Cliff Creek Falls
Jackson, WY
5.0 (11 reviews)Trip Highlights
- Stunning Wyoming Mountains
- A Waterfall over 200 Feet High
- Pristine Wilderness
- Mountain Solitude
- Views of the Wind River Mountains
- Fantastic Wildlife Habitat
Description
This Jackson Hole Area trek is a relatively quick 3-day adventure into the Wyoming Range, one of the least traveled and most beautiful mountain ranges in Wyoming. Providing the ability to see more animals than people, our Cliff Creek Falls backpacking trip truly offers an opportunity to step back into the Wild West. We’ll venture into a wonderland of waterfalls, meadows, rivers, forests and wildlife, with a wonderful campsite and fantastic backcountry cuisine!
Highlights of this trip include amazing waterfalls including Cliff Creek Falls which in total is over 200 feet high; secluded and scenic campsites; vast wildflower-filled meadows; and last but not least fantastic views of the surrounding mountain ranges including the Wind River Range. As you hike through the high mountain meadows, looking far down on the valleys below, gazing up at Hoback Peak and its perennial snow fields, standing mesmerized by pristine waterfalls, and staring in awe at the distant mountains, it may very well occur to you that you’re one of the luckiest people alive.
The Wildland Trekking Company operates under a permit issued by the United States Forest Service, and is an equal opportunity service provider.
$1290 Per Person
DIFFICULTY LEVEL 3
Scale of 1-5. 1 is least difficult; 5 is most difficult
This trip’s difficulties come from rugged trails that aren’t consistently maintained. The layover day has about 1200ft of gain over less than two miles, which is moderately strenuous, but it is with light daypacks.
Hiking Distances:
6 mi
Backpack Weight:
25-35 lbs
Terrain:
Moderately Rugged
Max Daily Elev. ↑↓:
1200 ft
Heights Exposure:
Light
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THIS TRIP
- Hiking uphill or downhill with a 25-35 lb backpack for 5-7 hours
- Maintaining balance and footing on moderately rugged terrain
SOLITUDE LEVEL 5
1 least solitude, 5 most solitude
We rate this Jackson Hole backpacking trip a solitude 5. You can expect to see very few other people, if any.
MINIMUM OF 2 GUESTS
If a trip does not reach the minimum number of guests, you may choose to transfer to another trip date or another trip, be refunded your payments in full, or you may have the choice to pay a supplemental fee to run the trip with fewer guests. We make the final determination for these trips 4-6 weeks before the departure date, and notify guests of changes and options immediately.
Private Trips
Travel in perfect company by booking a private trip exclusively for your group!
Our sliding scale for private trips is based on the final number of guests in your group. Rates are per person and do not include sales tax, national park fees or guide gratuity. The final rate is based on the actual number of guests on the trip and may adjust based on cancellations or additions.
Please Note: you can also enjoy a private trip at our normal scheduled rates by filling any empty tour to capacity. However, if group members drop from the tour those spots will automatically become available on our website for instant booking. By purchasing a private trip at the rates listed below, your trip will remain exclusive to your group regardless of cancellations.
Private Rates FOr This Trip
- 2 People: Rate x 2.5
- 3 People: Rate x 1.75
- 4 People: Rate x 1.25
- 5+ People: Rate x 1.15
*all rates are per person
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ITINERARY
Day 1
- Shuttle to Trailhead: 1.5 hours
- Hiking Mileage: appx 6 miles
This Jackson Hole backpacking trip begins as we hike up beautiful Cliff Creek. Our hike is consumed by views of the creek as it twists down a valley laden with pristine forests and wildflowers. We will hike past towering cliffs (the namesakes of Cliff Creek), whose rock ranges from bright reds to tan, and we may see the occasional snow patch still clinging to the hillsides. We’ll eventually reach a point where three different waterfalls can be seen from one spot, including Cliff Creek Falls, a stunning double waterfall that totals over 200 feet in height. Tonight’s camp is just up the hill from this impressive sight beside an expansive, majestic mountain meadow.
