In Glacier National Park, these falls will lift you
St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls Trail / Glacier National Park, Montana:
Glacier is made for hiking. It’s pretty much what people do there.
But getting to the park isn’t exactly a hop, skip and a jump for most outdoor enthusiasts in North America. Though it is tucked in a far corner of Montana, Glacier is well worth any pain of getting there, and you’ll be rewarded with postcard-worthy vistas and well-kept trails.
One beautiful out-and-back hike offers a double dose of waterfalls: St. Mary and Virginia. It was my first trek during a three-day stay in the park, accompanied by Mr. Unshakable.
At 3.2 miles, the trail seemed like a perfect “warmup” to a couple of longer hikes we were hoping to do as well (watch for future Glacier hikes posts).
Parkinson’s tip
Glacier’s trail list shows hikes ranging from easy 1-mile paved paths to hard-core 8-milers with 3,000+ feet of elevation gain. There’s something for every ability level. And those views … each hike comes with them.
Bring along some patience
The hike starts at the St. Mary Falls trailhead just off the park’s main drag, Going-to-the-Sun Road, which gets vehicle-choked in the summer.
We visited in July, and peak season meant full parking lots. Our free park map directed us to a smallish trailhead lot, and we were lucky enough to find someone leaving when we arrived–a win because we wouldn’t have to add almost a mile to our trek from a larger lot.
Parkinson’s tip
If you get a late start in the day, opt for the shuttle. The park has a decent system that’s wheelchair accessible, running July 1 through Labor Day. The stop nearest the trailhead is called Sun Point.
From the trailhead, the path starts going down, down, down before leveling out. You’ll go through a burned-out forest, but the mountains seen behind it are stunning. At about 25 minutes into our hike, we came to St. Mary Falls.
Don’t do this
The falls were nice, but stealing the show a few yards downstream were some guys standing on a 25-foot-tall rock gathering courage to jump into a deep part of the river.
“You go first,” a teen told his friend. Several boys and men stood hovering near the edge, but only one or two ended up jumping. I wouldn’t suggest doing this. Besides being dangerous, it will make the rangers very mad at you.
After a short break, we hit the trail in search of Virginia Falls.
The path was distinct, and rocky at times. Up, up, up we went following Virginia Creek, stopping at some of the picturesque mini waterfalls along the way. After another 20 minutes, we reached the viewing area at the bottom of Virginia Falls.
It was afternoon and getting hot, so I soaked the bandanna that I wore around my neck in the water, and put it back in place. Instant cool-down!
Parkinson’s tip
There’s an outhouse at the falls, just across the bridge and up a path a few yards.
Going even farther
If you’ve got enough energy, I recommend getting closer to the base of the waterfall, where you can feel the spray and soak your tired feet in the rock pool.
To get to the higher view, take the single-file trail to the right of the falls. It’s a bit steep but well worth the extra effort.
We hung around for a good half hour, taking pictures and enjoying the sunshine, before heading back to the trailhead. The trip – including all our dawdling – took about 2 hours.
Hike info
PD difficulty level (see chart) Moderate
Distance: 3.2 miles roundtrip
Elevation change: 762 feet
Location: Going-to-the-Sun Road, about 10 miles west of St. Mary park entrance
Bathrooms: outhouse at trailhead, another at Virginia Falls
Emergency support: the towns right outside the east and west main entrances have urgent care centers
Costs: $35 for a 7-day park pass
Road access to trailhead: a small lot next to trail, other lots along Going-to-the-Sun road
Insider tip:
To avoid summer overtourism, Glacier limits the number of people who can enter the park. If you don’t score a permit six months prior, there are still ways to get in:
1) arrive at the gate before 6 a.m.
2) camp at the park campground
3) schedule an activity such as a boat ride or horseback riding for the day and bring your reservation to show the gate ranger.
Other posts about hikes in Glacier National Park
Colleen,
We are heading to Glacier National Park for the first time in 2 days! I will try to put this hike on my list of stops!
Hope you are doing well!
Lisa
That’s awesome, Lisa! There are other epic hikes there I’m sure you’ve researched. Two others we did were the Highline Trail (crowded) and the amazing Grinnell Glacier Trail (bring bear spray). Have your camera ready!
Like the insider tips. We’re hoping to make it to Glacier sometime … maybe next year. DB
It’s one of the most picturesque places I’ve been! Hope you can go soon.