A rainbow rising from the river floor made our day at Mesa Falls one we’ll never forget

Need to get out of the scorching heat and the kids out of the house for an easy educational hike?

A half-day or even a full day at Mesa Falls could be the ticket you want to experience. Your pooch could even enjoy the experience, but keep it on its leash.

Northeast of Ashton just off the old Highway 47, the Henrys Fork of the Snake River has carved out a deep canyon with the Upper and Lower Mesa Falls creating a beautiful setting for a day of enjoyment. Just over one mile apart, the two falls are connected by an easy, flat trail with scenic views and interpretive signs along the way. The trail is decorated by wild flowers, an occasional bird, chipmunk, squirrel or even a harmless snake.

This week, part of my family and I spent six hours enjoying the Mesa Falls area and were the first car in the parking lot at 8:30. After enjoying the road and the sights, including a rainbow created by the mist rising from the 114 foot Upper Mesa Falls, we visited the old lodge. There are several displays, as well as activities designed for kids that are hands-on for them while they prepare to explore and enjoy the area including the hike.

On the hike to the Lower Falls, the children of the group led us by singing camp songs, stopped to read the interpretive signs and viewed the beautiful flowers along the trail. The trail is wide enough for two people to hike side-by-side, making conversation more enjoyable. Being a harvester of wild berries, I enjoyed showing our group which berries were edible and which were not. The few huckleberries and Low-bush berries were delicious.

Once at the cliff overlooking the lower falls we relaxed, studied the bottom of the canyon with binoculars, and enjoyed a drink and some snacks. A Yellow-pine chipmunk entertained us by filling its built-in grocery bags on each side of its head with seeds from the native grasses. Even a White-crowned sparrow presented us with a musical concert.

Before we left our perch, a group of 20 tourists from Colorado and a few other small groups joined us. The humanoids had awakened, but we enjoyed our interactions with them.

When you visit the Lower Falls, they are difficult to see from the top. If you are so inclined, you can hike down to the lip of the falls or even down to the bottom of them but it is steep and you will need to scramble over a talus field. The best view of those falls is from the Grand View turnout once you get back to Hwy 47.

Once you are headed back to Ashton, a treat awaits you – if you take a loaf of stale bread. Where you cross Fall River as it joins Robison Creek, you will probably encounter others feeding fish. The rainbows are huge, some weigh as much as ten pounds and can eat a full slice of bread in two bites. It is fun to watch not only the fish, but the grown-ups acting like kids seeing who can get the largest fish to take their offerings.

We had a blast enjoying each other, nature at its best and watching the power of the Upper Valley life-blood before it was lateraled off in the different canals to feed the hungry potatoes.