Yellowstone - Yellowstone Canyon Falls North Rim Visit

Introduction:

What? :

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is the heart of this amazing national park.

This blog focused on my visit to the North Rim Drive. The drive offers some of the most dramatic views of the deep canyon and its impressive waterfalls.

The visit here is done by driving your car from one view point to the other and short walks to the viewing platforms.

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Where? :

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is located in the central part of Yellowstone National Park, just south of Canyon Village.

It is easily accessible by car via the North Rim Drive, which is a one-way loop off of the main Grand Loop Road.

There are 2 road leading to viewing points:

The North Rim Drive entrance (one way) is located 1.3 miles south of the Canyon Village Junction and the exit is located near the Canyon Lodge.

Google Map Link

Brink Of The Upper Falls road (in and out) is located 1.6 miles south of the Canyon Village Junction.

Google Map Link

When? :

The park is open year round, but the journey to get here and the surrounding scenery change dramatically between summer and winter.

For most people, late May to September is the ideal time to visit here.

My personal recommendations are to visit Yellowstone National Park during the month of September.

The park is not as crowded as the peak tourist season of the summer months, the weather is ideal for hiking, it is not so hot or cold, all the roads are still open and the animals are in their active months.

Another option is during June when the snow is mainly cleared, all is green and the animals are getting out and active after the long winter.

Summer:

This is the peak Season (Mid-June to Mid-September)

All park roads are open to personal vehicles, making it easy to drive right to any destination within the park.

It is very crowded here during the summer months. Traffic jams, slow drive and challenges with finding parking spots.

Days are usually warm (70-80f), but nights can still be cool. Afternoon thunderstorms are common.

All hotels, lodges and campgrounds are open, high price and reservation need many months in advance.

Fall:

Fall season is short (Mid-September to end October) offering pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds than summer.

All roads are still open (most interior roads close to vehicles by early November), usually there is no heavy snow but you should expect a mix of sunny and rainy days and cold temperatures.

Daytime highs can range from the 40-70F, with nights dropping below freezing.

Winter:

Winter (Mid-December to Mid-March) transforms the park into a quiet, magical, snow-covered land.

The geyser's steam plumes are enormous.

Crowds are minimal.

Most interior park roads are closed to regular cars. You must travel into the park by a guided snowcoach or on a permitted snowmobile tour.

If you plan to visit Yellowstone in the winter, you will need to book a tour from one of the gateway towns like West Yellowstone or Mammoth Hot Springs (which is accessible by private vehicle year-round via the North Entrance).

The weather is cold with daytime temperatures between 0-20f.

You need proper, layered, waterproof and warm winter clothing is essential.

Only the Old Faithful Snow Lodge and its cabins are open for overnight stays.

Spring:

Spring is a very short season in Yellowstone, practically in May and early June.

Some roads start to get open during end of April

Crowds are minimal, especially in April and May, making for a quiet visit.

Weather is unpredictable, with the potential for warm, pleasant days mixed with snow, rain, and freezing temperatures.

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Tips and inputs:

Due note 1:

Dress in Layers: Yellowstone's weather can change quickly even during the summer months. Be prepared for sun, rain, and cool temperatures.

Due note 2:

The parking lots along the drive are relatively large but they are extremely popular and crowded, except for a full and busy parking area, waiting patiently for the next empty parking lot.

Visiting early in the morning (as I did) will help you avoid the crowds.

Due note 3:

There are no tourist facilities here and along the road. You can find all tourist facilities in the nearby Canyon Village.

This includes: gas station, large visitor center, general store, restaurants and gifts and accommodation (hotel and campground).

Due note 4:

Restrooms are located in all parking areas and view points.

Due note 5:

During the winter months the entire canyon village, including Canyon Lodge & Cabins and the General Store, is closed for the winter season. The only services that might be open are a service station and a warming hut.

Due note 6:

Don't forget water, especially if you plan to hike down to the Brink of the Lower Falls or Red Rock Point

Due note 7:

The canyon’s yellow, red, and pink colors are a result of the iron compounds in the rhyolite rock that have been hydrothermally altered and oxidized by heat and water from the geothermals activities.

My thoughts:

Seeing how the river plunges into the waterfall up-close is impressive and you can do this from the Brink of Lower Falls and Upper Falls viewing platforms.

This is a relatively short drive between the rim viewing points but it is challenging to find parking spaces during mid day. I highly recommend visiting here early in the morning or late after noon to avoid the crowd.

If you are coming early, visiting all viewing locations including the lower trails will take you about an hour, later the day it can take you twice longer.

The visit:

The North Rim Drive route takes you past several key viewpoints over the Yellowstone canyon and waterfalls.

It is a one-way road, take your time and stop at each overlook and see what it has to offer.

Once you pass a view point you can’t back up and you'd have to drive the full loop to return to it.

The main stops along the North Rim includes:

Brink of the Upper Falls:

This point is located at the end of the short road.

From the parking lot a short trail takes you to an overlook perched right above the 109-foot Upper Falls. This is an up-close view on the edge of the impressive waterfall.

From here you can walk along the North Rim Trail old road and see the river from above.

Immediately once you enter North Rim Drive you will reach Brink of the Lower Falls large parking lot.

From the parking lot there is a paved trail leading down to the waterfall.

This walk involves a steep descent of about 600 feet via a paved, switch backing trail to a viewing platform.

Here you will be standing right above the upper crest of the majestic 308-foot Lower Falls. You will see and hear how the mighty river falls into the drop just below you.

From here you can also see a unique view of the grand deep canyon heading east.

It's a challenging walk back up, take it slowly and make rests as needed.

Just a short drive after Brink of the Lower Falls and you will reach Grand View.

This is an easily accessible overlook that provides a stunning perspective of the Lower Falls and the colorful canyon walls.

Near the Lookout Point you can hike down to Red Rock Point.

The steep paved trail descends sharply into the canyon where you can get a within the canyon view of the Lower Falls.

This is a short very steep trail going down so prepare for a challenging climb up.

Tip: although providing a unique view of the canyon and the waterfall I’m not sure this is a mandatory point to visit.

Keep driving the one way road and you see a right turn into Inspiration Point a short drive in and you will get to the parking lot at the end of the road. It may be challenging to find a parking spot so be patient.