Updated July 2026
Natural Bridge Falls
On the Boulder River south of Big Timber, the river drops about 100 feet where it disappears underground into limestone and re-emerges from the cliff face. The original natural rock bridge collapsed in 1988, but the falls remain a short, accessible walk.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check U.S. Forest Service (Custer Gallatin National Forest) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Natural Bridge Falls drops about 100 feet. That makes it the 213th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 73% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Boulder River Natural Bridge and Falls Trail reaches it about 0.7 miles (loop) with roughly 65 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is McLeod. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with U.S. Forest Service (Custer Gallatin National Forest) for closures and current conditions.
May to September. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Montana waterfalls
- Apikuni Falls · 150 ft
- Bird Woman Falls · 560 ft
- Champagne Falls · 80 ft
- Florence Falls · 250 ft
- Great Falls of the Missouri · 87 ft
- Holland Falls · 40 ft
- Kootenai Falls · 90 ft
- Memorial Falls
Sources
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