A tall, dramatic waterfall reached via a moderate 5-mile hike in the Bighorn National Forest.
No fee documented for trail/trailhead access
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Bucking Mule Falls plunges over 600 feet in the Bighorn National Forest near Lovell, Wyoming, reached via a moderate 5-mile round-trip hike. The trailhead is accessed from Highway 14A/FSR 14 and begins at 8,500 feet elevation, offering a substantial backcountry experience for hikers willing to invest half a day.
The falls are reached via the Bucking Mule Falls Trail, a designated National Recreation Trail in the Bighorn range. The moderate difficulty rating reflects the elevation gain and rocky terrain rather than technical scrambling. There is no day-use fee to access the trailhead or trail.
The USFS Bighorn National Forest recreation page confirms the 600-foot height and moderate 5-mile distance but does not publish details on dog policy, water conditions, or swimming access. The route offers solitude and forest scenery typical of the Bighorn range, with the dramatic falls overlook as the payoff for the effort invested.
Summer and fall; no official NPS closure window is published, so verify conditions before winter visits.
If you prefer easy roadside access or have limited hiking time.
No fee documented for trail/trailhead access
Via a 5-mile round-trip trail rated moderate by the managing agency.
fs.usda.gov
USFS Bighorn National Forest 'Bucking Mule Falls Trailhead' recreation page (checked 2026-09-04): trailhead at 8,500 ft elevation, coordinates given are the trailhead, not the falls overlook itself, reached from Lovell via Hwy 14A/FSR 14. Page describes an overlook of a waterfall over 600 ft, moderate 5-mile round trip. No fee, dog policy, or exact falls coordinates published; left null accordingly. No closure alert found on this page (distinct from the Shell Falls Interpretive Site elsewhere in Bighorn NF, which IS under an active USFS closure order through Dec 31, 2026 for construction — Shell Falls was excluded from this list for that reason).
Checked September 2026.