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Brink of Lower Falls Trail

RECOMMENDED ROUTE
Intermediate Intermediate
 4.7 (54)
  1. Areas
  2. WY
  3. …Northwestern Wyoming
  4. …Yellowstone National Park
  5. Canyon Village
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“This trail switchbacks steeply down to the very brink of the 308-foot Lower Falls. ”

Tom Carter
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0.4

Miles

0.7

KM

Point to Point

7,774' 2,369 m

High

7,478' 2,279 m

Low

18' 6 m

Up

302' 92 m

Down

14%

Avg Grade (8°)

34%

Max Grade (19°)

Dogs No Dogs

Features River/Creek · Views

This trail contains steep drop-offs that are extremely dangerous for children. In 2014, a young girl lost her footing, stepped off this trail, and plunged 550 feet into the canyon.

Overview

The Brink of Lower Falls Trail switchbacks steeply down a mostly forested section of the Grand Canyon to an observation platform perched at the top of the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone. Here the mighty river thunderously plunges 308 feet into the heart of the canyon and hikers are afforded spectacular views down river into the vast, colorful canyon.

Description

From the Brink of Lower Falls parking area, the trail (which technically doesn't begin until the end of the first switchback) drops more than 300 feet in 0.4 miles. This very popular trail is often quite crowded. It is even more crowed since the direction of the one-way North Rim Road was changed making this the first stop on the road. Now, many visitors stop here thinking its a short way to the viewpoint and are unprepared for this steep, somewhat difficult trail. So expect a slow hike down and an even slower hike back up. But the views at the bottom are amazing, making it a must-do hike for many.

Thanks to guidebook author, Tom Carter, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about visiting Yellowstone, check out his book, Day Hiking Yellowstone.

History & Background

In 1887, Owen Wister, gathering stories and inspiration later used in his classic western novel, The Virginian, described Lower Falls this way: "This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. The water falls . . . 300 feet into a caldron of rock . . . the spray floats out into a rainbow that melts away into many-coloured moss, until you cannot discern which is moss and which rainbow."

Contacts

Local Club: Yellowstone Forever

Apr 17, 2025: New Beginnings

Mar 31, 2025: Winning Images for Yellowstone Forever’s 2026 Calendar

Mar 29, 2025: Geology Rocks this Summer in Yellowstone

Land Manager: National Park Service - Yellowstone National Park

Shared By:

Tom Carter
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  4.7 from 54 votes

#1

in Canyon Village

#181

Overall
  4.7 from 54 votes
5 Star
76%
4 Star
22%
3 Star
2%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Canyon Village

#9

in Wyoming

#181

Overall
31 Views Last Month
16,261 Since Sep 8, 2015
Intermediate Intermediate
0%
4%
67%
10%
19%
0%
Add a Photo

Photos

At the brink of Lower Yellowstone Falls.
Sep 10, 2015 near Canyon…, WY
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Apr 3, 2020 near Canyon…, WY
Yellowstone Canyon.
Mar 7, 2016 near Canyon…, WY
Falls of the Yellowstone.
Sep 9, 2015 near Canyon…, WY

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

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Add Your Check-In

Check-Ins

Jul 19, 2024
Daniel Jones
Aug 4, 2023
David Hitchcock
Jul 29, 2023
Jordan Ciaramitaro
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Jul 24, 2023
Devin Radel
Jul 22, 2023
Jamie Lynch
7/21 Hike with Aiden
Jul 22, 2023
Hui Peng
Jun 29, 2023
Michael McSperritt
Jun 28, 2023
Lara Verbecken

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