An awesome hike with much beauty and ample opportunities to relax and enjoy nature.

Thanks to a great tip from a park ranger in Yellowstone, we were directed to the Cascade Creek Waterfall Hike. It’s a 4-mile hike with some great options for shorter routes 1/2 mile or 3/4 miles) which include a great beach area and a lower flow waterfall area.

See below for detailed directions and information as it can be a bit tricky to locate.

Option 1: The first play area is a beach area, about 1/2 mile in. This beautiful area is perfect for a picnic or some splash time with little ones.

Option 2: The second area, which we ultimately enjoyed for picnic time was 3/4 mile. The area had several small water holes and a slow-running waterfall.

Option 3: Continue past the beach and the 1st waterfall for a total of 4 miles out and back. You will see cascading waterfalls that get larger as you climb up and down a mostly easy to medium staged challenging hike. To see the falls, you’ll need to go a few feet off the trail. The drops down to the falls are very steep in most places so extra caution should be exercised. At the end of the hike, the trail naturally ends at a great spot for a picnic.  (although there may be better places along the way where you can actually see the full falls while relaxing.)

Direction Details:  From the Flagg ranch ranger station entrance from Rockefeller parkway in between the entrances to the Yellowstone and Teton National parks, there’s a fun stretch of the park worth exploring.

Make a right and follow the road 12 miles. This is a dirt and gravel road, be prepared to drive slow and enjoy all the beauty. You will wind past several primitive campgrounds along the Snake River, through previously burned woodland and then the Grassy Lake reservoir and over the dam/bridge. Grassy lake also has primitive camping spots which are first-come, first-serve. The trail is less than a mile from the dam and you’ll see a sign and possibly a few cars parked. When you park, it looks like there are two trailheads. Go to the one on the far left of the lot to access the full hike.