.png)
Upper Mesa Falls
.webp)
Upper Mesa Falls Travel Guide
Coordinates: 44°11'17.85"N 111°19'47.78"W
Distance from Xhale: 84.6 miles
Tucked inside the Caribou-Targhee National Forest along the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, this 114-foot-tall, 200-foot-wide waterfall thunders over ancient volcanic rock with a force you feel before you see it. The Henry's Fork of the Snake River — the same river that winds through Island Park and toward Yellowstone — is what powers it.
What makes Upper Mesa Falls worth the detour is its rarity. It's one of the last major waterfalls on the entire Snake River system that hasn't been dammed or diverted for irrigation or hydroelectric power. The river here looks much the way it did centuries ago, and that's not something you can say about many places left in the American West.
Getting There
From Xhale, head north on US-20 through Rexburg and Ashton. Just past Ashton, turn onto the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway (Hwy 47) and follow it northeast into the Targhee National Forest. The falls are well-signed from there. Plan about 1 hour 15 minutes from Xhale to the parking area.
What to Do When You Arrive
The main attraction is the accessible boardwalk and overlook trail — a short, paved path from the parking area that leads to multiple viewpoints, some right at the canyon's edge. The mist rises heavily on summer mornings, and when the sun hits it at the right angle, a full rainbow arcs over the canyon. Osprey and bald eagles frequent the area year-round and are commonly spotted from the overlooks.
The Mesa Falls Visitor Center is housed inside the historic Big Falls Inn, built around 1915 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's worth a quick stop for the context it gives the place — exhibits cover both the geology of the falls and the history of the old Yellowstone Highway that once ran through here. Open seasonally from approximately May 15 through October 1.
If you have an extra hour, the Mesa Falls Nature Trail runs about a mile through quiet forest to a viewpoint above Lower Mesa Falls — a 65-foot cascade downstream. Most visitors who come for Upper Mesa Falls make the easy walk to see both.
Best Time to Visit
Late spring through early summer (May through July) brings the strongest water flow, fed by snowmelt from the surrounding mountains. The mist is heavy, the canyon feels alive, and the forest is lush. September quiets things down considerably — golden aspens frame the falls and the crowds thin out. Both are excellent.
Practical Details
- Day-use fee: $5 per vehicle · $1 for motorcycles, bicycles, and foot traffic
- Season: Late May through early October, depending on snowpack
- Hours: Generally dawn to dusk during the open season
- Road note: Forest Service Route 294 closes in winter — the access road is not plowed
- Facilities: Restrooms at the visitor center during operating hours; no potable water on-site
- Confirm conditions: Ashton/Island Park Ranger District — (208) 652-7442
Where It Fits in Your Day
Upper Mesa Falls sits about 15 minutes past Frostop Drive-In in Ashton, making it a natural first stop on the way north from Xhale toward Island Park or Yellowstone. Budget at least 45 minutes at the falls themselves — long enough to walk the boardwalk, take in both overlooks, and let the scale of the place register. If you're doing the full Mesa Falls loop with a stop at Island Park, you'll want most of the day. Either way, the hot pools at Xhale will be waiting when you get back.
Sources