Updated July 2026
Upper Mesa Falls
Upper Mesa Falls is a roughly 114-foot, ~200-foot-wide waterfall on the Henrys Fork of the Snake River, one of the few major falls on the river to resist development. A short boardwalk and steps loop along the rim bring visitors close to the brink.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check U.S. Forest Service (Caribou-Targhee National Forest) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Graded lakes within 25 miles
- CIsland Pk Reservoir · Fremont County · 13.6 mi
- CIsland Park Lake · Fremont County · 17 mi
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Frequently Asked Questions
Upper Mesa Falls drops about 114 feet. That makes it the 170th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 75% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Upper Mesa Falls boardwalk loop reaches it about 0.75 miles (loop), rated easy. The nearest town is Ashton. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with U.S. Forest Service (Caribou-Targhee National Forest) for closures and current conditions.
Late spring through fall. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Idaho waterfalls
- Bridal Veil Falls
- Char Falls · 50 ft
- Copper Falls · 160 ft
- Elk Creek Falls
- Fall Creek Falls · 60 ft
- Jump Creek Falls · 55 ft
- Lower Mesa Falls · 65 ft
- Perrine Coulee Falls · 197 ft
Sources
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