Tower Fall Trail

Tower Fall Trail is a 0.8-mile out-and-back from Tower Fall Trailhead, passing the waterfall overlook before dropping to the Yellowstone River. The distance includes walking back along the same trail; the route on the map shows that corridor once. Allow 45 to 60 minutes. I’d take the descent if you want to see the canyon from the riverbank, but the steep climb back makes this more work than the mileage suggests. The paved overlook is a much easier way to see Tower Fall.

The walk starts by the General Store restrooms. A fairly level paved path reaches the overlook for a head-on view of Tower Fall, where Tower Creek drops 132 feet. Pines hide part of the bottom of the fall. Past the overlook the route turns to dirt and switchbacks down toward the river. The final slope is short but loose underfoot, with dirt and gravel.

At the bottom, the trail reaches the Yellowstone River where Tower Creek flows in. You return by the same route, climbing the switchbacks back to the overlook and parking area.

The distance is brief, but you descend about 250 to 300 feet and then climb it back. The steep grade and loose footing at the river end are the hard parts. If heart, lung, or knee problems make a sharp climb uncomfortable, NPS recommends enjoying the view from the overlook instead. Pets aren’t allowed on Yellowstone hiking trails.

The tower-like volcanic pinnacles at the brink gave Tower Fall its name. Thomas Moran painted Tower Fall, and his work helped persuade Congress to establish the park in 1872. A boulder visible in an 1871 photograph finally fell from the brink in June 1986.

From the riverbank, the canyon opens up around the Yellowstone and Tower Creek confluence. The cliffs and slopes here support bighorn sheep, osprey, and red-tailed hawks, though wildlife is never a sure thing. For a river photo, include the water in the foreground and the steep, wooded canyon slope across it.