After getting camp set up, you’ll have time to relax, explore the flora and fauna around camp, or partake in some appetizers as the guide(s) prepare dinner. After dinner we’ll enjoy a campfire before settling in for a deserved night of rest under one of the most magnificent night skies you’ve ever seen.
Day 2
- Hiking Mileage: appx 6 miles
Today we will not move camp, so after eating breakfast we get to leave everything set up and start hiking. We start by immediately hiking up several hundred vertical feet over two miles. Throughout this we get peek-a-boo views of the towering Cliff Creek Falls. Upon reaching our high point we get incredible views from the top of the waterfall to the valley floor below. After leaving the falls behind we will hike beside Cliff Creek up a winding trail through gorgeous meadows and woods. Cliff Creek is made of a multitude of smaller streams ranging from crystal clear to white from the silt of year round snow packs. Moose and other animals love these meadows, and we have a good chance of seeing wildlife during this stretch. Upon reaching the top of Cliff Creek Pass we will be amazed by more breathtaking views. From the glacier covered Wind River Mountains, to the towering Tetons, we will get views of no less than 5 mountain ranges. Closer to us is the large Horse Heaven Meadows, red cliffs, and more winding streams and valleys. After soaking up the views, we will begin our decent back to camp. Upon reaching camp, the remainder of the day can be spent relaxing, soaking feet in the creek, or exploring on your own while the guide prepares dinner.
Day 3
- Hiking Mileage: appx 6 miles
- Shuttle to Jackson: 1.5 hours
Today we will hike back to the trailhead. Despite hiking the same trail from Day 1, you will be surprised at how much the view changes on the way back. We will enjoy seeing the valley from different angles and watching for more wildlife as we descend from the mountains. Upon reaching the trailhead, you will have one last chance to enjoy the stream and the beautiful valleys while the guide packs up. We will then shuttle back to Jackson and drop you off at your hotel.
Please Note: We always do everything in our power to follow the set itinerary, however it can change occasionally based on temporary access restrictions, weather, lodging/campground availability, guest ability/injury, natural events like fires and flooding, and other potential causes. Normal terms and conditions apply to trips with itinerary changes.
TRIP DATES & BOOKING
AVAILABLE TO BOOK
This trip is available and bookable online! Click on the date to register now or contact us online to book through our award-winning customer service team!
GOING FAST
This trip has 1 or 2 spots remaining and is bookable online! Click on the date to book now or contact us online to book through customer service.
REQUEST A RESERVATION
This trip is exclusively booked through customer service due to logistics with lodging, permits, staffing, availability, or something else. Please contact us online or call us at 800-715-HIKE (4453) to request a reservation.
Don't see your dates? Call us! We may be able to add new trip dates.
800-715-HIKE (4453)Trip Details
What's Included
- Top-of-the-line tent, backcountry sleeping pad and multi-day backpack
- High quality, synthetic sleeping bag (professionally laundered after every use) – or bring your own.
- Use of trekking poles
- All meals are included from breakfast the first day through lunch on the last day
- Trained hiking guide(s) with years of personal wilderness and hiking experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into breathtaking landscapes. See Guide Bios.
- Roundtrip transportation from your hotel in Jackson Hole, WY; Victor, ID or Driggs, ID
- Bear safety equipment including bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Emergency equipment including a company-issued first-aid kit and communication device (InReach Explorer or satellite phone)
What's Not Included
- Clothes, raingear and footwear (see recommendations)
- Sunscreen, toiletries and personal items
- Water bottles and a headlamp or flashlight
- Guide gratuity (industry recommendation is 10-20% of trip cost)
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about what to pack.
Meals: What To Expect
All of our hiking and backpacking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola, and more.
For optimal taste and energy, we supplement all our meals with spices, herbs, oils, cheeses, butter, sugar, and fruits and vegetables (fresh and dried). In addition, we provide you with with an assortment of trail mix, snacks, and dried fruits to eat at your own discretion.
