Photograph Cave Falls

Cave Falls is one of the hidden waterfalls of Yellowstone National Park that really only the natives know about. Although Cave Falls originally derived its name from a cave next to the waterfall, the cave has since collapsed and is no longer accessible. Known for its enormous length of 250 feet, the waterfall stretches across the entire Fall River, which is terrific for fishing. Before arriving at the waterfall, there are camp sites with amenities. The campsites are in bear country, so there are food storage requirements.

Directions to the campsite: From Highway 20 in Ashton, ID, go through town and head east on State Highway 47 for approximately 5.7 miles. Turn right onto E 1400 N/Cave Falls Rd and continue driving for about 17.6 miles. Roughly 12 miles of this road is dirt, and this road is only accessible via snowmobile during the winter.

Side Note: The Cave Falls Road displays countless wildflowers during late spring and early summer. While photographing the wildflowers, watch out for the mosquitoes along the marshy areas near the road. As an added bonus, you can also see the famous Tetons on your way to Cave Falls.

Directions to waterfall: Cave Falls is about two miles farther down the road from the campground and is just inside of Yellowstone National Park. You can access the falls by vehicle or snowmobile depending on the season. You can park above or below the falls as there are trails that take you there either way.

Photographing the falls: Make sure to have a good tripod and waterproof shoes to enter the river. There is a lot of mist coming from the falls, so make sure to keep your camera lens dry while shooting. Photograph the falls from the river as that provides the best view of the entire waterfall. The sun rises just east of the waterfall and sets behind the waterfall creating some great light at both sunrise and sunset.