Yellowstone National Park · Idaho, Montana, Wyoming

Tower Falls Trail

2.5 mi of trail, end to end · about 350 ft of climbing · 6,186 ft–6,521 ft · asphalt, earth surface · trail class Fully Developed, Minimally Developed · hiking

6,438 ft 6,266 ft · 2.1 mi high 6,520 ft

Trailhead Tower Falls Trailhead 6,451 ft Drive there

Yellowstone River Picnic Area Trail the Park Service's write-up

2-3 Hours · no dogs · Summer, Fall

Start Tower Junction

A hiker stands on the edge of a canyon and looks down at the river below.
Photo: NPS / Jacob W. Frank

Trail climbs steeply to the east rim of the Narrows of the Yellowstone and then follows the rim. Look for peregrine falcons and osprey, which nest in the canyon, and bighorn sheep along the rim. View the Overhanging Cliff area, the towers of Tower Fall (the fall is not visible), basalt columns, and the historic Bannock Ford.

Safety notes: At the vista overlooking the Tower Falls area of the Yellowstone River, return the way you came or continue down the trail as it heads northeast; at the trail junction turn left and descend to the road. Walk west along the road for 0.7 mile (1.2 km) to the Yellowstone River Picnic Area.

Trailheads: Park at the Yellowstone River Picnic area, 1.25 miles (2 km) northeast of Tower Junction on the Northeast Entrance Road.

Accessibility The start of the trail ascends a rather steep hillside. The entire trail is single-wide, bare ground with frequent rocks and roots along the way. After ascending the hill, the trail follows a ridge with steep drop-offs.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 473 trails in Yellowstone National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.