Lower Falls of the Yellowstone
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
| Address: | Grand Loop Rd, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190, USA |
| GPS: |
44°43'10.1"N 110°29'50.7"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Wyoming |
Rivers Waterfalls Streams Trails Rocks National Park
Hike
Lower Yellowstone Falls is one of the most popular places to visit in Yellowstone, coming in just behind the geyser, Old Faithful. The tallest waterfall in the park, Lower Yellowstone Falls is about 308 ft. Upper Yellowstone Falls feeds this waterfall and can be accessed through a trail before reaching Lower Yellowstone Falls. Because of a turn in the river, both waterfalls are not visible at one time, instead visitors can see just one waterfall at a time.
Both falls are located in a 20 mile long canyon nicknamed the Yellowstone Grand Canyon. The Yellowstone River feeds the falls and it is the longest undamed river in the continental United States. The canyon was created through water eroding the volcanic rock. Lower Yellowstone Falls is particulary beautiful because the large waterfall contrasts with the yellow "rusting" rocks that make up the canyon walls. The iconic "yellow" color in Yellowstone is from the many rocks that oxidize because of the rust and iron found in the rock.
The 308 foot waterfall is taller than Niagra Falls and has many lookout points, offering a variety of views from up close to miles away. There are several trails that can be taken to experience all the views, each with a parking lot before the trailhead. The trails are still open in the winter, however please be aware that they may be icy, as well there are steep drops and switchbacks. In the winter, the trails can only be accessed by snowmobile or snow coaches.
Following the Grand Loop Road, visitors will be able to see the waterfall and access the various trailheads. The summer time will be the busiest time as toursits from all over are enjoying the park. Spring and Fall are especially beautiful, however the road to access the falls opens in mid-April and closes in late October. Turning onto North Rim Drive, visitors will have access to all the view points on that side of the waterfall. The first viewpoint is the Brink of the Lower Falls. Visitors are able to get quite close to the falls, putting them right next to the mouth of the falls as the water goes cascading down below them. The trail is a steep hike down, but a must see. While right at the mouth of the waterfall, visitors can turn and look out at the canyon and see it continue on its 20 mile journey.
Next is the Lookout Point. This offers a panoramic view of the surrounding canyons and waterfall. Though it is several miles away from the actual waterfall, visitors can still hear the booming of water flowing over the falls. The Lookout Point is also the trailhead for Red Rock Point, which gives the closest full view of the waterfall for visitors. It is a steep trail as well, with a sign warning "A steep descent to Red Rock will take you to the North Rim’s closest full view of Lower Falls. Please be prepared for steep grades, steps, and a rough surface. The trail descends rapidly—about 500 feet (150 m) in 3/8 mile (0.6 km). Wear sturdy walking shoes with good tread, and be prepared for a steep uphill return".
Grandview is another lookout point along the North Rim Drive. It provides another panoramic view of Lower Falls, though not as close as the one found at lookout point.
Inspiration Point is the last viewpoint along North Rim Drive. Not much of the Lower Falls are visible from here, but a panoramic view of the canyon reminds visitors just how small they really are when compared to the towering canyon walls.
On the opposite side of the Lower Falls are two additional trails, Uncle Tom's Trail and Artist Point. Taking South Rim Road, visitors will first see the trailhead for Uncle Tom's Trail. This trail consists of 328 steel steps that take visitors about 3/4 of the way down the Canyon. Like the view from the Brink of Lower Falls, visitors will be very close to the falls as the water goes tumbling down below them.
Artist Point is one of the most photographed views in Yellowstone. It is a very easy hike with little elevation gain. Visitors will be awed when looking at the canyon from Artist Point, for it shows just how wide and deep the canyon has become from thousands of years of erosion.
