Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
trout. Sandals and hiking poles are extremely useful for river crossings. Bring rain gear -
Bechler gets three times as much rain as the park's northern range.
Popular with horse-pack trips, backpackers and anglers, Bechler sees fierce competition
for backcountry campsites in the prime months of August and September. Campsites may
only be reserved for dates after July 15. In-person permits may be granted, weather per-
mitting. Ask rangers about river ford and trail conditions - high water and swarms of bugs
typically persist along this route through mid to late July. All of the campsites mentioned
here (except 9B9) limit stays to one night.
Use the south side of Trails Illustrated's 1:63,360 map No 302
Old Faithful
. Three
USGS 1:24:000 quads also cover the route:
Trischman Knob, Cave Falls
and
Bechler
Falls
.
DAY 1: BECHLER RANGER STATION TO CAMPSITE 9B4
3-4 HOURS, 6.5 MILES, ELEVATION CHANGE NEGLIGIBLE
See the Bechler Meadows & Falls Trail description (
Click here
)
for directions from
Bechler Ranger Station to Rocky Ford. The extremely wide crossing of the Bechler River
is tricky even in low water (around mid-July) and may be completely impassable after
heavy rains.
The less interesting, slightly shorter alternative is
Bechler Meadows Trail
, which re-
quires a shorter, knee- to thigh-high ford near campsite 9B2 (no campfires) and treading
some boggy terrain.
Beyond the ford, the Bechler River Trail heads east past the Mountain Ash Creek Trail
junction. It then cuts north through forested patches and open grassy plains beside the me-
andering river to campsite 9B3, at the edge of a broad clearing 7 miles from the trailhead.
For the first night's stay, the semiprivate, hiker-only campsite 9B4 (no campfires), located
0.5 miles further at the mouth of Bechler River Canyon, is recommended.
DAY 2: CAMPSITE 9B4 TO THREE RIVER JUNCTION
3½-4½ HOURS, 7.5 MILES, 600FT ASCENT
The trail continues to parallel the river, climbing through fir and spruce forests, birch trees
and boulder fields bordering meadows thick with raspberries, thimbleberries and huckle-
berries. After 1.8 miles, a marked side trail descends yards to a scenic overlook of
Colon-
nade Falls
, where the Bechler River plunges 85ft in two stages. The trail steepens,
passing damp campsite 9B5 to reach the spectacular
Iris Falls
, a 40ft curtain of water
spraying thick rainbow-filled mist.
The trail ascends through more old fir and spruce forest past gliding cataracts with pic-
turesque islets and riverside campsite 9B6 to another major ford (a 50ft-wide, waist-deep
