Bridal Veil Falls is a 607-foot tall waterfall in the south end of Provo Canyon, Utah. An aerial tramway service to the top of the falls was built in 1967 and the small, six-passenger tramway functioned as a recreational attraction until an avalanche destroyed the tram in early 1996. When the tramway was in operation prior to the 1996 avalanche, it was heralded as the WORLD’S STEEPEST AERIAL TRAMWAY, although that claim is difficult to ascertain. The magnificent falls are just four miles up the Provo Canyon. The falls are a favorite with visitors and locals alike. They can be seen from a scenic highway pullout or by taking an exit to where the base of the falls meets the Provo River. There is a small, cold swimming hole, and if you look carefully, you will find a dirt path that will take you up the mountain a bit for a closer view of the falls. The surrounding area is great for summer hiking and several trailheads begin at the falls. Bridal Veil falls is not only a summer attraction. In the winter, an icefall just to the right of the falls attracts experienced ice climbers. The icefall has been aptly named the Stairway to Heaven. The falls were a feature point along the route of the Heber Creeper tourist train until the train discontinued its service past the falls. The train tracks in front of the falls were removed and converted into a recreational trail. Now The falls and a small park just west of the falls (Bridal Veil Park) can also be accessed via U.S. Highway 189.(*)

Bridal Veil Falls – The Legend

Many moons ago, an Indian named Norita and a brave from a rival tribe, named Grey Eagle met and fell in love. They planned to meet near a streamlet high on the mountainside and elope to a land far away from both their tribes. On that fateful night, instead of her lover, Norita was confronted by braves from her own tribe. Fearing her lover had been destroyed she leapt from the high ledges.

Mother Nature was touched by her wild beauty, and she caught up Norita’s streaming tresses and made from them a Bridal Veil of falling water. From her flowing gown an alter was formed on the face of the mountain. Then her spirit was sent out as a mist, causing a green carpet to spread over the mountainside.

The intruders fled while her saddened lover stood and gazed down a the strange yet beautiful transformation. His grief was more than he could bear, so out of compassion for his sorrow, Mother Nature molded his massive frame into the mountain and stretched his mighty shoulders high into the heavens like silent sentinels to guard over his loved one. His cries of anguish were softened into love calls to whisper forever.

Bridal Veil Falls descends over step-like rock beds in the lower part of the Oquirrh Formation which was formed during the Pennsylvanian period.  Pennsylvanian rock types, in rough order of decreasing abundance are: limestone, sandstone, shale, dolomite, halite, sylvite, conglomerate, and other minor salts.

In Utah, Pennsylvanian rocks and fossils are mostly of Marine Origin.  The most commonly found are brachiopods, bryozoans, corals and crinoids. 

The following I found online, they are not mine: