When we think about Yellowstone National Park most of the time people think about something epic! Whether it is the animals like wolves, bears, and bison to geysers, and thermal features Like Old Faithful, Steamboat Geyser, or Grand Prismatic Spring. Yellowstone Waterfalls are no exception with 45 named waterfalls and hundreds more not even named.
Yellowstone Waterfalls
The majority of these waterfalls can be reached with your car! They even have great viewpoints making it easy to view and photograph these epic Yellowstone waterfalls.
Don't get me wrong there are a ton of waterfalls that are hidden away from the main roads that take a bit of hiking or more to reach them but one thing I know from many visitors to Yellowstone is that they try to see as much of the park as possible with the limited time that they have to explore this amazing park.
Yellowstone Falls - Upper Falls
Location - Canyon Area - South Rim Drive of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Length - 109 feet
Viewpoint - Brink of the Upper Falls viewpoint, .2 mile walk
Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls are located in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and are the epic destination for waterfall lovers!
Getting there is easy too, simply drive towards the middle of the park towards Canyon Village. From the Canyon Village intersection, go south towards Hayden Valley. You will see signs that will direct you to North Rim Drive and South Rim Drive with both giving you views to both the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls.
I personally prefer the views from South Rim Drive. For the Upper Falls, park into the Uncle Tom's Point Parking Lot and take a short walk to the Upper Falls Viewpoint. You can also get a great view of the Upper Falls at the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail on the North Rim Drive.
If you want a great unobstructed view of Lower Yellowstone without the crowds at Artists Point, I would suggest Uncle Tom's Trail. Now Uncle Tom's trail is not for everyone.
If you would consider yourself a couch potato, out of shape, or have any medical conditions like bad knees/joints/arthritis/ heart issues/lung issues, well you get the point this trail is not for you.
This trail starts off at 8000' in elevation and breathing is already a bit more difficult. Now, Uncle Toms Trail adds the thrill of 328 steps down then you get to climb right back up, perfect for those who miss their stair climber at home.
Just remember that all the parking lots on both the North Rim Drive and the South Rim Drive fill up quickly and can be a real pain to navigate in the summer months.
I consider both the Upper Yellowstone Falls and the Lower Yellowstone Falls as one of the must-see destinations in Yellowstone!
Yellowstone Falls - Lower Falls
Location - Canyon Area - North Rim Drive of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Length - 308 foot
Viewpoint - Artist Point
Lower Yellowstone Falls is the tallest waterfall in Yellowstone standing proud at 308'! Its impressive size is slightly diminished by the canyon itself as both compete for your attention! The falls can be seen from outlooks on both North Rim Drive and South Rim Drive but an experienced visitor to Yellowstone will quickly advise you to walk to Artist's Point at the end of the South Rim Drive. This viewpoint gives you the epic view of the falls that everyone knows and desires to see and photograph. Just be prepared for crowds as you will not be alone in this journey to see one of America's best-known waterfalls!
Crystal Falls
Location - Canyon Area
Length - 129'
Viewpoint - Before the Brink of the Upper Falls on North Rim Drive
Crystal Falls is the lesser-known of the three waterfalls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. Normally visitors would flock to a 129' tall waterfall but it gets dwarfed by the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls.
This is a great waterfall to see and you could very well have it to yourself!
Firehole Falls
Location -Firehole Falls is located on the Firehole Canyon Scenic Drive just south of the Madison Junction.
Length - 40 feet
Viewpoint - Side of the road
Firehole Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls in Yellowstone National Park to view! It is right off the side of the road on the scenic Firehole Canyon Drive near the Madison Junction.
This 2-mile scenic loop also includes the Firehole River Swimming Area. The parking area for Firehole Falls can be extremely popular! We suggest visiting early or later in the day to have time to check out the falls and get photographs.
Tower Fall
Location - Three miles south of the Roosevelt Junction
Length - 132 feet
Viewpoint - 100 foot walk from the parking lot.
This is one of the most popular waterfalls in the park. It's easy to get to, you can see the falls from the parking lot and it is rather impressive at 132 feet tall.
Tower Fall is located 3 miles south of the Roosevelt Junction and was named from the rock pinnacles at the top of the fall not because it is on Tower Creek. From the falls, the river dumps into the Yellowstone River.
Gibbon Falls
Location - Just off the road between Madison and Norris Junctions
Length - 84 feet
Viewpoint - Approximately 5 miles upstream from the Madison Junction on the East Side of road between Norris and Madison Junctions.
Gibbon Falls is another popular waterfall in Yellowstone. There is easy access with a large pullout and a paved trail leading back downstream of the Gibbon River for people to take photos and soak in this beautiful 84-foot waterfall!
Make sure to plan a few minutes to enjoy Gibbon Falls. This is a great place to enjoy a Yellowstone Picnic.
Kepler Cascades
Location - Just south of Old Faithful
Length - 150 foot
Viewpoint - The viewpoint is a short 50-foot walk from the parking lot. There is a great wooden overlook built so you can look out to the falls.
Kepler Cascades is a beautiful surprise just 2 miles south of Old Faithful Village. I say this because after spending a full day looking at nothing but the ground filled with geysers, barren landscapes, and unique colored pools, you come around the corner and pull into an easy pullout to an overlook at this beautiful three-tiered, 150' tall waterfall! Magnificent!
Undine Falls
Location - Highway between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower-Roosevelt
Length - 60 feet
Viewpoint - Parking lot on the north side of the road between Mammoth and Roosevelt Junctions.
Undine Falls is actually very surprising as it looks much larger than it really is. It measures 60' over a three-tier drop but appears much taller.
It is definitely worth a few minutes to stop and get out and enjoy this waterfall.
