Bechler Falls is a remote hike in the Cascade Corner of Yellowstone National Park. This hike starts just past Cave Falls, which is an amazing waterfall, too. The short trail to Bechler Falls is appropriate for families as it is flat, fairly short, and well-marked. The waterfall is definitely more of a cascade, but we enjoyed the hike just as much as the waterfall.
After viewing Cave Falls, park near the restrooms in the donut shaped parking area. The trail starts directly opposite the restrooms (the trail next to them leads back to the Ranger Station). The correct trail follows the river all the way to the falls.
Hike Info
- Distance: 3.0
- Rating: Easy
- Elevation Gain: 137 ft
- Dog-Friendly: No
- Fee: Yellowstone National Park Entrance Fee
This trail goes slightly uphill as it follows the course of the river, but it is not very steep. We enjoyed the roaring rush of the river on our right as we hiked along. Eventually, the trail comes to a confluence of rivers, and the Falls River joins the Bechler River as it leads back to Cave Falls. The trail continues along the Bechler River and all along the way there are little cascades and rapids, too.
Eventually, the trail arrives at Bechler Falls. This waterfall is more of a cascade than a free fall as the water rumbles through a narrow chute and falls about 15 feet. We liked the look of this waterfall, and you can get pretty good pictures of it. What we liked even more, though, was hiking a hundred yards farther up the trail to a small meadow. It was peaceful above Bechler Falls. As the trees opened up, we spotted an osprey and a bald eagle. There was even a deer in the meadow, munching the grass. This was our favorite spot on the trail, so make sure to walk past the falls just a bit.
The trail continues on to longer hikes, but we turned around and headed back to our car. The hike goes in and out of shade, but we didn’t see one other person on this trail.
The Bechler Falls Yellowstone hike is definitely worth checking out if you are a waterfall enthusiast and you want to visit a section of Yellowstone that no one else every visits. We love Yellowstone and its many waterfalls, which you can read about on our Yellowstone waterfall post.
