One of the things that almost always draws our attention is waterfalls. Sue loves them and so we always stop to take a look, even if it requires a short hike. Glacier National Park and Yellowstone National Park are full of waterfalls, some of them spectacular. Last year and this year, we took time at several of the waterfalls in Yellowstone National Park.
The first set of waterfalls are probably the most well known in the park and are called the Upper Yellowstone Falls and Lower Yellowstone Falls. When you see pictures of Yellowstone, these are often the picture that you’ll see. They are both on the the Yellowstone River and are only about a quarter mile apart. After the water exits from the Lower Yellowstone Falls, the river continues through an impressive canyon that is called the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
The Upper Yellowstone Falls are over 100 feet high while the Lower Yellowstone Falls are over 300 feet high–that’s twice as high as Niagara Falls! Both are spectacular. You can actually walk down to the brink of both falls from the north side of the river. The trail to the Lower Falls is more challenging and neither of them is easy, at least on the way up! The view from the brink of the falls is spectacular! There is a lot of water going over both of these falls.
From the south side, you get a beautiful view that is from a distance, but something you must see. If you are limited on time, make sure to see the falls from the south side, and then go to the north side and take one of the hikes down to the top of the falls.
We also visited Gibbon Falls, and Undine Falls, both of which are right on the road and can’t be missed.
Undine Falls is located on the road between Tower-Roosevelt and Mammoth, not far from Mammoth. We visited these falls on our way back to Gardiner. They aren’t as tall as the others we saw this trip, but they are pretty and you should stop and take a look. They are 60 feet high, but have a three step cascade which is nice. They were fun to stop at and spend some time watching.
The name Undine comes from from water nymphs that inhabit water in forest pools and waterfalls. They are said to have beautiful voices that are sometimes heard over the sound of the running water.
Gibbon Falls is located right on the edge of the Yellowstone Caldera. The falls are 80 feet high and have more of a gradual descent then either the Upper or Lower Yellowstone Falls and is kind of a fan shape. Every waterfall has it’s own unique characteristics! There is a parking lot pull-off area at the falls and it’s worth taking the time to park and then walk downhill to the end of the viewing area to get different views of these falls. The Gibbon Falls are located on the road between Norris and Madison in Yellowstone National Park.
There was a beautiful bird sitting on one of the trees not far from the viewpoint to Gibbon Falls and we spend some time watching it and taking pictures. I don’t know my birds well, so don’t know what kind it is; perhaps one of you can tell us.
These are certainly not the only falls in Yellowstone, but the only ones we visited this trip. Other popular waterfalls include Fairy Falls, Firehole Falls, Kepler Cascades, Lewis Falls, Mystic Falls, Osprey Falls, Tower Fall, Union Falls and Virigina Cascades. And the list does not end there! There are MANY others, some of which require you to spend some time hiking in order to view. But I’m sure that like these falls, they are also worth the view.
What are your favorite waterfalls in Yellowstone National Park?