More Information
Yellowstone National Park Itinerary
This Yellowstone National Park Itinerary will help you get started as you plan your vacation to Yellowstone National Park.
https://www.justgotravelstudios.com/collections/national-park-itineraries/products/yellowstone-national-park-itinerary?ref=9zpxis0diin3 Waterfalls of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Thanks to the Yellowstone River, tourists to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone have three spectacular sights in the Lower, Upper and Crystal Falls.
https://www.yellowstonepark.com/things-to-do/natural-wonders/3-waterfalls-of-the-grand-canyon-of-yellowstone/Backcountry Conditions - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)
This page provides a map and details conditions of trail status, closures, and known hazards.
https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/situationreport.htmLOWER FALLS
How to Get There The Lower Falls area is located just to the east of Canyon Village. A one-way loop drive takes you to the brink of the Grand Canyon and offers four views, with the last stop at the trail that leads to the top of the Falls. Brief Description Lower Falls, the biggest ... Read more
https://yellowstone.net/lower-falls/Be courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read MoreDirections
From Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
- Head northeast (0.1 mi)
- Turn left at the 2nd cross street at N Rim Dr (0.2 mi)
- Turn left onto Grand Loop RdToll roadMay be closed at certain times or days(1.2 mi)
- Turn left onto N Rim Dr (0.1 mi)
From Grand Loop Road, taking North Rim Drive will allow visitors access to: Brink of Lower Yellowstone Falls, Lookout Point, Red Rock Point, Grandview, and Inspiration Point.
South Rim Drive allows access to: Uncle Tom's Trail and Artist Point
There is a lodge and gas station further up on the North Rim Drive.
Other Hiking Trails Nearby
Ribbon Lake Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
0.8 miles SA gentle 6-mile trail through Yellowstone meadows past Clear Lake's thermal blue-green waters, lily-padded Ribbon Lake, and Grand Canyon overlooks — with bison and bears en route.
Hike 18.2 mi
Howard Eaton Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
1.1 miles NA 10-mile Yellowstone trail passing Cascade Lake, Grebe Lake, and Wolf Lake through forests and meadows — fish any of the lakes with a valid permit, or hike the full 20-mile out-and-back.
Hike 9.0 mi
Seven Mile Hole Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
1.4 miles NEA challenging 10-mile hike along the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone rim, then a 1,000-foot descent into the canyon for up-close Yellowstone River views and active hot spring sightings.
Hike 2.4 mi
Cascade Lake Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
2.3 miles NAn easy, well-marked 4.5-mile out-and-back hike through meadows and forest to Cascade Lake near Canyon Village, with wildflowers in summer and frequent wildlife sightings year-round.
Hike 7.6 mi
Observation Peak Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
2.3 miles NA nearly 10-mile Yellowstone hike that eases through meadows and past beautiful Cascade Lake before a strenuous 1,400-foot climb to a spectacular panoramic peak.
Hike 2.9 mi
Grebe Lake Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
2.6 miles WAn easy 6-mile Yellowstone round trip on a converted fire road to Grebe Lake — with elk, wildflowers, burned forest regeneration, and fishing allowed on the lake at trail's end.
Hike 3.4 mi
Dunraven Pass - Mount Washburn Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
5.0 miles NEA 6-mile Yellowstone hike via Dunraven Pass through quiet forests to the summit of Mount Washburn — a panoramic perch with bighorn sheep in summer and grizzlies near pine nuts in fall.
Hike 16.3 mi
Mount Washburn Spur Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
6.2 miles NEAn 8-mile descent from the peak of Mount Washburn through bighorn sheep country, wildflower meadows, and forests to Canyon Village — with sweeping Grand Canyon of Yellowstone views from the top.
Hike 4.4 mi
Chittenden Road - Mount Washburn Trail
Canyon Village, Yellowstone National Park
6.3 miles NEA steady, well-packed 5.8-mile out-and-back on the former Chittenden service road to Mount Washburn's summit, with bighorn sheep, wildflowers, and sweeping Yellowstone views at the top.
