Yellowstone Falls

The most impressive and powerful waterfalls in the park may be seen just south of Canyon Junction where the huge Yellowstone River bursts its banks over two enormous rocks. Yellowstone Falls is an integrated area of two large waterfalls on the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. From Yellowstone Lake, the Yellowstone River flows north, leaves the Hayden Valley, and descends into Upper Yellowstone Falls at 33 meters (109 ft). The cliff edge of the Upper Falls marked the transition between the robust rhyolite lava flows and the more easily eroded vitreous lava.

A quarter mile (400 m) downstream through Lower Yellowstone Falls, the water pours into the vast fissure of Yellowstone Gorge up to 1,000 feet (304 m) deep. Lower Waterfall is considered the highest and most impressive of the two waterfalls of the Yellowstone River. Hikers can get a great view of them from many different angles.

Lower Yellowstone Falls may have water flows ranging from 680 cubic feet per second (19 m3/s) in the autumn to 8,400 cubic feet per second (240 m3/s) at its peak in late April. As the Yellowstone River is just 70 feet (21 meters) broad at the point where it runs through the Lower Falls, the flow rate of Lower Yellowstone Falls is significantly lower than that of Niagara Falls, which is 2,600 feet (790 m) wide.

In sum, Yellowstone Falls:

• An integrated area of two large waterfalls on the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.
• The lower Yellowstone Falls pour into the vast fissure of Yellowstone Gorge up to 1,000 feet (304 m) deep.
• The amount of water in the waterfall can change depending on the time of year.