Cave Falls

Cave Falls is one of the more interesting areas in Yellowstone. Very few visitors have ever heard of it or know it exists. It is located in a remote corner of the park in Idaho far from any other park roads. It is near the Bechler Ranger Station in an area affectionately called Cascade Corner for the many waterfalls. Cave Falls is the only feature here that is accessible by road. Everything else requires hiking. Cave falls is only 20 feet tall but is the widest in the park at 250 feet wide. The road to Cave Falls is a dirt road that is suitable to just about any vehicle if the conditions are good. If the road is muddy do not try in anything but 4x4. The road can hold snow into June some years so check road conditions before going. The drive is mostly in thick forest but there are a few spots where you can see the Tetons on a clear day. Only the last mile or so of the road is actually in the park which means there are other forest roads in the area. Please don't be tempted to ride ATV's and other OHV's into the park. It is not allowed. Also make sure you pay your park entrance fee. If you need any ranger assistance visit the Bechler Ranger station which is a few miles from the falls. There is also a nice campground run by the falls as well as a picnic area right at the parking lot. There is a lower viewpoint before the large parking area. This gives a pretty and distant view of the area. You can either take a short hike from this spot up to the falls or drive to the picnic area where it's a short walk to a view at the top of the falls. The water flowing over these falls can be impressive and the falls hold plenty of water year round making this a nice spot even in late fall before the road gets snowed in. The name came from a small cave that recently collapsed on the side of the falls. You can see the remnants of the collapse from the viewing station. The views up and down the river are very nice. I'm slightly obsessed with the Falls River because there are cascades everywhere. I think it annoys my wife how much I talk about how much I love it. From the top you can also take a very short hike to the base of the falls. This is a perfect area to relax and enjoy the views.