Gibbon Falls

The Grand Loop Road through Yellowstone National Park often follows one of the park’s rivers: the Yellowstone, Madison, Firehole, or Gibbon. Gibbon Falls is a popular stop along the busy segment between Norris and Madison Junctions, and well worth it.

In early summer the Gibbon River has a massive volume of water, and when the river reaches the edge of the plateau it plunges over the rim of the great Yellowstone Caldera. This volcanic crater last erupted 640,000 years ago, and there is no better place to appreciate its scale than at Gibbon Falls.

Combining natural history with the human history of the park, the informational displays here are excellent. Some of them describe the building of the road through the canyon. The best view of the falls is about 100 yards below the parking area, but the walkway down to the bottom viewpoint is beautiful and worthwhile.