Mesa Falls

Upper Mesa Falls drops around 100 feet and spans the full width of the Henrys Fork, sending up a constant cloud of mist. What sets it apart from so many western waterfalls is that it was never harnessed: the river here runs wild and undiverted, so the falls carry their full natural force. That makes Mesa Falls a rare thing, a big waterfall on a major river that looks today much as it did long before the region was settled.

Boardwalks and viewing platforms built into the canyon wall let visitors walk right out toward the falls and look down into the churning pool at its base. On a bright day the mist throws rainbows across the gorge, and the sound of the water fills the whole canyon.

At the upper falls stands the Big Falls Inn, a historic early-twentieth-century lodge that has been restored and now serves as a visitor center, a reminder of the days when reaching this spot was a real journey. From its decks the view of the falls is superb, and the building anchors an easy, well-maintained visit.

Mesa Falls lies on the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, a paved loop that leaves the main highway near Ashton and winds through lodgepole pine forest along the Henrys Fork. The drive is a destination in its own right, and it makes a scenic and uncrowded approach toward the western gateways of Yellowstone, just to the north.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Mesa Falls, on the Henrys Fork of the Snake River in eastern Idaho near Ashton, refers to a pair of beautiful waterfalls, Upper and Lower Mesa Falls, that tumble dramatically over volcanic rock in the forested high country. Lower Mesa Falls, viewed from an overlook, drops in a scenic cascade down the canyon, while the larger Upper Mesa Falls plunges over a wide, powerful drop accessible by boardwalks. Together, along the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, they form one of the loveliest waterfall areas in the region, among the last major undeveloped falls in the state. With its dramatic twin waterfalls and forest scenery, Mesa Falls offers a spectacular destination in Idaho.

Upper Mesa Falls is the larger and more dramatic of the two, a wide, powerful waterfall dropping more than a hundred feet that visitors can approach closely via boardwalks and platforms, feeling its mist and thunder, while Lower Mesa Falls, downstream, is a scenic cascade best viewed from a distance at an overlook along the byway, offering a lovely panorama of the falls in the canyon. Both are along the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway near Ashton. Seeing both gives the full Mesa Falls experience, making the area a beautiful waterfall destination in eastern Idaho.

You can view both waterfalls, walking the boardwalks close to the powerful Upper Mesa Falls and taking in Lower Mesa Falls from its scenic overlook, drive the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway between them, visit the historic lodge and visitor area, hike, picnic, and enjoy the forest and canyon scenery. Seeing both falls, especially the close-up boardwalk views at Upper Mesa Falls, is the highlight. It is a rewarding waterfall outing. With its twin waterfalls, scenic byway, and forest setting, Mesa Falls offers a beautiful experience near Ashton in eastern Idaho.

Late spring through fall is the best time, with late spring and early summer bringing the most powerful flow from snowmelt, summer offering pleasant weather and full access, and fall bringing beautiful color to the surrounding forest, a lovely time. The scenic byway and sites may be snowbound in winter. The falls are dramatic throughout the warm season. For the most powerful falls aim for late spring, and for pleasant weather and fall color, summer through fall, at Mesa Falls near Ashton in eastern Idaho.

Mesa Falls is on the Henrys Fork near Ashton in eastern Idaho, along the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, within reach of the Island Park caldera, Harriman State Park, and the route toward Yellowstone and the Idaho Falls area. That makes Mesa Falls a spectacular stop to combine with the Island Park caldera, Harriman State Park, and the other attractions of eastern Idaho on a visit to the state.