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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

St. Mary Falls

Glacier County County, Montana — about 35 ft, shorter than most.

St. Mary Falls is a roughly 35-foot, multi-tiered waterfall on the St. Mary River just above St. Mary Lake, reached via a popular trail off Going-to-the-Sun Road. From the St. Mary Falls Trailhead it is about 0.8 mi one way (roughly 1.2 mi from the main parking area).

Height
35 ft
Type
Tiered
Access
Short Hike
Trail
2.4 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
260 ft
Best season
Late June through September
Land manager
National Park Service (Glacier National Park)
Watercourse
St. Mary River

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 National Park Service (Glacier National Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

Graded lakes within 25 miles

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Frequently Asked Questions

St. Mary Falls drops about 35 feet. That makes it the 508th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 26% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The St. Mary and Virginia Falls Trail reaches it about 2.4 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 260 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is St. Mary. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with National Park Service (Glacier National Park) for closures and current conditions.

Late June through September. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

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Sources

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