Waterfalls in Montana

Overview of waterfalls in Montana

St. Mary Falls is a double waterfall of clear blue water just above St. Mary Lake, NPS says, reached from the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road. Kootenai Falls is on the Kootenai River in the Kootenai National Forest, where the Forest Service says the main falls are 30 feet high. Visit Montana calls it the largest undammed falls in the state.

Palisade Falls drops more than 80 feet off a vertical rock wall in Hyalite Canyon, according to Visit Montana. Palisade Falls is in the Custer Gallatin National Forest. These three Montana falls differ most on entry fees, dog rules and seasonal road access.

Waterfalls in Glacier National Park

This site covers one Glacier waterfall so far: St. Mary Falls, on the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road. NPS calls it a double waterfall just above St. Mary Lake.

NPS lists 1.2 miles each way from the St. Mary Falls Trailhead, losing 260 feet on the way in. The entrance fee is $35 per private vehicle in summer and $25 from November 1 to April 30, valid 7 days. Glacier bans dogs on all trails.

As of Oct 2026 the falls are seasonal. NPS says the road is typically fully open only until the third Monday of October, so vehicle access to the trailhead has likely closed for the season.

Fees and passes for waterfalls in Montana

Only St. Mary Falls, inside Glacier National Park, has an entrance fee. The Forest Service lists no fee at Kootenai Falls, and we found none at Palisade Falls.

Glacier National Park: NPS charges $35 per private vehicle, or the winter rate of $25 from November 1 to April 30. A motorcycle is $30 or $20, and a person on foot or bike is $20 or $15. All passes last 7 days, and the park annual pass is $70.

In 2026, non-US residents 16 and older pay an extra $100 per person, unless admitted with an annual or America the Beautiful pass. NPS says 'Vehicle reservations will not be required in 2026.' Instead, Glacier piloted a ticketed-only shuttle and three-hour timed parking at Logan Pass.

National forest falls: Kootenai Falls and Palisade Falls are not in a national park, so no park entrance fee or vehicle reservation applies. The Kootenai Falls page from the Forest Service lists no fee. For Palisade Falls, we found no fee in Forest Service listings or Visit Bozeman's Hyalite guide, but no agency source confirms a free trailhead.

Bear safety and food storage

All three falls are in Montana bear country. In Glacier National Park, NPS says: 'Intentionally approaching, viewing, or engaging in any activity within 100 yards (91 m) of bears or wolves is prohibited.'

NPS also says hiking in groups significantly decreases your chances of a negative bear encounter. It advises calling out and clapping at regular intervals, and says bear bells are not effective. In its words, 'Under no circumstances should bear spray create a false sense of security.'

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks shared statewide tips in September 2026, as reported by NBC Montana. Carry bear spray where you can reach it, and know how to use it. Travel in groups that stay close together, avoid dawn, dusk and night travel, and make noise in thick vegetation.

Food storage orders: For Palisade Falls, the Forest Service lists a Custer Gallatin National Forest order that covers the Bozeman Ranger District through December 1, 2026. It allows a hard-sided vehicle or enclosed trailer, an approved bear-resistant container, or food hung at least 10 feet up and 4 feet from trees or poles.

For Kootenai Falls, the Forest Service lists a regional order (R1-2023-02) that covers the Kootenai, Flathead, Lolo and Helena-Lewis and Clark national forests. It applies March 1 to December 31 each year through 2028. Confirm current dates with each forest before you go.

Dog and swimming rules at Montana waterfalls

Glacier bans dogs on all trails, including the trail to St. Mary Falls, and we found no swimming rule specific to any of the three Montana falls.

Dogs: Glacier does not allow pets on any of its trails, so dogs cannot go to St. Mary Falls, according to NPS. At Kootenai Falls, the Forest Service says only that 'the overpass and stairs are not dog friendly,' which is a caution, not a ban. We found no agency dog rule for Palisade Falls.

Swimming: we found no swimming rule specific to any of the three falls. For St. Mary Falls, Glacier's park-wide advice is to reconsider wading in swift streams. Glacier's safety advice also says never to walk, play or climb on slippery rocks or logs, especially near waterfalls.

At Kootenai Falls, the Lincoln County sheriff warns that the river has severe undertows. A kayaker drowned above the falls in June 2024, the Western News reported.

Montana waterfall trails and access compared

St. Mary Falls has the longest walk of the three, 2.4 miles round trip. The Kootenai Falls overlook is about a third of a mile from the US-2 lot. Palisade Falls, on a half-mile paved trail, is covered in the next section.

St. Mary Falls: NPS lists 1.2 miles each way, or 2.4 miles round trip, from the St. Mary Falls Trailhead. The trail loses 260 feet on the way in, so the climb comes on the way back.

Kootenai Falls: the Forest Service puts the main falls overlook about a third of a mile from the US-2 lot. The swinging bridge is about half a mile, one way. The first 500 feet are fairly level, with handicapped access to an overlook. Beyond that, the route crosses a railroad overpass and descends 64 metal steps.

Waterfalls near Bozeman: Palisade Falls

Palisade Falls drops more than 80 feet in Hyalite Canyon, per Visit Montana. The Forest Service trailhead page calls it a 'Popular 1/2 mile nature trail, fully accessible and paved'. Visit Bozeman notes a few somewhat steep sections.

The trailhead is on the East Fork Hyalite road. In winter (Visit Bozeman, 2022), the trailhead road closes and you walk about 2 miles from the gate.

Montana waterfall closures and conditions (Oct 2026)

As of October 29, 2026, we found no closure notice for Kootenai Falls or Palisade Falls. Vehicle access to St. Mary Falls had likely closed for the season.

Kootenai Falls (open) and Palisade Falls (seasonal): on October 29, 2026, the Kootenai National Forest alerts page listed no closure for Kootenai Falls. That day we re-checked the Forest Service Palisade Falls Trailhead page, but not the Custer Gallatin alerts page, so Palisade is not agency-confirmed. We found no report that the December 2025 Lincoln County floods damaged the Kootenai Falls trail or swinging bridge.

Palisade Falls road access is seasonal. The Forest Service listed a 2026 closure of the Hyalite Canyon Road to motor vehicles from April 1 through May 15, with a May 16 reopening. In winter (Visit Bozeman, 2022), the trailhead road closes and you walk about 2 miles from the gate. We could not confirm the gate date for winter 2026-27.

St. Mary Falls (seasonal): NPS closed the alpine section of Going-to-the-Sun Road, from Avalanche to Jackson Glacier Overlook, at 7 p.m. on October 9, 2026. NPS says the road is typically fully open only until the third Monday of October, which was October 19 in 2026. Vehicle access to the trailhead has likely closed for the season. Check the NPS road status page before you go. The 2026 Logan Pass Shuttle ran July 1 to September 7.

We re-checked Glacier's fee and vehicle reservation pages on October 25, 2026.

Montana waterfalls FAQ