Hiking the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail in Yellowstone National Park
Distance (Roundtrip): 0.7 miles / 1.1 km
Elevation Change: ~600 ft. / 183 m
The Brink of the Lower Falls in Yellowstone National Park is an experience unlike any other, and it’s one that I consider to be a must-see if you’re visiting Yellowstone for the first time.
However, the trail’s short distance is not a good indicator of its difficulty, as the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail is more difficult than it may appear because of the rapid elevation change over such a relatively short distance.
For this reason, some visitors may prefer to use trekking poles for the steep descent, but regardless of the trail’s difficulty, making it down to the edge of Lower Yellowstone Falls is one of the best experiences that you can have in all of Yellowstone National Park!
Brink of the Lower Falls Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Brink of the Lower Falls is located off of North Rim Drive, about 1.7 miles (2.7 km) south of Canyon Village.
At the trailhead, there is large paved parking lot, but finding parking can be difficult when Yellowstone is at its busiest during the peak summer travel season.
Google Maps Directions: Brink of the Lower Falls Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Yellowstone-Tetons
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in the Yellowstone-Teton area.
Hiking the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail
The Brink of the Lower Falls Trail follows an entirely paved path down to Lower Yellowstone Falls, which will start descending almost immediately upon beginning the hike and continue for the entire length of the short trail.
In total, there are 10 switchbacks that drop about 600 ft. (183 m) from the trailhead to the edge of the falls.
Brink of the Lower Falls
After just 0.35 miles (0.6 km), the Brink of the Lower Falls Trail ends at the viewpoint atop the 308-ft. (93.9 m) Lower Yellowstone Falls.
That being said, the Brink of the Lower Falls viewpoint can get a little busy during the peak summer travel season, meaning that you may need to be patient to work your way there.
However, this corner viewpoint is easily one of the best views in all of Yellowstone National Park, which is why I highly recommend hiking the short but steep trail if you have the time!
