Kepler Cascades

Wyoming · 150-foot drop · Yellowstone National Park · Last verified 2026-06-26

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Kepler Cascades is running at 48 cfs — well above seasonal normal. October averages 5.6 snow days here.

Above seasonal normal today(53 cfs, top 13% of last 30 days)

Right now

Streamflow

47.6 cfs

Firehole River at Old · 1h ago

Overnight

18°F

Patchy Fog

Sunday

51°F

Areas Of Fog then Sunny

Today's daylight

Sunrise 7:50 AM · Sunset 6:23 PM · 10h 33m

AQI: 36 (Good) · PM2.5 8.9 µg/m³

Wildlife activity

Stay Away From Bull Elk(Caution)

Other park alerts

Biscuit Basin Closed Due to Hydrothermal Explosion(Park Closure)
Traffic Delays - Gardner River High Bridge(Information)
Vehicle Entrance Reservation Not Needed(Information)

Snapshot built 12m ago. Sources: USGS · NWS RIW.

Kepler Cascades is a 150-foot tiered cascade on the Firehole River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park, 2.5 miles south of Old Faithful. The 130-foot boardwalk from the pullout to the cliff-edge viewing platform is wheelchair accessible — one of the easiest waterfall stops in Yellowstone. The longest single drop is about 50 ft; the cascade as a whole drops 150 ft through three main steps. Road closes seasonally in winter (typically November through May).

Kepler Cascades is a waterfall on the Firehole River in southwestern Yellowstone National Park in the United States. The cascades are located approximately 2.5 miles south of Old Faithful. The cascades drop approximately 150 feet over multiple drops. The longest drop is 50 feet. The cascades are located very near to and visible from the Old Faithful to West Thumb road.
— Wikipedia, “Kepler Cascades”

A short history

Named for Hill Beachey Kepler, a young son of a former Wyoming governor, in the late 19th century. Marked by an early stone observation platform built by the CCC in the 1930s.

The trail

0.05 miles each way, rated easy. Paved pullout on the South Entrance Road, 2.5 miles south of Old Faithful. Boardwalk leads from parking to viewing platform.

Sources disagree on height

Different sources report different values for this waterfall's drop. We list them all so you can judge. Our headline number is the one we consider best-sourced.

Source	Height	Note
OSM	49 ft · 15 m	OSM lists the single largest drop (49 ft / ~50 ft). Wikipedia and NPS list ~150 ft total over multiple drops — the visible cascade as a whole.
Wikipedia	150 ft · 45.7 m	—

Why the waterfall is there

The Firehole River cuts through rhyolite lava flows of the Yellowstone Caldera. Heat from underlying magma keeps the river warm year-round, contributing to the dramatic mist around the falls in winter.

Rock type: rhyolite
Formation age: Pleistocene Yellowstone Caldera (640,000 years ago)

Source: USGS

Is the water flowing right now?

Most waterfall sites don't tell you this. The waterfall itself is almost never gauged, but a USGS streamgage in the same watershed can tell you whether snowmelt has started, peaked, or run dry.

USGS gage 06036805 · 1.3 mi away
Firehole River at Old Faithful, YNP
View live discharge data →

30-day streamflow

Above 30-day average

2026-09-25 · low 37.2 cfstoday 53 cfs · avg 41.7 cfs

↻ Same date last year: 35.2 cfs · 151% of last year — significantly wetter

When to go (from the climate data, not our opinion)

Monthly averages from Open-Meteo's reanalysis dataset (2020–2024). Highlighted months are when we think the waterfall is at its best — but the numbers are the numbers regardless.

Month	High °F	Low °F	Precip (in)	Snow days
Jan	23	11	2.4	19.6
Feb	23	10	2.9	18.6
Mar	31	15	3.4	18.4
Apr	38	20	2.3	13.4
MayBest	48	29	2.4	7
JunBest	62	40	2.3	0.6
JulBest	74	50	1	0
AugBest	71	49	1.8	0
SepBest	63	42	1.5	0.4
OctBest	47	30	2.5	5.6
Nov	31	17	2.6	14.2
Dec	26	13	3.7	18.8

Source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API · ERA5 reanalysis 2020–2024.

Compare to nearby falls

If this one isn't the right fit, here's how it stacks up against the closest documented falls. Every column is filterable on the site — not buried in 13,000 reviews.

Waterfall	Distance	Height	Trail	Dogs	Fee
Kepler Cascades (this page)	—	150 ft	easy · 0.05 mi	N	$35
Fern Cascades	2 mi	—	—	N	—
Mystic Falls	4 mi	69 ft	—	N	—
Fairy Falls	6 mi	200 ft	—	N	—
Tempe Cascade	10 mi	—	—	N	—
Quiver Cascade	10 mi	—	—	N	—

Side-by-side comparisons

Kepler Cascades compared head-to-head with other documented falls — height, access, fees, dogs, swimmability in one row each.

Related waterfalls

Similar height (~150 ft)

Same best season in Wyoming

Gibbon Falls84 ft
Moose Falls30 ft

Questions visitors ask about Kepler Cascades

Answers built from our structured data. If a question isn't here, the fact is unverified — we'd rather omit than guess.

How tall is Kepler Cascades?

Kepler Cascades is 150 feet (45.7 m) tall. Source heights disagree by source — see the discrepancy box on the page.

Is Kepler Cascades in a national or state park?

Yes — Kepler Cascades is inside Yellowstone National Park. See the park page for fees, hours, and current conditions.

Can I bring my dog to Kepler Cascades?

No — dogs are not allowed on trails here. Most National Park trails prohibit pets to protect wildlife. Service animals are an exception per ADA.

Is Kepler Cascades wheelchair accessible?

Yes — Kepler Cascades has a wheelchair-accessible viewing area with ADA parking. Conditions can change seasonally; verify with the land manager before driving.

Can you swim at Kepler Cascades?

No — swimming is not safe or not allowed at Kepler Cascades. Viewing platform only. The Firehole River carries heated water from upstream geysers; combining with cold snowmelt makes any swimming attempt dangerous.

When is the best time to visit Kepler Cascades?

Peak flow is typically May, June, July, August, September, October. Season-wise: spring, summer, fall. Snowmelt and recent rain affect day-to-day volume.

Is there a fee to visit Kepler Cascades?

Yes — entry costs around $35. Most Yellowstone National Park entrances accept the America the Beautiful annual pass.

How far is Kepler Cascades from a major city?

Kepler Cascades is 2.5 miles from Old Faithful (about 5 minutes' drive).

More waterfalls in Wyoming

Where it is

44.4455, -110.8059

Sources and live status

Where we got the data, and where to check current conditions before you drive.

Last verified by Fallspots: 2026-06-26

Been there?

Marina and Theo verify pages one road trip at a time. If you've been to Kepler Cascades recently, your local knowledge improves the page for everyone. Pick the kind of contribution that fits — every email lands in our inbox and gets read (and credited when we publish).

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