Waterfalls in Montana

Where the waterfalls are in Montana

Montana's waterfalls are mostly in its mountains, and Glacier National Park has the greatest number, fed by snowfields and small glaciers. The Great Falls of the Missouri, which gave the city of Great Falls its name, are now mostly dammed.

Well-known waterfalls in Montana

Running Eagle Falls

Also called Trick Falls, in Glacier National Park's Two Medicine valley: in spring water pours over the top, and later in the year it flows out of a hole in the cliff below. Falls near Running Eagle Falls.

Virginia Falls

A tall fall off the St. Mary Falls trail in Glacier National Park. Falls near Virginia Falls.

Kootenai Falls

A wide set of falls and rapids on the Kootenai River between Libby and Troy, with a swinging bridge nearby. Falls near Kootenai Falls.

When to go

Snowmelt from June into July. High trails in Glacier can hold snow until July, and the Going-to-the-Sun Road opens only in summer. See the best time to see waterfalls for how flow changes by region.

Montana by the numbers

The map shows 133 named falls in Montana. 119 of them are in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, the federal register of official place names, and 14 more are named falls mapped only in OpenStreetMap. 6 have a height recorded by OpenStreetMap mappers, which is what the height filter above uses. GlacierCounty has the most, with 34.

Tallest recorded waterfalls in Montana

Heights as recorded in OpenStreetMap, converted to feet. Guidebooks may list different figures, usually because they count every tier of a fall or only the biggest drop. Why heights differ.

Counties with the most waterfalls

From the USGS record, which gives each fall's county.

Every named waterfall in Montana

Alphabetical within each county. Tap a name to centre the map above on it.

Beaverhead County (1)

Pintler Falls

Carbon County (4)

Calamity Falls, Charlie Falls, Impasse Falls, Sentinel Falls

Cascade County (8)

Big Falls (89 ft), Black Eagle Falls (27 ft), Buffalo Falls, Castner Falls, Colter Falls (historical), Crooked Falls (19 ft), Memorial Falls, Rainbow Falls (47 ft)

Fergus County (1)

Wolf Creek Falls

Flathead County (13)

Akaiyan Falls, Beaver Chief Falls, Beaver Medicine Falls, Bird Woman Falls (951 ft), Dean Falls, Feather Woman Falls, Hole-in-the Wall Falls, Martin Falls, McDonald Falls, Monument Falls, Needle Falls, Oberlin Falls, Sacred Dancing Cascade

Gallatin County (13)

Alpine Falls, Apex Falls, Arch Falls, Champagne Falls, Grotto Falls, Hoodoo Cascade, Ousel Falls, Palisade Falls, Palisades Falls, S'il Vous Plait Falls, Shower Falls, Silken Skein Falls, Twin Falls

Glacier County (34)

Apikuni Falls, Appistoki Falls, Atlantic Falls, Atsina Falls, Baring Falls (25 ft), Dawn Mist Falls, Dawson Falls, Deadwood Falls, Feather Plume Falls, Florence Falls, Grinnell Falls, Gros Ventre Falls, Hidden Falls, Ipasha Falls, Miche Wabun Falls, Mokowanis Cascade, Morning Eagle Falls, Paiota Falls, Piegan Falls, Ptarmigan Falls, Rainbow Falls, Raven Quiver Falls, Redrock Falls, Rockwell Falls, Running Eagle Falls, Saint Mary Falls, Salamander Falls, Siksika Falls, Swiftcurrent Falls, Thunderbird Falls, Twin Falls, Two Medicine Falls, Virginia Falls, White Quiver Falls

Jefferson County (1)

Crow Creek Falls

Lake County (4)

Elizabeth Falls, Mission Falls, Mud Creek Falls, Terrace Falls

Lewis and Clark County (5)

Cataract Falls, Double Falls, Lange Falls, North Fork Falls, Paradise Falls

Lincoln County (9)

Kootenai Falls, Little North Fork Falls, Lower Falls, Pinkham Falls, Sutton Creek Falls, Tenmile Falls, Turner Falls, Upper Falls, Yaak Falls

Madison County (3)

Cedar Falls, Pioneer Falls, Taylor Falls

Mineral County (1)

Lost Creek Falls

Missoula County (3)

Barrier Falls, Big Salmon Falls, Snowshoe Falls

Park County (5)

Cascade Falls, Horsetail Falls, Knowles Falls, Passage Falls, Specimen Falls

Powell County (3)

Monture Falls, Morrell Falls, Rock Creek Falls

Ravalli County (5)

Boulder Falls, Canyon Falls, Overwhich Falls, Skalkaho Falls, Star Falls

Sanders County (3)

Cascade Falls, Graves Creek Falls, Vermilion Falls

Stillwater County (1)

Woodbine Falls

Sweet Grass County (1)

Upper Big Timber Falls

Teton County (1)

Mill Falls

County not recorded (14)

Aster falls, Boulder Creek, Haystack Creek Falls, Holland Falls, Leigh Creek Falls, Lower Sweathouse Falls, Lower Virginia Falls, Natural Bridge Waterfall, Overwich Falls, Red Rock Falls, Upper Sweathouse Falls, Upper Virginia Falls, Vermillion Falls, Whale Creek Falls

Before you go

The map shows where falls are, not whether they are open or safe to reach. Check the land manager, usually a state park or national forest, for closures, fees and permits, and stay on the trail near the water. Our waterfall safety guide covers the hazards, and waterfall hikes near me explains how to pick a trail.

Waterfalls near cities in Montana

Every named fall within driving range of the city, nearest first: waterfalls near Missoula.

Waterfalls in nearby states: Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Oregon. Or see waterfalls in every state.