The Bechler River

YellowstoneNational ParkAdventureFuji XTravel

Sep 27

Iris Falls of the Bechler River, Yellowstone National Park

Guided by Jackson Hole Llamas

We did a 5-day backcountry llama trip into the Bechler River region of Yellowstone National Park in September of 2014. We used Jackson Hole Llamas (No longer in business) for the excursion and had one of the best trips ever. I would highly recommend them. Before the trip we met the guides in Jackson to hand over our gear, we got in late and did not do much exploring. However, I felt obligated to visit one of America‘s most photographed locations, Oxbow Bend in front of the Grand Teton. Here was the view on that day.

Oxbow Bend

Arrival Day

Quite possibly the most photographed landscape in America, made famous by Ansel Adam…

Trip Route

The First Day

Day one of the Bechler River trip started at the Bechler River Ranger Station and then crossed 6 miles of the Bechler Meadow to reach the campsite at the base of the Bechler River Canyon. Included GPS tracks loaded into Google Maps for the journey. The first day of hiking involved two river crossings, the first crossing over Boundary Creek with a suspension bridge to keep you dry and the second crossing of the much colder Bechler River which required a manual fording of the river.

The Second Day

Day 2 of the Bechler trip was a day hike up the Bechler River Canyon with views of Ouzel, Iris, and Colonnade Falls. Truly a unique place on planet Earth that we had all to ourselves.

Iris Falls

Treasure Island & Colonnade Falls

The Third Day

This was our rest and recovery day with our only task to move camp 3 miles across the Bechler Meadow to our base camp at the bottom of Boundary Creek.

The Fourth Day

This was the 4th day of our 5-day llama trip to the Bechler River region. We hiked along the Boundary Creek trail up to Dunanda and Silver Scarf Falls. The falls and area are amazing, however, nothing compares to soaking in the hot springs immediately at the base of Dunanda Falls! Truly a once in a lifetime experience.

Boundary Creek

Silver Scarf Falls

Dunanda Falls

The Final Day

The last day was a sad one because we packed up and left the Bechler River region behind. On our way out of the park, we stopped by the Falls River parking lot and trailhead to spend a little time before heading back to Jackson for the night.