Tucked in the southwest
corner of Yellowstone National Park, the Fall River basin
is truly a fisherman's and waterfall lover's paradise. The
Fall River is aptly named because of the many waterfalls
along its tributaries. This is the major river that drains
the Cascade Corner, of Yellowstone Park. The four major streams
in the Fall River drainage are the Belcher River, Boundary
Creek, Mountain Ash creek and of course the Fall River. They
begin on the Madison and Pitchstone plateaus and they carve
canyons across Yellowstone Park's southwest corner. Some
of Yellowstone's most beautiful waterfalls are in this area.
As the runoff of many creeks drop off the Madison and Pitchstone
Plateaus, many waterfalls are formed. With nearly 80 inches
of annual precipitation, the Falls River drainage is one
of the wettest portions of Yellowstone National Park. The
Falls River is a backpacking, fisherman, and photographer's
nirvana.
The Fall River is the largest Henrys Fork tributary. Beginning on the Pitchstone Plateau, The Falls River descends through the Birch Hills flowing west to where the Bechler River joins it upriver Cave Falls. From Cave Falls to Concrete CCC Bridge for 14 miles the river is largely inaccessible by road. Below CCC Bridge the River runs through farmland until it reaches the Henry's Fork River Southeast of Ashton. There are many places to access the lower river.
To access the upper Falls River by Cave Falls, you must ford the river to reach the South Boundary Trail, south of Cave Falls. The trail leaves the river and only comes close to it again in two places along its 30-mile length. The first is the Falls River Cutoff Trail, 4 miles east of Cave Falls. The second is where the Pitchstone Plateau Trail crosses the river about 4 miles farther up the trail. You'll be traveling through prime grizzly country so take all due precautions.
Another way to access the upper Falls River farther upstream is the Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road. About a mile south of Ashton, on Highway 32 the Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road heads east this is also known as the Grassy Lake Road, which ends on the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Highway between Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. provides access to Fall River. You can also access this road from the east by Flagg Ranch just south of the Yellowstone Park's south entrance about 60 miles north of Jackson WY. You park below the Grassy Lake dam and from there you can access the upper reaches of the Falls River.
Fishing the Fall River
Fall
River has good fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout, and they get larger the
higher upstream you go. The long hike and off-trail access minimize
fishing pressure. Because of it's easy to access, the Cave Falls area sees
the most fishing. The trout average 10 inches in this stretch, and the action
is good. These streams produce big trout but in the past few decades' brook
trout have reached these waters.
Much of the Fall River drainage was devoid of trout above Cave Falls. It is believed that Sheep Falls and Cave Falls were the historic upstream barriers for trout. Cutthroat were introduced and were found in basin waters in a 1919 survey. After that Yellowstone cutthroat were planted, Rainbow and trout were introduced later. Both Cutthroats and Rainbows being springtime spawners resulted in a hybrid trout the Cut-bows.
The first significant aquatic insect to emerge is the pale morning dun Beginning in July you'll see stoneflies, and Brown and Green Drakes. In September look for Tricos, Gray Drakes, and Mahogany Duns. In August Grasshoppers become the dominate food form for trout.
Kayaking the Fall River
Cave Falls Campground,, to the Concrete CCC Bridge takeout (the Cave Falls run) is rated class III and the run is 14 miles long. The river below Cave Falls Campground contains numerous cascades and falls and is prime habitat for grizzly bears and bald eagles. The Falls River Flows through a variety of environments, including meadowland, forest, and canyon reaches, numerous falls and rapids, including wilderness providing recreational opportunities, particularly for kayaking.
Concrete CCC Bridge to Kirkham Bridge (Lower Run) this run is mostly long, large, class 3+ wave trains. The longest one, 1/2 mile, has a hole hidden at the end (look for a large basalt cliff on your right and a slight river left bend). There is a diversion dam that you may want to portage about 2/3 way down river. You can see the last major drop by a rock that sticks up right in the middle of the river, also a surprise at the bottom of a wave train. Run left (preferred) or right to avoid pourovers.
The Henry's Fork of the Snake River, located in
eastern Idaho, is one of the most famous trout streams in
all of the United States. It's legendary hatches and abundant
large wild rainbow trout make the Henry's Fork one of America's
top fly-fishing destinations. The river flows for approximately
150 miles and within its journey passes some of the more
classic dry fly water in the United States. Gentle flowing
meadowland, pocket water, and spring creek like sections
make up much of this legendary fishery made popular by Avril
Harriman the railroad man. The Henry's Fork of the Snake
is a spectacular river and fishery. Anglers come from all
over the world to this river to fish its diverse and productive
waters. More........
