Views from  St Mary and Virginia Falls hike in Glacier National Park, Montana
Views from  St Mary and Virginia Falls hike in Glacier National Park, Montana

St Mary and Virginia Falls hike

Glacier National Park
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Falls at St Mary and Virginia Falls Hike in Glacier National Park look very beautiful on sunny daysSt Mary and Virginia Falls Hike Glacier National ParkFlowers at St Mary and Virginia Falls Hike in Glacier National ParkFalls at St Mary and Virginia Falls Hike in Glacier National ParkSt Mary Falls at St Mary and Virginia Falls Hike in Glacier National Park has amazing mountain viewsForest at St Mary and Virginia Falls Hike in Glacier National ParkTrees at St Mary and Virginia Falls Hike in Glacier National ParkSt Mary Falls at St Mary and Virginia Falls Hike in Glacier National Park

St Mary and Virginia Falls hike

Distance: 3.6mi
Elevation: 623ft
Time: 1.5-2h

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9.6 Overall Rating
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St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail is a pleasant hike near Logan Pass on the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. These family-friendly routes include a tranquil waterfall and a more dramatic one, along with gentle climbs through a lush green forest.

St Mary and Virginia Falls Trail Map

Getting there

Enter through the St. Mary Entrance Station and continue along the Going-To-The-Sun Road 10.6mi until you see the trailhead for St. Mary Falls. Park in the small parking lot if you can, or try to find a spot along the road elsewhere. This short hike can be done in the evening when the crowds are thinner.

I’ve done this 66 people have done this
I want to do this 96 want to do this route

About

When to do

June through October

Backcountry Campsites

No

Toilets

Trailhead

Family friendly

Yes

Route Signage

Average

Crowd Levels

Moderate

Route Type

Out and back


St Mary and Virginia Falls
Elevation Graph


St Mary and Virginia Falls Hike Description

Start the St Mary and Virginia Falls hike descending through a recently burned forest with views up to Mahtotopa Mountain and Little Chief Mountain. The well signposted trail is wide and has few obstructions.

After a 0.6mi, you will reach the St. Mary River and shortly hear the roaring of St. Mary falls. A few hundred meters later you will reach the bridge crossing right in front of the falls. The stunning three level falls are worth a few minutes to soak in. If this is as far as you are going take in the mist then return the way you came.

Continuing along the trail leads to Virginia Falls. The path starts to climb gently as you enter a dense, lush forest. The trail becomes slightly narrower, but is still clear and well signposted. You will pass a small series of waterfalls, however these are not Virginia Falls. They are nonetheless photogenic and give great views of Little Chief Mountain behind them.

Finally, you will reach the end of the trail where the 49ft Virginia fall lies. The gorgeous mist that rolls from the falls are fantastic on hot August days. The multilayer falls have multiple viewpoints, all very stunning. From Virginia Falls, you can see Goat Mountain peaking out above the trees from across the valley.

Return the way you came and make sure to take the turnoff towards the St. Mary parking lot, not to the shuttle stop!

Trail highlights

St Mary Falls

Located in Glacier National Park, Montana, the Saint Mary Falls are a three-tiered waterfall that plunges 35ft into a churning pool of glacier water below. While there are a few other waterfalls that can be found within the park, these are few and far between, making the easily accessible Saint Mary Falls a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

Virginia Falls

Along with the Saint Mary Falls, the Virginia Falls are one of the few easily-accessible waterfalls within Glacier National Park and both can be witnessed along the same hike! Dropping roughly 50ft over a near-vertical rock wall, the cascading water of the falls crash down onto the rock below and flow downstream along Virginia Creek, providing a picturesque view for hikers in the area.

Find more epic hikes in Glacier National Park

Comments

maxjohanson 4 years ago

Worth the whole trip. Just beautiful!

10.0 Overall Rating
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dearkatherine 4 years ago

I adore the thunderous falls! It was bloody nice!

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Suzy TQ 4 years ago

Spectacular! The falls are so surreal and the water is so clear and the ambiance is like no other. You must go !!

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Darren K. 4 years ago

It's gorgeous and not very crowded even though we started around 2 in the afternoon.

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Zoey Mann 5 years ago

The falls looks spectacular with all the lush green forest surroundings!

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masonH. 5 years ago

The falls looks mermerzing! We enjoyed walking around the area.

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Aska Tanaka 5 years ago

Stunning lakes for a morning stroll! A calm breaking dawn here reflects the surrounding mountains!

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Polina Ivanov 5 years ago

Very dramatic and cool falls. I did it early and it looks so surreal.

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Abe Angela 5 years ago

It was a pretty short but dynamic hike. The routes were easy to follow, while there were some narrow trails.

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Krista Lucas 5 years ago

This hike was beautiful a little longer as I hiked fr sun point to see baring falls st Mary falls and Virginia falls as well as spending some time at st Mary falls basking in the sun and having some lunch. Great easy hike w Virginia falls being the highlight. Glad I did this one!

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