Hike 0.8-3.8 mi
Little Gibbon Falls
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
6.4 miles WA family-friendly 4.5-mile Yellowstone loop reaches fishing and swimming spots along Gibbon Creek, with kid-safe trail, canoeing options, and bearspray-worthy backcountry feel.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Ice Lake Trail
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
6.7 miles WA short, peaceful trail through forest regrown after the 1988 Yellowstone fires, leading to a pretty, tree-lined lake with young lodgepole pines thriving all around.
Hike
Mud Volcano
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
7.3 miles SEMud Volcano is one of Yellowstone National Park's most fascinating — and most pungent — hydrothermal areas, tucked along the Grand Loop Road in the Hayden Valley region between...
Hike 2.8 mi
Elephant Back Mountain Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
12.2 miles SEA 3-mile loop trail climbing 800 feet to a stunning overlook of Yellowstone Lake near Lake Village — a moderate hike open in summer and fall.
Hike
Beryl Spring / Emerald Spring
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
12.6 miles WOne of Yellowstone's hottest thermal features, right off the Grand Loop Road — the water exceeds boiling point, making this a stunning roadside look-don't-touch volcanic wonder.
Hike 0.6 mi
Pelican Creek Nature Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
12.8 miles SEA short 0.6-mile loop past streams, forest, and the vast expanse of Yellowstone Lake — spot pelicans, grebes, and teals on this family-friendly walk.
Hike
Tower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
13.1 miles NETower Fall plunges 132 feet off Tower Creek in Yellowstone, framed by dramatic rock pinnacles — located about 3 miles south of Roosevelt Junction.
Camp, Hike 2.3 mi
Natural Bridge Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
13.4 miles SAn easy 2-mile trail through forests and meadows to a bridge carved by a creek wearing through rhyolite — best views come from hiking around to the back of the arch.
Hike, Mountain Bike 7.4 mi
Pelican Valley Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
13.9 miles SEA flat, easy 6.2-mile hike through forest, over bridges, and into Pelican Valley's marshy winding creek — some of the best grizzly bear country in Yellowstone, open July 4 through fall, daylight hours only.
Hike 2.1 mi
Storm Point Trail
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
13.9 miles SEAn easy 2.3-mile family hike along the shores of Yellowstone Lake and Indian Pond to a rocky, windy overlook — open in summer and fall, closed in winter and during high bear activity.
Hike 2.4 mi
Lost Lake Trail
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
13.9 miles NAn easy 2.8-mile loop behind Roosevelt Lodge, winding through forest, meadows, and along the shores of Lost Lake — open year-round and finishable in under two hours.
HikeNearby Campsites
Canyon Campground
Canyon Junction, Yellowstone National Park
1.2 miles NA popular Yellowstone campground of 300-plus sites just minutes from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Upper and Lower Falls, with hiking trails and North Rim Drive access right from camp.
Camp 0.8-3.8 mi
Little Gibbon Falls
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
6.4 miles WA family-friendly 4.5-mile Yellowstone loop reaches fishing and swimming spots along Gibbon Creek, with kid-safe trail, canoeing options, and bearspray-worthy backcountry feel.
Camp, Canoe, Hike
Norris Campground
Norris, Yellowstone National Park
9.8 miles WCentrally located in Yellowstone NP, this campground puts you within a short drive of Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Hayden Valley, Old Faithful, and Yellowstone Lake.
Camp
Fishing Bridge RV Campground
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
12.5 miles SEAn RV campground near the mouth of the Yellowstone River where visitors can watch White Pelicans, waterfowl, and trout from the historic Fishing Bridge — fishing from the bridge is no longer permitted.
Camp
Tower Falls
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
13.1 miles NETower Fall plunges 132 feet off Tower Creek in Yellowstone, framed by dramatic rock pinnacles — located about 3 miles south of Roosevelt Junction.