The South Fork of the Snake is in southeastern
Idaho close to the Wyoming border. The South Fork begins
as it flows out of 20 mile long Palisades Reservoir in the
community of Swan Valley, forming a 64-mile stretch of legendary
tail-water fly-fishing. The South Fork is also a beautiful
river for flat water rafting, canoeing and kayaking. If you
float this river in a canoe know what you are doing as it
is big water and its flat-water appearance can fool you to
its dangers. More.........
The source of the mighty Snake River is in Yellowstone National
Park, from there it flows past Flagg Ranch south through
the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Parkway, and into
postcard perfect Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park.
Below Jackson Lake Dam, the river meanders through Grand
Teton National Park. Above the river to the west, the Grand
Teton mountains rise suddenly, with no foothills to soften
their dramatic rise to the sky. These are mountains the way
we always expect mountains to look, The snowcapped, Grand
Tetons are America's quintessential mountain range, rearing
up with sawtooth like exaggeration crowned by the 13,770-foot
Grand Teton. More.......
The Snake River as it leaves Grand Teton National Park is
equally as breathtaking as it is as it flows through the
Park but allows you to see the Grand Teton Mountain Range
from different angles and vantage points. This escarpment
of perpendicular granite is awesome no mater which angle
you view it from. There also good views of the Sleeping Indian
in the Gros Ventre Mountains to the east. More.......
Snake
River Canyon• Pritchard
Creek to Sheep Gulch - Jackson Hole to Alpine
A blue sky overhead hosts a few cumulous clouds, the towering
Snake River Range overwhelms you on the right but the majestic
Wyoming Range balances it on the left, an osprey plucks an
unsuspecting trout from its watery home with a quick swoop
from the sky and some handy work with it's talons. You can
count your blessings when you're floating down the mighty
Snake River that divides these two mountain ranges here in
the bottom of Wyoming's Snake River Canyon. The Snake River
is a gorgeous ribbon of blue, green and white that comes
alive and deposits itself in you face on a regular basis
in this imposing canyon where towering spruce, pine and fir
trees wear rags of moss and bald eagles perch watching the
parade of kayakers, fishermen and rafters float by. More...........
Yellowstone
River• Yellowstone
Park - Gardinger MT - Livingston MT - Big Timber MT
The Yellowstone River drainage
hosts exceptional scenery and some of the most diverse
wildlife on earth. You can see elk, bison, grizzlies,
moose, majestic mountains, canyons and waterfalls. And
is a world-renowned trout-fishing destination.
It begins in the Teton Wilderness in northwest
Wyoming’s rugged Absoraka Mountains 671 miles upstream
from the confluence with the Missouri, from here the
Yellowstone winds unencumbered by dams all the way to
South Dakota's rolling prairies,
The upper Yellowstone is pretty much as it
always has been, and is being managed by Yellowstone
Park and Montana Game and Fish for the welfare of the
fish and wildlife that live around it. This has preserved
one of the best trout rivers, outside of Alaska or Canada.
Winding through Yellowstone Park and into Montana to
the town of Big Timber, the famous trout water of the
Yellowstone flows for nearly 250 miles. More......
The Teton River begins its journey to the Columbia in the
upper reaches of postcard perfect Teton Valley. Much of this
mountain valley is pasture, grain and potato fields, and
open range bordered by the forested hills of the Big Hole
Mountains and the famous peaks of the Grand Teton Range.
The rugged peaks of the Tetons and the forested hillsides
of the Big Hole's stand in stark contrast to each other,
this diversity adds character to the Teton River Valley.
The upper Teton River is a meandering spring creek that is
a fly-fishing nirvana. Huge rainbow and cutthroat trout live
throughout the entire river. This is a dry fly paradise!
Mayfly hatches are prolific and often there will be four
or five different hatches at the same time. The Narrows (the
lower Teton) has all the adrenaline rush attributes of any
class IV and V whitewater river. The Teton River is a diverse
waterway providing the gamut from tubing to world class whitewater
and trout fishing. More......