Virginia Cascades
Location - Between Norris and Canyon
Length - 60 Feet
Viewpoint - One the One-Way road between Norris and Canyon Junctions.
Virginia Cascades today is one of the least visited waterfalls in the park yet one with a colorful past.
The One-Way road this waterfall lies on was the original park road between Norris and Canyon that provided access to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Virginia Cascades turned out to be a great warm-up for what was to come for park visitors.
Lewis Falls
Location - Two miles south of Lewis Lake Campground
Length - 30 feet
Viewpoint - Parking lot on side of the road
Lewis Falls is a nice waterfall at the South end of Yellowstone National Park between the parks south entrance and Grant Village.
It can easily be seen while driving southbound heading towards Grand Teton National Park. You can also get out and hike just over the hill for an unobstructed view.
Moose Falls
Location - Near the south entrance to the park
Length - 30' feet
Viewpoint - Moose Falls is located just north of Yellowstone's South Entrance.
This pretty plunge waterfall could be easily missed by those in a hurry to get to the park's main attractions but I quite like this waterfall. The falls were named Moose Falls for the plentiful amount of moose found in the southern section of Yellowstone.
Waterfalls you need to hike to
Fairy Falls
Location - Midway Geyser Basin
Length - 197 foot
Viewpoint - Fairy Falls Trail leads you to the viewpoint.
Fairy Falls is the tallest front country waterfall visitors can reach. This trail has a few highlights along the way including views of Grand Prismatic Spring, Spray Geyser, and imperial Geyser making for a great hike!
Mystic Falls
Location - Behind Biscuit Basin, 3 miles north of Old Faithful Area
Length - 70 feet
Viewpoint - 3-mile hike
Mystic Falls can be accessed by a moderate 3-mile loop hike starting out of Biscuit Basin. The trail ascends 550 feet and the views are best if you hike in a clockwise direction.
Osprey Falls
Location - 5 miles south of Mammoth on the Old Bunsen Peak Road Trail
Length - 150 feet
Viewpoint - To reach the falls you will need to hike an 8 miles (12.9 km) roundtrip. The hike descends over 700 feet into Sheepeater Canyon before seeing this waterfall as it plunges over the edge of a lava flow.
I would consider this a difficult hike and to be cautious as Grizzly Bears frequent the area.
Union Falls
Location - near Flagg Ranch just south of the southern entrance to Yellowstone
Length - 265 feet, it is the second-highest waterfall in Yellowstone
Viewpoint - To reach the falls you will need to hike 16 miles round trip.
We hope you have a great time exploring these epic Yellowstone Waterfalls. Make sure to check out the links below for more great information on Yellowstone National Park.
Yellowstone National Park Entrance Fee
Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.
Park Entrance Pass - $35.00 Per private vehicle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Park Entrance Pass - Motorcycle - $30.00 Per motorcycle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Park Entrance Pass - Snowmobile - $30.00 Entry for one driver and one passenger (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Per-Person Entrance Pass - $20.00 Visitors 16 years or older who enter on foot, bicycle, or as part of an organized group not involved in a commercial tour.
Annual Park Entrance Pass - $70.00, Admits pass holder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle. Valid for one year from the month of purchase.
$20.00 for Non-Commercial Group (16+ persons)
$20.00 for Commercial Sedan with 1-6 seats and non-commercial groups (16+ persons) ($25.00 plus $20.00 per person)
$125.00 for Commercial Van with 7-15 seats
$200.00 for Commercial Mini-Bus with 16-25 seats
$300.00 for Commercial Motor Coach with 26+ seats
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Fun Yellowstone National Park Tours and Activities
4-Hour Morning Kayak on Yellowstone Lake with Lunch- Admire the tree-fringed banks, beaches, and thermal pools of Yellowstone Lake from the water on this morning tour.
After a kayak lesson and time to familiarize yourself with your kayak, set out to explore the West Thumb with your guide. You will paddle for approximately two miles along the West Thumb Geyser Basin as you look for elk and bear along the lakeshore and marvel at the steaming geysers in this incredible area of the park!
Click here to book your tour for the 4-hour Morning Kayak on Yellowstone Lake with Lunch!
Lamar Valley Safari Hiking Tour with Lunch - the lush riverside plains of the Lamar Valley are a wildlife watching hotspot within Yellowstone National Park. With this guided hike, you get to explore the natural landscapes as you venture off-road and seek out little-known spots, increasing your chances of seeing wildlife. Look out for buffalo, wolves, eagles, and other animals along the way and watch them from a safe distance in their natural habitat. Tour includes lunch, bear spray, binoculars, trekking pole, backpack(if necessary), coffee and/or tea.
Click here to book your tour for the Lamar Valley Safari Hiking Tour with Lunch.
Yellowstone National Park Private Wildlife Tour - Book your private tour with Yellowstone Exposures to ensure a truly unforgettable day with a local expert. Have your day designed and mapped for you by a local professional so that you can utilize it to the fullest.
With snacks, High-quality spotting scopes and binos. Your guide will take photos and video throughout the day. Included a full picnic lunch, snacks, and refreshments.
Click here to book your tour for the Yellowstone National Park Private Wildlife Tour.
Additional Yellowstone Resources
Yellowstone Lodging Guide -Check out all of the lodges you can stay in while visiting Yellowstone NP.
Yellowstone Camping Guide - Check out all of the campgrounds available within the park.
Things to do Yellowstone - Check out all of the top things to do in the park.
Yellowstone Facts - Learn more about the unique features in Yellowstone.
Free National Park Days - Check out all of the days the National Park Service waives park entrance fees.
National Parks in Wyoming - Check out all of the parks you can visit while in Wyoming.
Grand Teton Guide - Ultimate guide to Grand Teton!
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