Camp, Hike
Bridge Bay
Lake Village, Yellowstone National Park
13.2 miles SA scenic campground on the western shore of Yellowstone Lake at 7,800 feet — wooded upper loops, open meadows, and a nearby marina store, though far from the park's main dining hubs.
Camp
Indian Creek Campground Yellowstone
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
16.1 miles NWIndian Creek Campground is a quiet, wooded, tent-friendly Yellowstone campground near Mammoth Hot Springs, big on wildlife and peace.
Camp
Hellroaring Creek Trail
Yellowstone National Park
16.2 miles NA suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River leads to sandy creek-side beaches and a mild backcountry trail past Yellowstone's largest granite slab — great for all ages.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Slough Creek Campground
Tower Junction, Yellowstone National Park
18.4 miles NEA small, popular Yellowstone campground right on Slough Creek where wolf packs are frequently spotted — sites fill fast, so arrive early.
Camp
Madison Campground
Madison, Yellowstone National Park
18.9 miles WA partly wooded riverside campground at 6,800 feet in Yellowstone, close to Old Faithful and the geyser basins, with great fishing on the Madison River and 270-plus individual sites.
Camp
Mammoth Hot Springs Campground
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
20.2 miles NWThe only year-round campground in Yellowstone, with 85 first-come sites at 5 miles from the North Entrance, walking distance to the famous Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces and nearby hiking and fishing.
Camp 0.1-5.3 mi
Mammoth Hot Springs
Mammoth, Yellowstone National Park
20.3 miles NWColorful limestone terraces covered in glistening hot-spring water, a 1-mile boardwalk with 300 feet of elevation, elk in the parking lot, and an easy family-friendly loop — Yellowstone's showiest geology.
Camp, Hike
Grant Village
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
22.8 miles SNamed for President Grant near Yellowstone Lake's West Thumb, this village has lakeside dining, a geyser basin next door, campfire ranger programs, and tree-lined campsites steps from the water.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak
Pebble Creek Campground
Northeast Entrance, Yellowstone National Park
23.2 miles NEA quiet campground tucked in Yellowstone's far northeast corner near Trout Lake and world-class Lamar and Soda Butte trout rivers — arrive before 11 a.m. to secure a spot.
Camp 14.8 mi
Biscuit Basin to Fairy Falls and Firehole Meadows
Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park
26.7 miles SWA nearly 15-mile backcountry hike starting at Biscuit Basin passes turquoise pools, a 70-foot waterfall, Firehole Meadows, Imperial Geyser, and three stunning blue lakes with rust-red shores.
Backpack, Camp, Hike 6.9 mi
Heart Lake Trail
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
28.2 miles SAn 8-mile moderate hike to a remote backcountry lake with blue thermal pools, fumaroles, Rustic Geyser, and remarkable fishing for native cutthroat, mountain whitefish, and Arctic grayling.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Hot Springs 0.1 mi
Lewis Lake Campground
Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park
30.9 miles SYellowstone's third-largest lake draws canoeists, kayakers, and serious anglers, with a quiet campground open mid-June through early November on a first-come basis.
Camp, Canoe, Kayak
Big Springs
Island Park, Idaho
40.4 miles WA Big Springs campground shaded by Lodgepole Pines on Henry's Fork — with a 1-mile interpretive trail, fish feeding under the bridge, the historic Johnny Sack Cabin, and access to the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway.
Camp, Hike
Upper Coffee Pot Campground
Island Park, Idaho
45.6 miles WHenry's Fork of the Snake River winds through a lodgepole pine forest past this campground, offering fly-fishing for rainbow and brook trout and easy tubing and canoeing.
Camp, Canoe 17.5 mi
Tear Drop Lake
Ashton, Idaho
46.3 miles SWA small, lively lake in the Targhee forest for kayaking, swimming, and an easy loop trail — family fun with primitive lakeside camping.
Camp, Canoe, Hike, Kayak, Mountain Bike, Swim