At least since my first summer on staff at Camp Loll, my father has wanted to hike to Union Falls. After 15 years of talking about it, we finally made the trip together in late-June.

We stopped in at Camp Loll on Friday night and joined the camp at their closing campfire for that week. The infamous mosquitos were deadly and in force. Delose and Janice Conner were kind enough to let us sleep in the lodge that night.

Bright and early, we drove to the Cascade Creek trailhead where we cooked ourselves a nice hot breakfast. The weather was perfect. The trailhead is right on the Grassy Lake Road (Ashton-Flagg Ranch Road) as you drive over Cascade Creek; about a mile or so west of Grassy Lake Dam.

Union Falls via Cascade Creek Trailhead

It's about 16 miles (26 km) round-trip if you include both Union Falls and Ouzel Pool. Most of the trail is through Yellowstone's lodgepole forest and requires two river fords; one at Cascade Creek about a mile in, and at Falls River about two miles in. At Proposition Creek and Mountain Ash Creek, there are logs across the creeks, that you don't have to get your feet wet.

Proposition Creek is at the base of about a mile long hill that's mostly exposed to the sun due to bedrock preventing tree growth. Camp Loll nicknamed this incline "Cardiac Hill." On the way in you come down that hill, and then up it on the way back to the trailhead. There's a boulder sticking out of the trail at the top that is easy to identify. When guiding the scouts on this hike, we would point out this boulder and tell them that when we are hiking back to the trailhead, we will let you hike at your own pace back up the hill and to stop and wait for the rest of the group at this boulder. If you're paying close attention, there's a small waterfall off the trail on the down slope side of the trail. It's worth a peek on the way down this hill.

Between Proposition Creek and Mountain Ash Creek, you'll climb up and down a ridge. Once you arrive at Mountain Ash Creek, the trail forks. Downstream will take you towards the Bechler River and the Fish Lake Trailhead. Up stream will take you to Union Falls. The trail follows Mountain Ash Creek for awhile until you arrive at a horse crossing where a tributary and Mountain Ash Creek join. Mountain Ash Creek is the one coming from the right. The trail turns right. Follow it for about 100 yards (90 m) until you find the big log that's been placed across the creek right next to the 9U4 campsite. Cross the creek on the log. This water is what's coming over Union Falls. I've heard the fishing is pretty good in these creeks.

The trail will lead you past a ranger's A-frame cabin and then the turn off for the 9B5 campsite. Keep going straight and follow the trail another mile or two until you come to the point where horses are required to be tied off at the hitching posts and the trail forks. The left fork goes up to Ouzel Pool, the straight fork goes to Union Falls. As you hike to the falls, carefully listen and watch through the trees for the falls. It will tease you, but not show itself until you are there.

Since my days on staff, the Park Service changed the way the trail approaches Union Falls. I really like this new approach. The trail now switches back twice as it climbs to a higher vantage point or overlook for the falls. You don't see the falls until it is in full view. I love how it is almost like a theatrical reveal! This time, it was June 25 and there was still a decent patch of snowbank on the north slope to the right of the falls. I never grow tired of hiking this trail and seeing this waterfall.

Back down the trail, we turn towards Ouzel Pool where we rest again and I take a swim for a little while.

Click on the Union Falls and Ouzel Pool topics below for more information about the falls and pool.