Parking
Use Bechler Ranger Station Trailhead (9K1) on Cave Falls Road, just north of Yellowstone’s southern boundary. Follow Boundary Creek Trail about 1.6 miles to the Bechler Meadows junction.
Overview
About Bechler Meadows Trail
Why go
- Open meadow views reach south toward the Tetons, with Ouzel Falls across the grass near the far end.
- Lupine, elephanthead, and larkspur add a distinct wildflower stretch.
Heads up
- The station approach and return make this a long day hike.
- Boundary Creek requires a ford, and the northern cutoff connection is unclear on available mapped lines.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Yellowstone map
Full mapElevation6,388–6,483 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
5 active Yellowstone alerts
- ClosureBiscuit Basin closed after hydrothermal explosionBiscuit Basin’s parking lot, boardwalk, and Firehole River are closed to all travel.Official details
- ClosureMost Yellowstone roads close to regular vehicles November 1Most Yellowstone roads and the West, South, and East entrances are scheduled to close to regular vehicles November 1, 2026, as the park prepares for winter operations.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Yellowstone Tour Guide
Hear Yellowstone as you drive it.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Yellowstone National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Yellowstone audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Bechler Ranger Station and Backcountry Office0:00 / 0:32
“You're nearing Bechler Ranger Station, a useful first stop for exploring this remote corner of the park. The backcountry office has maps and ranger advice for hikes through the meadows and waterfall country.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Yellowstone Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Cave Falls and Bechler Falls
- 243 audio storiesacross Yellowstone’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Wolf, Grizzly Bear, Bison, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 167 trails, 192 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“First time driving through a national park. We used the Yellowstone tour on grand loop Road and it’s just like having a tour guide in your car with you.”
Trail guide
Hiking Bechler Meadows Trail
The full walkBechler Meadows Trail is a 10.
Bechler Meadows Trail is a 10.6-mile out-and-back from Bechler Ranger Station: follow Boundary Creek Trail about 1.6 miles to the named route, hike its roughly 3.7-mile meadow segment north, then return by the same corridor. Allow about six hours for the mostly level distance and the water crossings. This is remote backcountry, so plan the whole day; Yellowstone recommends hiking in groups of three or more, and pets are not allowed.
Through the forest and across Boundary CreekThe named segment begins in forest. After about 1.
The named segment begins in forest. After about 1.8 miles, you pass the Rocky Ford Cutoff junction; another 0.4 mile brings you to Boundary Creek. The route description calls this crossing knee-deep, but water level changes, so judge the ford before stepping in. A suspension bridge is also pictured on the trail, though it is not clear which waterway it crosses; do not assume it replaces the Boundary Creek ford. Yellowstone warns that park rivers are cold and swift and crossings can be hazardous.
Bechler MeadowsPast the creek, the forest opens into wide meadow.
Past the creek, the forest opens into wide meadow. Look south for views toward the Tetons, and in bloom season for purple lupine, pink elephanthead, and tall purple larkspur. Near the north end, Ouzel Falls appears across the meadow. For a photograph, keep some of the grass or creek in the foreground so the falls sit within the broad landscape.
Ouzel Falls and the returnOuzel Falls drops about 230 feet from the southern end of Madison Plateau to the Bechler River.
Ouzel Falls drops about 230 feet from the southern end of Madison Plateau to the Bechler River. Its name comes from the water ouzel, or American dipper, which feeds in fast-moving water. The trail description places the far end at Bechler Meadows Cutoff, about half a mile from Bechler Ford, but mapped paths do not show that junction clearly. Carry the official park map and confirm the connection before continuing onto the cutoff; turn back along the same route for this out-and-back.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Yellowstone
713 sightingsGrizzly BearMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
743 sightingsWolfMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
5,273 sightingsBisonMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
3,258 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
397 sightingsMooseMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
1,494 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Yellowstone. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
