Weekend Warriors

FAIRY FALLS

If an easy hike to a 200 ft waterfall is for you, then you will like this hike.

HOW TO GET THERE

This hike is located in Yellowstone National Park, North Western Wyoming.

To get to the trailhead: Drive south from Madison Junction for 5.5 miles. Park on the right (west) side of the road, just south of the Grand Prismatic Spring.  

RATING

Be Aware of: Entrance fee to get into Yellowstone National Park, bear area

30 yr old Recommendation: Walking through the burned forest was a spooky experience. This is an Easy hike.     

DETAILS

Elevation change: Not much at all.

Distance: 3.6 miles total for the out and back.

Time: It took us about 2.0 hours. 

Time of year: Spring to Fall. This is a good early season hike because of the low elevation.

Solitude: Fair. This is a popular hike, so expect 20-30 people.  

From the Fairy Falls trailhead, walk along the now closed Fountain flats drive, crossing the Firehole river. After 0.8 miles, the Fairy falls trail splits to the left at the well signed junction. This area goes through a burned forest of lodgepole pine. When we did this hike, the forest was well into recovery from the fires of 1988, as there are many 15ft pine trees growing in the area. However, there are a good number of branchless trees still standing. The day was very windy and we could hear huge crashes of the burnt trees finally falling so many years after the fire. This could be quite dangerous if you happen to be under a tree when it goes, so be alert.

After 1.4 miles of hiking, the spur trail to the falls appears on the left. It is another 0.2 miles to the very picturesque fairy falls. This 200ft falls earns its name from the relatively light amount of water fluttering down from the cliff. This is a nice area to take a break.

When ready, return the way you came.

[Fairy falls]

[a forest on the way to recovery]

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