Hiking the St. Mary & Virginia Falls Trail in Glacier National Park
Distance: 3.6 miles / 5.8 km
The Saint Mary Falls Trail in Glacier National Park is one of the best hidden gems off Going-to-the-Sun Road, and I say this for a number of reasons!
The first is that Saint Mary Falls, located less than 1.0 mile (1.6 km) from the trailhead, is one of the best places to cliff jump in Glacier, so long as seasonal snowmelt has subsided from its peak. Beyond this, the Saint Mary Falls Trail is best combined into one longer hike with Virginia Falls, located just 0.6 miles (1.0 km) further up the trail.
For these reasons, and because the hike to both St. Mary and Virginia Falls is less crowded than other nearby adventures, like the hike to Hidden Lake, I personally think the trail is one of the best hidden gems in all of Glacier National Park!
U.S. National Park Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
St. Mary Falls Trailhead Parking
There are two trailheads for the St. Mary Falls Trail, with the shorter of the two being the St. Mary Shuttle Stop.
However, parking for individual private vehicles is located a short distance down the road from the shuttle stop, which is where this post begins.
Google Maps Directions: St. Mary Falls Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Glacier
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Glacier National Park.
Bear Spray & Holster - If you aren’t flying, don’t rent bear spray! It’s a waste of money. Prepare ahead of time by buying your own, as this may be one of the most important items on this list.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
Hiking the St. Mary & Virginia Falls Trail
The St. Mary Falls Trail is nearly an all downhill hike, which, for obvious reasons, means that the hike back is a bit more challenging.
However, the overall downhill is very gradual, making the return trip nothing to mention.
Piegan Pass-Baring Falls Junction
This first split in the trail is the junction with Baring Falls, as well as the connection with Sun Point located a little further down the lake.
That said, go right to continue hiking toward Saint Mary and Virginia Falls.
St. Mary Shuttle Junction
The next the junction where both St. Mary Falls Trail and the St. Mary Shuttle Trail meet.
Go left to reach St. Mary Falls, located only 0.5 miles (0.8 km) ahead.
You may notice these American Mountain-ash berries along the trail, and while they are considered edible, I have read that they are not very good to eat raw.
American Mountain-ash - (Sorbus americana)
Piegan Pass-St. Mary Falls Junction
Shortly after the shuttle stop junction the trail splits once more with the Piegan Pass Trail.
Go left to continue toward Saint Mary and Virginia Falls.
Fireweed - (Chamaenerion angustifolium)
St. Mary Falls
Saint Mary Falls is a popular stopping point for visitors along the trail, and it’s also one of the most popular cliff jumping spots in Glacier National Park, as you can see from the photo below.
Warning
This photo was taken in mid-August when snowmelt in Glacier has significantly declined from its peak.
However, the earlier and earlier in the season that you are hiking, the more dangerous the St. Mary Falls cliff jump gets because river will be running much higher in June and July.
Additionally, when the water levels have subsided, you yet need to be a good a swimmer to make it safely to the bank without getting swept downstream.
This is all to say that I do not encourage cliff jumping here just because you may have seen others doing it.
Virginia Falls Trail
Past St. Mary Falls, the trail to Virginia Falls continues for another 0.6 miles (1.0 km).
Virginia Creek
At about halfway between St. Mary and Virginia Falls, there is another cliff jumping spot that is easily more dangerous than St. Mary’s, as shown above.
The area to land in order to hit deep enough water is significantly smaller than St. Mary Falls, which is why I do not encourage anyone to attempt this same jump.
Additionally, the same as I said above is true about the snowmelt in Virginia Creek. This cliff jump gets significantly more dangerous the earlier in the summer season that you hike.
St. Mary Lake Junction
Just prior Virginia Falls is one last junction with the trail that continues further around the south side of St. Mary Lake.
Go right at this split, and Virginia Falls is only a short distance up the trail.
At the two bridges, go right to reach the better of two viewpoints.
Virginia Falls
Virginia Falls is a beautiful 50-ft. (15 m) waterfall, and in my opinion it’s the best waterfall hike on either side of Logan Pass.
Additionally, this photo was taken late in the day, which is how I was able to enjoy Virginia Falls without other groups of people!
More Glacier Adventures
If you’re interested in reading about some more amazing adventures within Glacier National Park, check out my separate posts below!
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
Always be mindful that Glacier National Park and the surrounding area is Grizzly Bear country. Therefore, you need to be hiking with bear spray and know how to react in the event of a Black or Brizzly Bear encounter.
Aside from wildlife, Glacier National Park, like any area in the Mountain West, is known for its violent afternoon thunderstorms, which are more typical in the warmer summer months than other times of the year.
That said, it’s important to check the local forecast before setting off on any adventure, as lightning strikes are not uncommon in and near mountain ranges across the West. I have personally been knocked to the ground by a strike that hit near me in the past, and I confidently say that it’s an experience you don’t want to live through. This is why I highly recommend checking Mountain Forecast for any high-elevation adventures you may be interested in—especially when climbing a summit.
Finally, know that when micro-spikes are necessary for an early-season adventure, micro-spikes are never supposed to be a substitute for conditions that require crampons.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official National Park website.
National Park Service: Glacier National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
Disclaimer
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