Every time we talk about Yellowstone, I think about how the post I'm about to write could never truly cover the subject of how beautiful and amazing Yellowstone is. From Yellowstone Geysers and animals to waterfalls. We could spend lifetimes in the park and always see something new! Remember that this National Park is big enough that you really have to choose what you want to see before you go. You could go for the geysers or the animals or for hiking deep into the backcountry, but you can't do it all in one visit.
If you love the magic of waterfalls as much as I do, this post is for you. Here are a few of the fantastic water features you can see without leaving the road.
The Lower Falls
Ok, so I lied a little bit. You can see the Lower Falls from the road, sort of, but to get the full effect you absolutely should hike the short route to the viewing area. Now there is a longer trail from the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls, almost every time I've been through the trail has been closed because of maintenance, but it opened this summer so if you would like to take the true scenic route this is the way to go!
The Upper Falls
You do have to walk about 1/4 of a mile from the parking lot to see the Upper Falls, by they are by no means the reason you should take this hike. Waterfalls are amazing, but what makes this one so worth stopping for is The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone! From the shifting colors of the canyon walls to the way the river winds below you shaping the rock, this spot is a show stopper in the park!
Rustic Falls
This waterfall is located at the Yellowstone National Park Golden Gate and you can see it from the road. However, instead of breezing by this seemingly underwhelming attraction in Yellowstone stop and take in the history of the Golden Gate. I guarantee the old "road" that early Park tourists traveled over on this route will make you grateful for modern engineering!
Lewis Falls
Lewis Falls can be viewed from the road, but they're tucked back into a corner so if you're passing out the snacks at just the right moment, you'll miss them.
LeHardy's Rapids
I know rapids are not the same thing as a waterfall and you do have to walk a little bit to appreciate LeHardy's Rapids. However, this water feature in Yellowstone is one that will give you an understanding of how incredible salmon are making their journey up the roaring river each year to where they will hatch their offspring.
Any die-hard Yellowstone fans here will tell you that I'm missing some fairly significant waterfalls on this list. Trust me, I know! Eventually, I hope this can become a more exhaustive list of the waterfalls you can find in YNP. With every trip this post will become more complete, so keep your eyes peeled for my future Yellowstone adventures!
What is your favorite Yellowstone waterfall? What is your favorite thing to see in Yellowstone?
Thank you, fellow adventurers! You can follow the lilmissbearpaw blog page on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @lilmissbearpaw for sneak peeks into upcoming posts and my adventures. This will also be a great place to share your own adventures!
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