water volume will be highest at this time.
If you are looking to go cheap, this trail offers free parking since it is not located in the main amphitheater section of the national park. Unfortunately, this also means you can’t take a convenient shuttle to the trailhead. Due to its’ immense beauty for relatively little effort, I will say it’s worth the drive if you have the time. It is located in the northernmost section of the park along Highway 12. It was just minutes away from our hotel (Ruby’s Inn). Parking is limited, but we didn’t have a problem finding a spot around 6pm.
I am so glad that we decided to check out this beauty. We got in some nice exercise after a long 7 hour drive from Phoenix and avoided most of the heavy afternoon crowds. The scenery was gorgeous and it was so easy to get to the trailhead from our hotel. This was probably my favorite trail within the park.
A nice easy & picturesque stroll
I would say this hike is a great pick for anyone who is looking to take it easy but still enjoy breathtaking scenery. According to the NPS, it’s one of the lowest elevation trails in the park. It’s also the only one that begins with an ascent and ends with a descent. It’s just 0.8 miles out-and-back with 150 feet of elevation gain.
There is a little bit of climbing required, but nothing like you will find on the trails within the amphitheater. This is really a great bang-for-your-buck option considering the gorgeous grotto, hoodoos, stream, and waterfall you get to see along the way. While the Rim Trail is another fantastic easy option, this one has a little more going for it. For anyone seeking the best easy trails, this and the Rim (Sunrise-Sunset) would be my top picks.
The Cave
You will begin your hike by following Water Canyon and the stream. According to the NPS, this perennial stream is not naturally occuring. In the 1890’s, Mormon pioneers diverted water from the East Fork of the Sevier River. Today, it is called the Tropic Ditch. According to a sign we saw while hiking, the water used to only flow following heavy rain or snow melts. Today, it flows from May-October. A wide variety of plants and animals live in this area including Mountain Deathcamas and Watson bog orchid wildflowers.
There are some nice viewpoints in the beginning of the hoodoos and water. It was a bit sunny to take pics on the way out so I recommend timing your hike just before sunset for the best photos.
First, you will come across a little bridge crossing where you are treated to amazing views on both sides.
After a second stream crossing, you can continue left up to Mossy Cave. It’s a short but steep climb, but like I said not as challenging as the amphitheater hikes. In the summer, you can see moss growing and in the winter icicles hang down. According to to a trail sign, acidic spring water seeps through the limestone which enables the water to drip through the softer layers of rock. It’s shady so the perfect environment for moss to grow.
The Waterfall
To the right of the intersection, you will walk a short ways to get to a wonderful viewpoint of the falls from above.
If you walk back down past the second bridge again, you can take a side path to the base. This is easy too and you’ll get to stand right next to it for some cool photos. I recommend viewing it from both points. Both views are equally stunning and the trail is not overly strenuous compared to others in the park.
Things to Know
- Dogs not allowed.
- Bring water. You should drink more water in high altitude, dry environments to prevent altitude sickness.
- It should take about an hour or so total depending on how long you explore and take photos.
- The parking lot fills up fast. 11am-5pm is the busiest time according to the park website.
- Restrooms are available at the trailhead.
- You can put your feet in the water but the park requests entering only at the bridge crossings.
- No shuttle service.
- This trail is not accessible due to the rugged nature. The Rim Trail is the better choice.
Where to stay
Unfortunately, there are not a lot of great hotels in this area. I’ve noticed this is a common theme in most national park areas. Hotels are few and far between and they are overpriced too. We stayed at the Ruby’s Inn which was a bit overpriced but still the best option. It’s the closest lodging to the park (about 2 miles outside of the entrance).
Amenities here include: a free breakfast buffet, a complimentary on-site shuttle to the park, an on-site restaurant serving a lunch & dinner buffet, a pool/hot tub, a general store, art gallery, a diner, and a coffee shop. Across the street, there is a cute little Old Western village with an ice cream shop, rock shop, guided horseback rides, and more.
What else to do?
Enjoy views from all 4 major viewpoints in the park: Bryce, Sunrise, Sunset, and Inspiration. You can take the shuttle to each point or walk to each one via the Rim Trail. I recommend at least walking from Sunrise to Sunset. This is an easy accessible half mile path featuring awesome views into the amphitheater. Bryce to Inspiration is a mile and a half walk which is also easy and quite scenic. Bryce is the highest point in the park at 8300 feet.
If you are up for a hiking adventure, I recommend the easiest trail into the amphitheater: Queens’ Garden. It’s a bit of a challenge but really incredible. A bit scary in the beginning due to the steep drop offs, but totally worth it if you aren’t afraid of heights. It’s about a mile each way but considerably steep with an elevation gain of 450 feet. Keep in mind that hiking at high altitude feels much harder and you may run out of breath faster.
Location & parking
The trailhead is located 4 miles east of the junction of Highways 12 and 63. There are spots for about 15 cars including 2 oversized vehicles. No fee.
