


St Mary and Virginia Falls hike
View PhotosSt Mary and Virginia Falls hike
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St. Mary and Virginia Falls are pleasant hikes 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.
Getting there
Enter through the St. Mary Entrance Station and continue along the Going-To-The-Sun Road 17.0km 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.
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
Weather
Route Description for St Mary and Virginia Falls
Start the 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 1.0km, 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 15m 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!
Would you like to find more epic hikes in Glacier National Park? Check out the classics: Grinnell Glacier and Piegan Pass.
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maxjohanson 6 months ago
Worth the whole trip. Just beautiful!
dearkatherine 7 months ago
I adore the thunderous falls! It was bloody nice!
Suzy TQ 7 months ago
Spectacular! The falls are so surreal and the water is so clear and the ambiance is like no other. You must go !!
Darren K. 8 months ago
It's gorgeous and not very crowded even though we started around 2 in the afternoon.
Zoey Mann 1 year ago
The falls looks spectacular with all the lush green forest surroundings!
masonH. 1 year ago
The falls looks mermerzing! We enjoyed walking around the area.
Aska Tanaka 1 year ago
Stunning lakes for a morning stroll! A calm breaking dawn here reflects the surrounding mountains!
Polina Ivanov 1 year ago
Very dramatic and cool falls. I did it early and it looks so surreal.
Abe Angela 1 year ago
It was a pretty short but dynamic hike. The routes were easy to follow, while there were some narrow trails.
Krista Lucas 2 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!