Iris Falls
Iris Falls is a waterfall in Wyoming, at a modelled elevation of 2,024 m. Ranger Peak stands 3,453 m to the south-southeast, 23 miles off. The nearest named place is Upper Colonnade Falls, a waterfall 0.2 miles away. Mesa Falls Scenic Byway passes 18 miles off. 43 named summits stand within 25 miles.
The story
Iris Falls (height 45 feet (14 m)) is a waterfall on the Bechler River in Yellowstone National Park. Iris Falls is located just upstream from Colonnade Falls and is accessible via the Bechler River Trail. The falls were named in 1885 by members of the Arnold Hague Geological Survey for Iris, the mythological Greek goddess of the rainbow.
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q5306929, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Height
- 13.7 m
How to reach it
- 17.9 mi off the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway
- 22.8 mi off the Teton Scenic Byway
- 25.3 mi off the Fort Henry Historic Byway
Overlooks nearby
- Lower Mesa Falls · 19 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Mr. Bubbles: 4.5 mi
- Funnel Spring: 10.1 mi
- Taurus Spring: 10.5 mi
- Lone Star Geyser Basin: 14.0 mi
- Huckleberry Hot Spring: 15.4 mi
- Birch Hills: 6.7 mi
- Douglas Knob: 6.9 mi
- Trischman Knob: 7.5 mi
- Calf Creek Hill: 7.9 mi
- Snow Creek Butte: 9.1 mi
- Upper Colonnade Falls: 0.2 mi
- Lower Colonnade Falls: 0.3 mi
- Ouzel Falls: 1.6 mi
- Albright Falls: 3.2 mi
- Silver Scarf Falls: 3.9 mi
- Copper Kettle: 16.3 mi
- Sulphide Spring: 16.3 mi
- Arrowhead Spring: 16.3 mi
- Heart Spring: 16.3 mi
- Milk Cauldron: 16.4 mi
- Kepler Cascades: 15.7 mi
- Upper Geyser Basin: 16.1 mi
- Old Faithful: 16.2 mi
- Beehive Geyser: 16.3 mi
- Morning Glory Pool: 16.9 mi
- Cave Falls Picnic Area: 7.2 mi
- Snake River Picnic Area: 15.5 mi
- Lewis Lake Picnic Area: 15.9 mi
- East Lot Picnic Area: 16.0 mi
- Picnic: 16.0 mi
- Weather Rock: 10.0 mi
- Sheep Falls: 13.3 mi
- Midway Bluff: 20.4 mi
- Wilcox Point: 20.9 mi
- Moose Mountain Slide: 21.7 mi
- John D Rockefeller Memorial Parkway: 15.5 mi
- De Lacy Park: 18.1 mi
- Basin Creek: 21.5 mi
- Basin Creek: 21.9 mi
- Basin Creek: 22.0 mi
- Queen's Laundry Bath House: 22.5 mi
- Old Railway Station: 24.0 mi
- Yellowstone Tribal Heritage Center: 16.1 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 25 miles of Iris Falls. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ranger Peak | SSE 158° | 3,453 m | 23.4 mi |
| Doane Peak | SSE 160° | 3,449 m | 24.2 mi |
| Elk Mountain | SSE 159° | 3,271 m | 19.6 mi |
| Owl Peak | SSE 158° | 3,230 m | 19.7 mi |
| Mount Sheridan | E 85° | 3,135 m | 20.6 mi |
| Red Mountain | S 169° | 3,103 m | 18.5 mi |
| Rammell Mountain | S 175° | 3,085 m | 23.5 mi |
| Moose Mountain | SSE 168° | 3,050 m | 21.4 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:28 | 18:58 | 19:36 |
| June solstice | 05:41 | 20:27 | 21:12 |
| September equinox | 07:12 | 18:45 | 19:23 |
| December solstice | 07:57 | 16:01 | 16:48 |
Local time (America/Denver).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: Jun–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 13 | 16 | 25 | 33 | 42 | 50 | 57 | 56 | 47 | 36 | 23 | 14 |
| Precip in | 3.9 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 3.5 | 4.2 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — Snake RVR, 16 mi away.
Inside the official boundary of Yellowstone National Park. Quietest months by visitation: Nov and Mar; busiest: Jul.
NPS visitation statistics, monthly averages 2021–2025 (2020 excluded).
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOpenStreetMap element node/11012687473
Day trips start here
- Island Park · 26 mi
Take the scenic way to Iris Falls.
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