We regularly accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher and non-gluten diets and will make adjustments for food allergies. These and other special dietary requests may require an additional fee.
Gear We Provide
We provide all group gear which includes the following:
- Deuter or Osprey backpacks
- Sierra Designs, Kelty or Big Agnes tents
- Sierra Designs, Big Agnes and Mountain Hardware synthetic-fill sleeping bags (or bring your own)
- Thermarest or Big Agnes sleeping pads
- Leki trekking poles
- Cooking stoves and cookware
- Bear spray cannisters and food-hanging gear
- Company-issued first-aid kit
- Emergency communication device(s)
Guest Clothing List
When you register for this tour you’ll receive access to a printable, downloadable trip information packet with a detailed packing list specific to this trip (click here to see it now.) All trips require a sturdy pair of hiking shoes or hiking boots, rain gear, a recommended clothing system, a headlamp or flashlight, a hydration system (water bottles and/or bladder) and other items specific to each trip.
Additionally, some guests choose to bring their own sleeping bag. We supply high quality, synthetic fill bags that are professionally laundered after every trip. Synthetic fill is non-allergenic, insulates when damp and stands up well to repeated washings, but is heavier and bulkier than down. If you’re able to bring your own down sleeping bag, there are multiple benefits. If not, we’ve got you covered!
Trip Logistics
How do I Register?
Reserve your spot today! In the Trip Dates & Booking section of this page, the green and red dates are bookable online by simply clicking on the date, and blue dates must be booked through our customer service team for a variety of possible reasons. To email our customer service team, you can click here to get the ball rolling. Our adventure consultants will confirm availability, and if you’re ready to register we’ll email you a link to a registration profile. You’ll have 72 hours to complete your profile (and that of any dependents) and pay the deposit.
Feel free to call us for more info – we’re here 7 days a week!
Where Do We Meet?
At 5:00 PM the evening before Day 1, your guide will conduct a virtual orientation meeting (via conference call) at 5:00 PM to review the packing list, communicate the first day’s logistics and answer any last minute questions you have. Your guide will give you the phone number for this call during the pre-trip contact, approximately 10 days before your trip start date.
Early on the morning of Day 1 your guide will pick you up from your accommodations in Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Driggs, Idaho; or Victor, Idaho.
Click here to see a printable, downloadable trip information packet with more detailed guidance about flights, shuttles, recommended lodging and more.
Travel Details
This trip begins and ends in Jackson, WY, with pick-up also available in Driggs and Victor, ID.
You can fly into:
- Jackson Hole – some hotels and several transportation companies provide airport shuttles.
- Idaho Falls – small, more affordable airport; Salt Lake Express (208-656-8824) offers 2 daily shuttles between Idaho Falls and Jackson.
- Salt Lake City – Salt Lake Express (208-656-8824) and Alltrans (800-652-9510) offer daily shuttles (4.5 hours). Advance reservations required.
Pre and Post-trip On Request Lodging
We secure limited amounts of pre and post trip lodging in Jackson, Wyoming as an optional add-on for guests of this trip. This lodging is on request, and is available on a first come, first serve basis. If interested, please reach out directly to our team to check availability.
Start/End Times
You can expect the first day’s pick-up time to be between 5 and 7 am, although the exact time will depend on current weather and road conditions. We will drop you off at your hotel on the final day no later than 7 PM.
Safety Precautions
Your safety is our top priority. Our hiking tours are led by professional hiking guides, all of whom are wilderness-certified first responders or EMT’s, each with years of guiding and wilderness experience. Guides adhere to standardized risk management protocols in case of any potential or actual incident, and all tours carry an emergency communication device and comprehensive first-aid kit. Additionally we have a “24/7” system through which guides or guests can reach Wildland support personnel at any time.
If you have any further questions about safety, please contact us at 1-800-715-HIKE (4453) for more information.
