In Bechler Canyon within Yellowstone National Park, Iris Falls drops 45 feet as a vertical block waterfall on the Bechler River in Teton County, Wyoming. The river pours over a single broad ledge a short distance upstream of Colonnade Falls, reached on a long day hike from the Bechler Ranger Station.
The falls
Iris Falls is a vertical block waterfall where the full width of the Bechler River drops 45 feet in one plunge. Its airborne spray often forms a rainbow at the base of the cascade.
Getting there
The falls sit beside the Bechler River Trail, about a mile past Colonnade Falls. The trip to both falls covers 18 to 20 miles round trip with about 400 feet of gain. Starting at the Bechler Ranger Station, the route follows the Bechler Meadows Trail north for 3.5 miles to the meadows, crosses Boundary Creek, fords the Bechler River at the upper end of the meadows, then climbs gradually into the canyon. The return follows the same route.
Yellowstone admission in 2026 is $35 per private vehicle for seven days, plus $100 per person for non-US residents aged 16 and older unless covered by an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. The Bechler Backcountry Office sells entrance passes and the backcountry permits required year-round for overnight stays; campsites are reserved through Recreation.gov.
When to go
The Bechler Backcountry Office is staffed from June 8 to October 12 in 2026. In late July trail reports listed the Bechler Canyon trail in good condition, and by late August the Bechler Meadows were mostly dry. The park's situation reports provide current trail updates.
On site
The route requires fording the Bechler River in both directions. Pets are not allowed on Yellowstone trails or in the backcountry, even when carried. Hikers in the canyon report pikas on talus slopes, moose and bears, alongside large Douglas-firs and views of the Tetons to the southeast.
History and name
Members of Arnold Hague's survey party named the falls in 1885. The name honors Iris, the Greek goddess of the rainbow, while other accounts suggest it refers to the rainbow-colored spray, or both.
Nearby
Colonnade Falls, on the same river, is about 0.3 mile away. Treasure Island Falls is about 1.1 miles away and Ouzel Falls, on Ouzel Creek, about 1.6 miles.
Distances are straight-line.