The Gros Ventre River (pronounced 'grow-vont')
flows from it's headwaters in the Gros Ventre Wilderness
which forms much of the eastern boundary of Jackson
Hole and lies mostly to the south of the river. The
Gros Ventre is a swift medium-sized freestone river
providing plentiful pocketwater, runs and pools. There
are not many riffles on the Gros Venture. The River
contains expansive open terrain with exposed sedimentary
rock layers of many colors, cliff bands, dense forest,
and narrow canyons. In places the color scheme of this
beautiful river valley resembles the southwest. The
river alternates between a broad cottonwood-lined bottom
and narrow canyons. Views of the Grand Tetons Range
are spectacular. It is a beautiful, undeveloped region
with abundant wildlife. The Gros Ventre River is home
to the Snake River Fine-spotted Cutthroat Trout, and
whitefish. Brookies are in some of the tributaries of
the upper Gros Ventre drainage. Early season kayaking
is classic, the fishing is remarkable, and photographers
will have no shortage of subject matter. More......
Tucked in the southwest corner of Yellowstone
National Park, the Falls River basin is truly a fisherman's
and waterfall lover's paradise. The Fall River is aptly
named because of the many waterfalls along its tributaries.
This is the major river that drains the Cascade Corner,
of Yellowstone Park. The four major streams in the Fall
River drainage are the Belcher River, Boundary Creek,
Mountain Ash creek and of course the Fall River. They
begin on the Madison and Pitchstone plateaus and they
carve canyons across Yellowstone Park's southwest corner.
Some of Yellowstone's most beautiful waterfalls are
in this area. As the runoff of many creeks drop off
the Madison and Pitchstone Plateaus, many waterfalls
are formed. With nearly 80 inches of annual precipitation,
the Falls River drainage is one of the wettest portions
of Yellowstone National Park. The Falls River is a backpacking,
fisherman, and photographer's nirvana. More......
The Salt River is a small river that originates on the western
slope of the Salt River Mountain Range just south of the
town of Afton. It flows north through scenic Star Valley
Wyoming between the Salt River Range of Wyoming and the Caribou
Range of Idaho into Palisades Reservoir at its confluence
with the Snake River. On it's way it meanders through miles
of ranch land until it reaches on Idaho-Wyoming border. The
Salt River is home to Brown, Rainbow, Brook and Snake River
Fine Spotted Cutthroat and Trout. The Salt is a flat-water
river but does offer scenic canoe, kayak, rafting and tubing
floats. More......
The Grey's River is located just east of the Idaho/Wyoming
border near Alpine, Wyoming. The river is about 55 miles
long and flows into Palisades Reservoir. The Grey's River
area is considered by many northwest Wyoming locals to be
a one of their favorite multiple use playgrounds, the river
offers great trout fishing, kayaking, rafting and canoeing
and there are many access points along the road to access
the river. The towering Salt River Range to the west and
the matching Wyoming Range to the east, both hosting several
peaks that reach above 11,000 feet in elevation, this results
in an awesome place to be. The surrounding mountains and
their many canyons offer OHVing, horseback riding, hiking,
and trophy elk and deer hunting with many Boon and Crocket
records to prove it. This mountain valley is alive with the
sweet smell of wildflowers, the green forest floor is shared
with yellow Balsamroot, red Indian Paintbrush Yellow Arrowleaf,
and purple Fireweed. More..........
The Fall River is the largest Henrys Fork tributary. Beginning on the Pitchstone Plateau, The Falls River descends through the Birch Hills flowing west to where the Bechler River joins it upriver Cave Falls. From Cave Falls to Concrete CCC Bridge for 14 miles the river is largely inaccessible by road. Below CCC Bridge the River runs through farmland until it reaches the Henry's Fork River Southeast of Ashton. There are many places to access the lower river.
Fall
River has good fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout, and they get larger the
higher upstream you go. The long hike and off-trail access minimize
fishing pressure. Because of it's easy to access, the Cave Falls area sees
the most fishing. The trout average 10 inches in this stretch, and the action
is good. These streams produce big trout but in the past few decades' brook
trout have reached these waters.
Cave Falls Campground,, to the Concrete CCC Bridge takeout (the Cave Falls run) is rated class III and the run is 14 miles long. The river below Cave Falls Campground contains numerous cascades and falls and is prime habitat for grizzly bears and bald eagles. The Falls River Flows through a variety of environments, including meadowland, forest, and canyon reaches, numerous falls and rapids, including wilderness providing recreational opportunities, particularly for kayaking.
