USA St. Mary’s Falls

St. Mary’s Falls is one of the more spectacular waterfalls in the park Glacier National Park.

Wide angle lens 24-70mm will work.

From the intersection of Highway 89 and the Going-to-the-Sun Road in St. Mary, drive west on the Going-to-the-Sun Road for 11 miles and then turn left into the St. Mary Falls parking area. The parking area is very small and usually filled during the height of the summer. A better option is to take the shuttle bus. Hikers also have the option of starting their hike from the St. Mary Falls Trailhead, located roughly one-quarter of a mile to the east of the shuttle stop. This option will add roughly two-thirds of a mile to your overall roundtrip hike. With limited parking, and three waterfalls in this area being extremely popular destinations, parking can be an issue during the summer season. I would recommend arriving early to find a parking spot, or taking the shuttle from Sun Point or Rising Sun to reach the St. Mary Falls Trailhead. From the shuttle stop you'll begin your hike on the St. Mary Falls Cutoff Trail. At roughly one-quarter of a mile from the shuttle stop you’ll arrive at the Piegan Pass Trail junction. You should turn right here, and then proceed for a very short distance to reach another junction. The Piegan Pass Trail continues up the hill towards the right. To visit St. Mary Falls, veer left onto the St. Mary Lake Trail at this juncture. At six-tenths of a mile hikers will reach the St. Mary River. Soon afterwards you'll begin hearing the thunder of crashing water, and in another quarter-mile, will finally arrive at St. Mary Falls.