Shell Canyon and Shell Falls
1976 US-14, Shell, WY
Shell, WY
A rushing waterfall over some of the oldest rock in North America, in a deep canyon on the climb into the Bighorn Mountains.
Shell Falls is the centerpiece of Shell Canyon, a deep gorge that the Bighorn Scenic Byway climbs on its way up into the Bighorn Mountains. Here Shell Creek pours over a rocky lip and rushes down through a narrow chasm, and a visitor stop right beside the highway lets travelers watch and hear the water thunder past.
What makes the spot remarkable is not just the falls but the rock it flows over, some of the oldest exposed rock in North America, ancient stone billions of years old laid bare by the cutting of the canyon. Standing at the overlook, you are looking at both a lively waterfall and a window into the deep foundations of the continent.
What Guests Love
- Shell Falls roaring through a narrow gorge of ancient rock
- An easy paved overlook trail and visitor center right off the highway
- The dramatic canyon drive climbing into the Bighorn Mountains
- Some of the oldest exposed rock on the continent, right below your feet
Worth Knowing
- The falls overlook and visitor center are seasonal, generally open in the warmer months
- The high byway beyond the falls can close in winter, so check road conditions off-season
- Stay on the railed overlooks; the canyon and water are powerful and the drop is steep
- The falls run fullest in late spring and early summer with the snowmelt
Details
Shell, WY
Learn about Shell Canyon and Shell Falls
The falls and its ancient rock
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.
The canyon the byway climbs
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.
Visiting the overlook
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 and the seasons
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.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Shell
Shell
About 15 miles west
A tiny ranch community at the foot of the canyon, gateway to the Bighorn Scenic Byway.
Medicine Wheel
Higher in the Bighorns
An ancient sacred stone circle atop the range, a National Historic Landmark holy to many tribes.
Bighorn Scenic Byway high country
Up the highway
Alpine meadows, forests, and overlooks along the climb over the Bighorn Mountains.