Upper Colonnade Falls
Teton County, Wyoming
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- 36 ft (11 m)
- Location
- Teton County, Wyoming
- Access status
- Partial guide: long backcountry trail with deep fords; distance from the trailhead not stated
- The walk
- Long backcountry trail; distance from the Bechler Ranger Station is not stated
- Ground & access
- Long backcountry trail with many stream crossings and deep fords of the Bechler River; Hiking Project says even in August one ford is often knee-deep and another may be hip-deep.
Colonnade Falls is a two-tiered falls on the Bechler River in the Bechler area of Yellowstone National Park, with an upper drop of 35 feet and a lower drop of 67 feet. This listing is the upper 35-foot drop; the lower 67-foot drop is part of the same falls. NPS says the Bechler River Trail starts at either the Bechler Ranger Station or Lone Star Geyser. Hiking Project describes the trail passing Iris Falls and then two-tiered Colonnade Falls before it enters Bechler Meadows. From the south, start at the Bechler Ranger Station Trailhead on Cave Falls Road. The trail has difficult fords of the Bechler River, and Hiking Project does not recommend it before late July.
Plan your visit
Bechler Ranger Station Trailhead on Cave Falls Road, then the Bechler River Trail north through the Bechler Meadows area into Bechler Canyon to two-tiered Colonnade Falls
NPS describes the Bechler River Trail as roughly 30 miles one way. Hiking Project places two-tiered Colonnade Falls at mile 14 of its 26.4-mile one-way description, measured from the north end south of Grants Pass. Neither source gives the distance from the Bechler Ranger Station to the falls.
Long backcountry trail with many stream crossings and deep fords of the Bechler River; Hiking Project says even in August one ford is often knee-deep and another may be hip-deep.
Where to start
Bechler Ranger Station Trailhead, on Cave Falls Road just north of the southern park boundary.
Timing & water
Hiking Project does not recommend the trail before late July because of deep fords and mosquitoes.
Before you go
Permits are not required for day hiking. Overnight stays need a backcountry permit. Park entrance requirements apply.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.
- Lower Colonnade FallsPartial guide: long backcountry trail with deep fords; distance from the trailhead not stated66 ft (20 m) · Teton County, WY0.1 miSW
Iris FallsSnow and ice reported; historical route and parking gap45 ft (13.7 m) · Teton County, WY0.2 miNE- Ouzel FallsPartial guide: distant view from a long meadow trail; no trail to the falls and the distance to the viewing point is not statedTeton County, WY1.4 miW
- Albright FallsTeton County, WY3.4 miNE
- Silver Scarf FallsLong national park day hike with fords; falls a short walk from the Dunanda Falls junctionTeton County, WY3.7 miW
- Dunanda FallsLong Yellowstone backcountry day hike from the Bechler Ranger Station; stream crossings that may need wadingTeton County, WY3.9 miW
- Wahhi FallsTeton County, WY4.3 miNE
- Sluiceway FallsTeton County, WY4.3 miNE
- Ragged FallsTeton County, WY4.4 miNE