Shell Canyon and Shell Falls

Shell Creek, tumbling down from the high Bighorns, pours over a ledge and roars through a narrow slot of a canyon at Shell Falls, throwing spray and sound up to the overlooks. The falls run fullest in the late spring and early summer when the mountain snow is melting.

The rock over which the water falls is extraordinarily old, ancient basement stone that ranks among the oldest exposed rock on the continent. The canyon has cut down through younger layers to reveal it, so the falls put the deep, hard foundation of the mountains on vivid display.

Shell Canyon is a dramatic gorge on the western side of the Bighorn Mountains, and US Highway 14, the Bighorn Scenic Byway, threads up through it, gaining elevation as the walls rise. The drive is a highlight in itself, winding past cliffs and outcrops toward the high country.

Above the falls the byway continues its climb to the alpine heights of the Bighorns, passing meadows, forests, and overlooks. Shell Falls makes a natural stopping point partway up, a place to stretch, watch the water, and take in the canyon before the road climbs higher.

A visitor center and a short paved overlook trail sit right beside the highway at the falls, making it one of the most accessible waterfalls in the state. Railed viewpoints look down on the rushing water and the canyon, and interpretive signs explain the rock and the setting.

The stop is seasonal, open in the warmer months when the byway is clear, and it is an easy, rewarding pause for anyone driving the Bighorns. Families, road-trippers, and geology lovers alike can take in the scene without a strenuous hike.

The Bighorn Mountains rise as a great island range between the plains, holding high meadows, forests, and peaks, and long known and used by Plains tribes, including the Crow, whose ties to this country run deep. The Medicine Wheel, a sacred stone circle, lies higher in the same range.

Around the falls, the canyon and forest shelter mule deer, birds of prey, and mountain wildlife, and the water draws life to the gorge. Late spring and early summer bring the fullest falls and greenest canyon, fall turns the aspen gold, and winter closes the high byway, leaving the falls to freeze in silence until the road opens again.

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.

Shell Canyon and Shell Falls, in the Bighorn Mountains of north-central Wyoming along a scenic byway, form a dramatic gorge where Shell Creek tumbles through ancient rock. Shell Falls plunges over a cliff of some of the oldest exposed rock in the region, sending water crashing down amid the steep canyon walls, with a visitor overlook and short interpretive trail nearby. The surrounding Shell Canyon reveals colorful, deeply eroded rock layers as the highway winds through it, offering spectacular scenery. With its thundering waterfall, ancient rock, and canyon overlooks along the scenic drive, Shell Canyon and Shell Falls offer a striking natural stop in north-central Wyoming.

You can view Shell Falls plunging through the canyon from the overlook, walk the short interpretive trail that explains the ancient rock and the falls, take in the dramatic canyon scenery along the scenic byway with its pullouts and viewpoints, photograph the waterfall and gorge, and stop at the visitor area to learn about the geology. The powerful falls and the colorful canyon walls are the highlights. It is an easy, rewarding stop on the drive over the Bighorns. With its waterfall, interpretive trail, and canyon overlooks, Shell Canyon and Shell Falls offer a scenic natural experience in north-central Wyoming.

Stay on the designated overlooks, paths, and behind railings, as the canyon rims and rocks near the falls are steep, slick, and dangerous, and the rushing water is powerful, so never climb over barriers or approach the edge of the falls or the fast-moving creek, and keep children and pets close at all times. The rocks can be wet and slippery from spray. Watch your footing on the trail. Enjoying the falls and canyon from the safe overlooks and staying back from the edges and rushing water ensures a safe visit to Shell Canyon and Shell Falls in north-central Wyoming.

Late spring through fall is the best time, when the scenic byway over the Bighorns is open and the weather is mild, with late spring and early summer bringing the fullest, most powerful waterfall flow from snowmelt, while fall offers pleasant temperatures and color. The high mountain road is typically snowbound and portions closed in winter, so check road status in the colder months. For the most powerful falls and open roads, aim for late spring through summer, and for color, early fall, at Shell Canyon and Shell Falls in north-central Wyoming.

Shell Canyon and Shell Falls are in the Bighorn Mountains of north-central Wyoming along a scenic byway within Bighorn National Forest, near the towns of Greybull and Lovell, the Medicine Wheel, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, and within reach of Ten Sleep Canyon on the other side of the range. That makes Shell Canyon a striking natural stop to combine with Bighorn National Forest, the Medicine Wheel, and the other attractions of north-central Wyoming on a drive across the state.