Essential Eligibility Criteria
Essential Eligibility Criteria (“EEC”) have been specifically identified to help you understand the skills and abilities necessary to participate on each Wildland trip, and they apply uniformly to all potential trip participants, irrespective of the presence or absence of any disability.
Once you identify a trip in which you may be interested, please carefully review the EEC and itinerary details. If after reviewing the EEC that apply to your desired trip, you determine you need an accommodation in order to meet the EEC, please contact us prior to registering to discuss your requested accommodation.
The EEC exist for your own safety and the safety and enjoyment of all participants. If you are unable to meet the EEC for the trip, with or without an accommodation, you are not eligible for that trip. If you register and arrive for a trip for which you do not meet the EEC, you will be disqualified from participation on the trip and will be dismissed or evacuated from the trip without a refund.
Guide Working Parameters
Guides are required to take 8 hours off each 24-hour period to sleep, recuperate, take personal/down time…etc. In addition, as part of the 8 hours off they must sleep/rest or be in their tents/rooms uninterrupted for a minimum of 5 hours each night. We ask guests to respect these requirements and to not interrupt guides’ off time and sleep time unless there is a true emergency.
Age Restrictions
Age restrictions on this trip are as follows:
- 12 and older to join scheduled tours (mixed groups)
- 5 and older to join private tours, with final approval and specific logistical requirements (such as porter or stock assist) determined on a case by case basis
Weather Around Yellowstone
Being a Northern mountain environment, the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is prone to sudden temperature and weather shifts. This is an exciting aspect of being in Wyoming’s mountains. On trips in June, snow is a slight possibility, and the rest of the summer you’re likely to get rained on at least once during your trip. To be fully prepared, please follow the recommended clothing list closely (this list comes as part of your trip packet when you register). See below for average summer temperatures around Yellowstone:
Average Temperatures (Fahrenheit)
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| June | 70° | 42° |
| July | 80° | 47° |
| August | 78° | 45° |
| September | 68° | 37° |
Accommodations
BACKCOUNTRY SLEEPING
Tent Camping
Sleeping on backpacking trips is in premier 1-person, 2-person or 4-person backcountry tents. Solo travelers, and anyone else who requests it, are issued single tents. Top-of-the-line self-inflating sleeping pads and synthetic-fill sleeping bags (professionally laundered after every trip) are also provided.
BACKCOUNTRY CUISINE
Fresh & Delicious
Meals from breakfast Day 1 through lunch the last day are fully included and prepared by your guide. We never use dehydrated backpacking meals, instead serving freshly prepared, delicious backcountry cuisine made with a variety of common and specialty ingredients that travel well in the wilderness.
AMAZING CAMPSITES
In the Action
Campsites vary by destination, trip and even by the individual day of a trip. However, you can expect to camp in beautiful areas that put you right in the action to make the most of your trekking adventure. We carefully design our itineraries with campsites in mind.
Trip Reviews
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Elizabeth G
Stunning
Another fantastic backpacking trip with Wildland Trekking (this was my seventh). We were in great hands with our guide Hailey. She was very experienced and also was super fun to be around! The scenery was gorgeous- not only Cliff Creek Falls but the wildflowers in Horse Heaven Meadows- stunning! If you want wildflowers this is a must do trip. Great for first timers too- challenging but not too difficult, beautiful campsite and a layover day to choose your fun. We saw four moose over three days- one was a youngster hanging out in the meadow by our camp. Five stars for this short but very sweet hike!
Tracy L
Astounding
Hailey was an excellent guide, gauging our ability perfectly, pushing us just enough but assuring we were also safe and enjoying ourselves. The “5” solitude rating was very accurate—we only saw one other party the entire three days and 19 miles and that was close to the trail head. The wildflowers were astounding and we had excellent views of several moose, mule deer and other critters.
Sarah D
Just overall so awesome.
This was my second time working with Wildland Trekking and they have been outstanding both times. The guides are hands down the best I've worked with and the team that works with us to plan these trips is always so responsive, helpful, accommodating and professional.
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