Mesa Falls Visitor Center

The Mesa Falls Visitor Center sits in Bill Falls Inn, and this historic and beautiful inn was built around 1915. 

When visiting, it looks like a small cottage on the landscape, but it's such a stunning location. Here you will learn a great deal about the area and the history of this incredible building. 

For example, one thing I learned was that the Snake River Electric Light and Power Company built the inn to provide access to those coming into the area while it was still very rural. And while it sometimes welcomed tourists, its main purpose was to house ranchers and sportsmen in the area.

And after serving the community as a hotel and café for many years, it became a way station along the Yellowstone Highway. 

Eventually, the Forest Service acquired the property in 1986 and worked with various groups, including Harriman State Park, to renovate the property. Though it’s been beautifully renovated, it still has all of the personalization and charm of a building from the 1900s.

I highly recommend taking a stop by to see several displays about the history of the building and region, along with the plethora of information about the culture, flora, and fauna in this area. And while you’re there, you can access the boardwalk to hike to Mesa Falls.

It is certainly worth doing so!

Fun Facts About the Mesa Falls Visitor Center

One thing I found interesting about the Mesa Falls Visitor Center is that it was the local hotspot when it first opened its doors in the 1920s. 

It was where people came to get food as they passed through the area, where travelers spent the evening, and it even had a dance hall for the community. When you walk into the location, you can almost sense that there was a lot of fun happening there!

In fact, the Bill Falls Inn, as many still call it, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's typically only open from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm during the summer months, and it's worth making it a point to visit the location during that time.

So if you haven't explored Mesa Falls, make sure you do—and do so fully! 

Both the Upper and Lower sections are incredible (the Upper Mesa Falls are as tall as a 10-story building, in fact!) They look untouched by people, and that's really something special since so many of the waterfalls and natural treasures along Snake River have suffered some damage from the people visiting over the years.

Getting There

The Mesa Falls Visitor Center is located off Route 295 in Ashton. Those coming from Idaho Falls will want to take US 20 E to get there. It takes about an hour to 75 minutes to make the trip.

Cost

The visitor's center is accessible through access to the Caribou-Targhee National Forest.

• $5 per vehicle for the day to enter the forest.