Montana's Most Spectacular Waterfalls

Montana's waterfalls are concentrated in Glacier National Park and the surrounding mountain ranges — the combination of glacial terrain, spring snowmelt, and steep cliffs creates exceptional waterfall density.

Virginia Falls and St. Mary Falls (Glacier NP)
Two falls accessible via an easy 3-mile round-trip trail from the Sun Point parking area on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. St. Mary Falls (30 ft) is a frothy cascade over red and green argite; Virginia Falls (50 ft), 0.5 miles further, is narrower and more powerful. The turquoise water of St. Mary River connecting the two makes this one of the most photographed short trails in Glacier.

Running Eagle Falls (Trick Falls) (40 ft)
One of Montana's most unusual waterfalls — in spring and early summer, water flows over the upper lip AND out of a cave opening lower on the cliff simultaneously (appearing as two separate waterfalls). In late summer when the upper creek dries up, only the cave opening flows. Located near Two Medicine Lake in Glacier NP; 0.6-mile trail.

Kootenai Falls (50 ft)
On the Kootenai River near Libby, in the Kootenai National Forest. The falls are broad and powerful — unusual for Montana in that they're fed by an entire river system, not just glacial meltwater. A suspension bridge over the gorge below the falls is one of the most dramatic river crossings in the state. The Kootenai Tribe of Idaho considers this a sacred site.

Apgar Creek Falls and Avalanche Gorge
Avalanche Creek in Glacier NP cuts through 50-foot gorge walls of polished red argite before opening into the trail head. The gorge's carved bowl and cascade are accessible via the Avalanche Lake trail (2-mile easy) — the most-visited trail in Glacier for good reason.

Beartooth Falls (near Cooke City)
A dramatic roadside waterfall on the Beartooth Highway near Cooke City. The falls cascade down a cliff face visible from the highway. Cooke City itself is a 1870s silver mining settlement that has evolved into a year-round outdoor recreation base camp.