Terraced Falls

We followed the official trail to the view of the waterfall you see at the top of this page. However, as you can see, it's a rather unsatisfying view up there, and this required standing on a scary rock pillar with little room for error (you will get butterflies trying to get that better view from this precarious spot). All this is achieved after hiking about 2 miles from the trailhead (4 miles round trip).

The best view of the waterfall is actually from the other side of the river. Somehow the authors of The Guide to Yellowstone Waterfalls and Their Discovery managed to pull this off, but I suspect you have to wade the Falls River to get to the other side and then hike downstream until you get to a decent viewing spot amongst the pillars. Obviously, we weren't going to try this considering how turbulent the river was during our visit in late June (see a photo of the falls from the other side here).

Finally, I actually tried to see what the waterfall was like at the base. However, that meant I went past the closure signs and then scrambled down the very steep gully to the banks of the Falls River. Unfortunately, if you're going to try to get that view that Charles Maynard showed in his book, you're going to have to wade into the river and look upstream at part of the falls. Again, this was something I wasn't willing to do, and I don't think the scramble down the gully was worth it either (I was fortunate to make it back up).

Alternatively, you can also drive 35 miles east of Ashton Idaho to get to the Cascade Creek Trailhead.

By the way, the Grassy Lake Reservoir is where the trailhead for the most preferred route to Union Falls is. I hope to be able to come back here and do it the next time I visit Yellowstone.

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Blocked view of one of the upper cascades

Another obstructed view of another cascade

At the base of the waterfall - in case you're curious about what it looks like if you do the dangerous scramble to its base. I don't know about you, but I don't think it's worth it.

Wildflowers in the grasslands next to the Grassy Lake Road

Signs discouraging you to proceed further

Looking down at the steep scramble to the base of the falls


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TRIP REPORTS

• June 20, 2004

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