'Walking into paradise:' Porcupine Falls a hidden gem in Wyoming

Porcupine Falls, a hiking trail located south of the Montana-Wyoming state line, is a hidden gem for those who have visited.

The 0.7 mile hike leads directly into a swimming hole that is surrounded by cliffs with a large waterfall pouring in.

The beautiful area is unknown to many.

“If you drove by it on the mountain or the road, you’d never know it was there,” said frequent visitor Jeremy Stewart of Sheridan.

Stewart and his family visit often.

“We try to come here once or twice a year for the last 10 years I’d say probably,” Stewart said.

Others, like Gillette residents Trisha and Francisco Garibay, were pleasantly surprised to find this trail so close to home.

“It was a good hike,” Francisco said. “A little steep and a good workout.”

“It’s amazing,” Trisha said. “I’m like how did we ever miss this place? It’s crazy that it’s right in our back door.”

The hike itself isn’t too challenging. There’s even been manmade steps built to help hikers find the falls.

“It’s accessible,” Trisha said. “You’ve got little kids and you’ve got elderly people walking. Our four-year-old is with us and he basically did the whole thing.”

Those steps and extra people bring excitement for Stewart, who said he wants to share the views with as many people as possible.

“It’s phenomenal all the people that get to see it,” Stewart said. “Ten years ago, everyone was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’”

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And the beautiful scenery speaks for itself.

“It’s like you’re walking into a paradise,” Trisha said. “It’s so beautiful. There were people fishing and swimming. It was great.”

Even though the hike is becoming more popular, most aren’t as courageous as the Stewart family when it comes to jumping into the freezing water. Jeremy said that’s his favorite part.

“It’s usually hot coming down, so it feels great to jump in the cold water,” Stewart said with a smile after jumping in. “It was chilly. I mean, I’ll do it again, but it was chilly.”