Wraith Falls Trail

This short trail leads through lovely meadows and mixed spruce, fir, and lodgepole forest, then along Lupine Creek to an overlook of 100-foot Wraith Falls. In summer, the meadows provide a nice display of purple lupine, a distant relative of the Texas bluebonnet, for which the creek was named. Years ago, lupine lotion made from these flowers was successfully used to combat body lice.

A “wraith” is a ghost or ghostlike image of someone, especially one seen shortly before or after their death. Early map makers who named the falls apparently imagined they saw such ghostly figures in the gossamer white strands of this beautiful cascade. Study it for a while to see what you can see there.

Thanks to guidebook author, Tom Carter, for sharing this trail description. To learn more about visiting Yellowstone, check out his book, Day Hiking Yellowstone.