Colonnade Falls is a 102-foot double plunge of the Bechler River in the Bechler Canyon corner of Yellowstone National Park, Teton County, Wyoming. The river drops 35 feet, then 67 feet, and the falls sit deep in backcountry that is reached only on foot, as a very long day hike or on a multi-day trip along the Bechler River Trail.
The falls
The two plunges follow one another down the canyon, the lower one nearly twice the height of the upper. The pool at the foot of the lower tier is known for good fishing and marks the upstream limit of rainbow trout; above the falls the river holds only cutthroat.
Getting there
The shortest approach starts at the Bechler Ranger Station in the park's southwest corner. The day-hike guide follows the Bechler Meadows Trail north 3.5 miles to the meadows, crosses Boundary Creek, fords the Bechler River at the upper end of the meadows and continues into Bechler Canyon; it puts the round trip to Colonnade and Iris Falls at 18 to 20 miles with about 400 feet of gain, returning the same way. From the north, the 26.4-mile Bechler River Trail from near Shoshone Lake reaches the falls at about mile 14, after a ford at mile 12.6 that can be hip-deep.
Entry to Yellowstone costs $35 per vehicle for seven days, plus $100 per person for non-US residents aged 16 and older unless they hold an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. Overnight trips need a backcountry permit; the Bechler Backcountry Office issues permits and passes and lists a $10 reservation fee plus $5 per person per night. In 2026 the office is open June 8 to October 12.
When to go
The route is not advised before late July because of deep fords and mosquitoes. In the 2026 season the Bechler Canyon trail was rated in good condition in late July and the Bechler Meadows mostly dry by late August.
On site
A short spur trail leads down to an overlook of the falls; a 2024 trip report describes it as well worth the detour. Extra shoes are recommended for the fords, and crossing the river barefoot is dangerous. Pikas live in the canyon's talus slopes, and moose and bears range through the area.
History and name
Members of the Hague Survey named the falls in 1885. The name is tied to the falls' resemblance to a row of columns; other accounts point to nearby columnar basalt or to the paired drops themselves.
Nearby
Iris Falls is about 0.3 mile upstream, and both are usually visited on the same hike. Ouzel Falls and Treasure Island Falls are each about 1.4 miles away. The nearest town, Ashton, Idaho, is about 27.4 miles off.
Distances are straight-line.