3 Best Waterfalls in the West Tetons
If you are planning a trip to the west side of the Tetons or have time to pop over to the other side from Grand Teton National Park, make sure you add these three waterfalls in the West Tetons to your list because you won’t want to miss them!
Fall Creek Falls, Lower Mesa Falls, and Upper Mesa Falls should all be on your list of sites to see in and around Teton Valley! Mesa Falls was our favorite and the most impressive by sheer water volume, but Fall Creek Falls was the prettiest.
We were really pleasantly surprised on this trip. Blowing your expectations away when they were already high to begin with is a great feeling!
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Fall Creek Falls, Idaho
At approximately 60 feet tall, what’s really impressive about Fall Creek Falls is how wide it is. In fact, from the viewing area you really only see about half of it! It is so wide that it actually resembles an irrigated garden.
The way it cascades over the edge in various sections over moss covered rocks and splashes into travertine pools before spilling over into the river is really pretty. This reminds us of waterfalls we’ve seen in Colorado at Hanging Lake and similar cascades at Rifle Falls State Park.
This waterfall dumps right into the Snake River. Because it’s so wide, to experience the entire thing, you’d have to view it by boat, or via drone (like we did). There is a boat launch nearby if that’s something you want to do, and we did see some boaters in the water enjoying the waterfall view from there.
But the view from the side is still great. It is possible to climb down and go behind the first cascading section but be very careful. We heard it can get muddy and there are drop-offs. We made it down with our kids and they thought it was really great to stand behind the waterfall.
You really can’t beat the ease of access right off of NF-058. From our parking spot on the side of the road this was a short walk to the top of the falls. This really makes for a perfect stop on your way east on Highway 26.
Lower Mesa Falls
Lower Mesa Falls will be the first of the two Mesa Falls you will come to if you are driving in from Ashton. Ashton is also where the Ashton-Tetonia bike trail starts if you want a more active way to enjoy the landscape.
If you happen to be staying in Island Park and are coming down the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway from the north, you will see the Upper Mesa Falls first.
Fortunately, there’s really no wrong way to do it! The parking area for both falls are also only a couple of miles apart from each other.
At 65 feet tall, this is definitely the smaller of the two falls. However, what makes it so impressive is the shear amount of water flowing through it!
From the Lower Mesa Falls Observation Site, you are still about a quarter of a mile away from the falls itself.
The 2.5 mile round trip hike that takes you to the top of it actually begins over by the parking area for Upper Mesa Falls. We had seriously planned to do this hike but it was too late in the day by the time we saw everything else and our kids were worn out.
Upper Mesa Falls
We saved the best for last! Upper Mesa Falls really takes the cake for the best waterfall we have seen in a while! At 114 feet tall and 201 feet wide, Upper Mesa Falls is a monster of a waterfall. A beautiful monster, if there is such a thing.
Because there is a sharp bend in the river right at the bottom of it, there is a cliff immediately opposite that falls that sends a plume of mist towering into the air. The plume is so tall that you can see it from miles away, rising out of the surrounding forest.
This was one of the things we thought was especially neat because at most waterfalls the water mist just keeps dispersing out and away from the base of the falls rather than rising in such a thick cloud.
We hadn’t actually heard of either of the Mesa Falls until we came to the area to explore the west side of the Tetons. It was a very pleasant surprise to find such a grand waterfall so close to where we were. Upper Mesa Falls is a must see if you are anywhere near Teton Valley!
The Victor Emporium
Obviously this isn’t a waterfall, but we couldn’t talk about driving through the Teton Valley without mentioning this place! Established in 1950, the Victor Emporium is famous for their Huckleberry Milkshakes. You would be missing out if you don’t stop here on your way!
Even if, for some reason, Huckleberries aren’t your thing, don’t worry. They have lots of other flavors to choose from. As well as ice cream cones, root beer floats, drinks, and souvenirs!
Where to Stay
Because there are so many things to do in the West Tetons, spending a few days here is worth the stop rather than just seeing these waterfalls on your way through.
There are surprisingly few options for a large RV in Teton Valley. Campendium shows quite a few National Forest Campgrounds and two private RV Parks. Rainey Bridge is probably the best free camping option. It also offers fantastic views of Grand Teton. However, it isn’t the sort of boondocking where you will have a lot of space to yourself. It’s BUSY.
By far the best camping in the area is in Teton Canyon. This is down Teton Canyon Road, past the New Sheep Bridge Trailhead. We would not consider taking our 40ft 5th wheel down here though. This area would be much better suited to smaller RVs or tent camping.
What To Do Next
Pop over into Wyoming for a ride up a scenic gondola at Grand Targhee Resort or to hike to a spectacular cave entrance.
Bike over historic trestles on the Ashton to Tetonia rail trail or take a relaxing float on the Teton River.
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