Several years ago, in June, we visited Yellowstone National Park with the Trekker In-Laws. As it was the first time there for all of us we didn’t get much hiking in, we just went full-blown tourist and hit all the “must-see” sights. But Mr. Trekker and I did get to do two very cool, very accessible hikes, the South Rim and Uncle Tom’s trails, which allow amazing views of Yellowstone’s Upper and Lower Falls.
The Trekkers visited during a time of snowmelt so some of the waterfalls were running especially high at the time.
Author’s Note: Not long after writing this post the Uncle Tom’s Trail was permanently closed due to safety concerns and maintenance costs. Unfortunately, future visitors to the park will not have the opportunity to enjoy these cool sites, so I will leave info on this trail up to allow others to experience what we saw. I feel very fortunate that we were able to see these views before they were forever altered.
The Yellowstone River:
Where are the South Rim and Uncle Tom’s Trails?
The trails are located in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone on the South Rim. You access the South Rim Trail from the Wapiti Lake Trailhead, which then joins the Uncle Tom Trail. The trails encompass gorgeous views of both the Upper and Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River. (Only the Lower Falls was visible from the Uncle Tom Trail). The terminus of both of these routes is Point Sublime near Artist Point.
Yellowstone’s Upper Falls
Yellowstone’s Lower Falls
What are the hikes to view Yellowstone’s Upper and Lower Falls like?
Our hike began on the South Rim Trail. In a welcome contrast to the rest of the park, we saw relatively few fellow hikers even though this portion of the trail is easily accessed and has little elevation gain. I highly recommend this peaceful hike with its many beautiful views of the two falls; though as is good practice when hiking throughout the park, always be aware of the wildlife that may be sharing the trail with you (we had no bear encounters on our hike but heard stories of hikers who did).
We had more company on the Uncle Tom Trail as it was more popular. It was named for H.F. Richardson, or Uncle Tom, as was his nickname. In the late 19th Century he began guiding tourists into the Canyon to view the waterfalls and cross the river. At that time the trail consisted of numerous ropes and rope ladders that visitors had to negotiate. Fortunately on our hike, one only had to manage a hefty climb (300+ steps!) on a metal staircase bolted into the rock on the side of the canyon.
As I’ve mentioned plenty of times on this blog, I harbor a hefty case of acrophobia, or fear of heights. I tend to get vertigo and “freeze” when confronted with a lack of earth in front of me–an interesting condition for someone who enjoys hiking in high places regularly. 😝
Due to this, I was a little nervous upon venturing onto the Uncle Tom Trail as I knew the steps bolted into the side of the canyon were composed of perforated steel. That’s right, not only were you hanging off the side of a cliff but as you descended you were awarded with a view of the gaping chasm yawning below you!…or so I thought. In truth, the canyon wall was very rocky and the steps lingered over rock ledges the entire way. Though the steps did hang off the side of the wall and span a chasm, the rock floor you saw was never more than 20 or 30 feet below your feet. To my surprise, I found the descent surprisingly bearable.
The Stairs that made up Uncle Tom’s Trail:
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
I’ve been to the “real” Grand Canyon, and while it’s got an exquisite beauty all its own, I think the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone surpasses that splendor in some ways and truly lives up to its name. This canyon is far smaller and more narrow than its big brother to the south, with rock colors that vary between yellows and reds contrasted with the deep greens of the pine trees on the rim. There were also numerous patches of snow still remaining in late June.
So, if you’re looking to stretch your legs a little on your next trip to Yellowstone and want amazing views of the Upper and Lower Falls, check out the South Rim Trail!
Have you hiked these trails? Let me know what you thought of them in the comments!
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