Gibbon Falls

Gibbon Falls is a waterfall in Yellowstone National Park that drops about 84 feet over a steep rock face. The cascading water creates white spray that can be seen from several viewpoints along the walking trail.

The waterfall formed over rock structures created during a massive volcanic eruption that shaped the Yellowstone caldera roughly 631,000 years ago. These volcanic rocks continue to define the landscape and how water flows through the area today.

Native American tribes of the region incorporated the sound and power of Gibbon Falls into their oral traditions about Yellowstone's natural features.

Access to the falls is through a short walking trail of about half a mile round trip from the parking area with viewing spots along the path. The best time to visit is in the morning when the light illuminates the mist and spray.

The waters below the falls once supported Arctic grayling, a rare fish species that still survives in small numbers in the Gibbon River. This surviving population tells the story of how the local ecosystem has shifted over the decades.