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Waterfalls in Montana
Montana is full of beautiful scenery and the wonders of Mother Nature. One of my favorite things is how accessible some Montana waterfalls can be. Some waterfalls in Montana are simple easy walks on paved paths through towering trees, while others are more challenging long hikes. Often times the same trail will lead you to multiple waterfalls if you just keep going past each waterfall you reach.
I've experienced varying extremes of the difficulty to reach waterfalls to experience the peace and escape the sound of the rushing water provides. In Arizona, there are some very beautiful waterfalls, but you have to backpack ten miles one way to reach them. This isn't the case in Montana! Of course, there are some that are challenging to reach, but there are so many waterfalls in Montana that you can see from the road, walk mere feet to, or take a nice nature walk through a forest trail that reaches a waterfall in far less than a mile.
If you're from the big city and haven't seen a lot (or any) natural waterfalls, you should definitely check out the shorter, easier waterfall trails. For those more experienced with the outdoors or hiking, take on some of the longer more challenging trails. No matter your experience level, be realistic in your ability to make the hike in time if you're not camping overnight, follow signage, and be cautious of your surroundings and the weather conditions. The main thing, though, if you find yourself in the area with enough time go see some Montana waterfalls for yourself! As great as pictures and videos can be, there's nothing like experiencing the waterfall in person.
Palisade Falls
Palisade Falls is a waterfall in Montana located about 20 miles outside of Bozeman, MT. It's going to take you little longer to get there, though, as you have to drive a scenic route through Hyalite Canyon. You'll have to drive a short portion on some gravel roads to get to the trailhead parking. Somewhat ironically, the trail is actually a paved walkway. The trail is a pretty easy walk, with some gradual inclines, through some towering pines. Palisade Falls is one of the rare instances of Montana waterfalls that you are allowed to go off-trail to get a closer look. You can walk through some loose rocks and walk straight up to the waterfall and actually safely touch it (unlock many of the more powerful waterfalls in Montana that are unsafe to get super close to).
I've done this hike a couple of times now. Once with my parents, and another time with my wife and middle-school boys. They all raced parts of the trail. Like all Montana scenery, pictures and videos don't compare to seeing it live and in person. To give you an idea of how tall Palisade Falls is, my wife is 4'11 (she claims, anyways) if you can spot her in the picture.
If you find yourself near Bozeman with a little bit of time, check out Palisade Falls! It was a nice last-minute visit that didn't need to be pre-planned at all. We decided in late afternoon that we would go. It doesn't hurt that it stays light pretty late in the summer in Montana. Now there are additional waterfalls that are a further hike that you can do if you give yourself more time. Unlike many other great scenic drives and hikes, which you have to plan a full day for, you can experience Palisade Falls in only a few hours time, including travel time, if you're coming from Bozeman.
Waterfalls in Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier Park is home to some beautiful Montana waterfalls, in part due to the glacier water giving the water a more stunning blue, green, or aqua look. Some are merely a few short steps off of Going to the Sun Road, with some others being a short trail walk or a more challenging hike, and then yet some others are essentially inaccessible. If you're in Montana, in the Glacier Park are, you might want to check out some of the waterfall hikes available!
Saint Mary and Virginia Falls
I'm bunding Saint Mary (St. Mary) and Virgina Falls together here because you use the same trail to get to both. My parents like to give me a hard time because they end up walking a lot when we visit each other. St. Mary and Virginia Falls was no exception. They joined me on this hike to two awesome waterfalls in Montana when they were in their early 60's at the time. I always like to go to Glacier Park if I can since I took it's majestic beauty for granted when I lived just a shot drive away. Going to the Sun Road is the way to get to a number of Montana waterfall trailheads.
Parking can be a challenge, as there are limited spaces, but it's well worth it even if you have to wait for someone to leave. There is also a shuttle stop at a different spot, which, of course, you'll want to pay attention to as you return. But, back to Saint Mary Falls. Only over a 1/2 mile walk through a forest trail, which, due to some recent fires, in 2022 is missing the shade it used to have (as with any hike, bring water!). You'll start to hear the sounds of the waterfall before you can see it, and then continue to get some better and better views until you reach the falls themselves.
I love St. Mary Falls for the multi-tiered falls, how powerful the falls can be, the color of the water, and the ease of the hike. Definitely worth the 1.2 mile round trip!
Once you've taken in the views of St. Mary Falls, continue on the path toward Virginia Falls. The trail will start to get slightly steeper and more narrow than the initial trail that lead to St. Mary Falls, but it is still not difficult. You'll be walking along the water, and you will actually come across quite a few smaller falls on way to Virginia Falls. These are still photo-worthy, so enjoy yourself on the way, but keep going to the end! You'll start to hear Virginia Falls more the closer you get. Better yet, especially on those hotter days, you'll start to feel the cooling mist of the falls. When you're done, you return the way you came, so you can take in St. Mary falls another time on the way back to the trailhead. If you have enough time, it's definitely worth it to keep going on the trail visit Virginia Falls past Saint Mary Falls.
More Waterfalls in Montana
There are many more waterfalls in Montana to explore and for me to tell you about! I'll keep adding more as I not only recall the many great memories of visiting Montana waterfalls, but keep adding those I have yet to visit! I love the sound of naturally running water, whether it be a stream or a waterfall, so I want to visit as many waterfalls as possible when time (and weather) permit during my Montana visits. Just as I always do, enjoy your Montana waterfall experiences, and be safe!