A 132-foot waterfall on Tower Creek in Yellowstone's Tower-Roosevelt area, viewed from a short overlook trail.
Tower Fall drops 132 feet (40 m) where Tower Creek meets the Yellowstone River canyon, according to the National Park Service. The setting, framed by eroded volcanic pinnacles, has drawn visitors since the park's earliest days and inspired Thomas Moran's painting of the falls, which played a role in establishing Yellowstone as a national park in 1872. A large boulder visible at the brink of the falls in an 1871 photograph by W.H. Jackson remained in place for more than a century before it finally fell in June 1986.
The lower portion of the old trail to the base of the falls is permanently closed due to severe erosion, so the NPS directs visitors instead to the Tower Fall Overlook Trail, a 0.75-mile round trip ending with a view of the creek entering the canyon; the Park Service recommends this shorter walk for anyone with heart, lung, or knee concerns. A standard Yellowstone entrance pass is required ($35 per vehicle for seven days at the time of our check), with no separate fee for Tower Fall itself. Check the park's current conditions page before visiting, since trail and road status can change seasonally.
Know before you go
Tower-Roosevelt area, Yellowstone National Park; roadside overlook off the Grand Loop Road.
Accessible seasonally; check park road status before visiting, especially in winter and shoulder seasons.
Tower Fall Overlook Trail: 0.75-mile round trip; the former trail to the base is permanently closed due to erosion.
Yellowstone entrance pass required: $35/vehicle for 7 days at time of check; no separate fee for Tower Fall.
Not detailed on the cited page; the overlook route is shorter and easier than the former base trail.
2026-10-11. Conditions and requirements can change; confirm with the land manager before travelling.
Sources & further reading
- NPS — Yellowstone, Tower-Roosevelt and the Northeast ↗
- NPS — Yellowstone Entrance Fees ↗
- USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) ↗
This is a researched visitor guide, not a claim that our editors have personally visited. Trail conditions, permits, and access can change.
