St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls are 2 of the most beautiful and relatively accessible waterfalls in Glacier National Park. With flowing falls and stunning vistas along the trail, this trail was one of my favorites at Glacier and a must-do on your park visit.

During my first day at Glacier, I hiked to Avalanche Lake in the morning and then this trail in the afternoon after lunch. My friend and I started this trail from Sun Point, where we had a nice lunch in our van, and then hit the trail. It was a perfect day at Glacier!

This post reviews the basics of what you need to know to hike the falls.

Distance and Intensity

• From the St. Mary Falls trailhead, it is a 3-mile round-trip hike, approximately 1.5-2 hours.
• If starting at Sun Point, it’s a 6.3-mile trek, approximately 2-3 hours, and you get to see Baring Falls.
• Both hikes are considered a moderate level of intensity
• Getting to Virginia Falls involves walking up some loose gravel on rock stairs. Be prepared for uneven surfaces.

Trail Maps

Since there is no to little cell reception inside of Glacier, I recommend downloading the trail maps prior to arriving in the park. I use AllTrails Plus for my downloaded trail maps.

• St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls: 3 Miles
• Baring, St. Mary, and Virginia Falls via Piegan Pass Trail: 6 miles

Bear Safety

Bears are natural inhabitants of Glacier National Park. Bring bear spray with you on the trail and be vigilant regarding bears and other wildlife. 

Entry to Glacier National Park

Please refer to Glacier National Park’s website for the most current information regarding fees and reservations to enter the park. 

As of 2025, you need a timed entry to drive on  Going-To-The-Sun Road from the west from 7 am to 3 pm. 

There is also a fee to enter the park ($35 per vehicle), or you can use an America the Beautiful annual pass for entry.

Check out another favorite hike at Glacier: Hiking Guide to Hidden Lake

What Do You Need for This Hike?

• Sturdy shoes
• Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses)
• Water
• Snacks
• Bear spray – which is sold at Glacier stores
• Trekking poles if you use them
• Head lamp if hiking around dusk/dawn/night
• I would also recommend that you come prepared with a first aid kit and the 10 hiking essentials. 

When Is the Best Time of Year To Hike?

While you can visit Glacier year-round, having open roads and trails will depend on the snowfall in winter. Mid-July to mid-September is the best time to access this trail and waterfalls. 

Starting at The St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls Trailhead

The official “St. Mary Falls” Trailhead is located on Going-To-The-Sun Road. It is accessible via the Going-to-the-Sun road shuttle during the summer months when the shuttle is running. 

Review the shuttle schedule here: https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/shuttles.htm

There is a small parking lot at the shuttle trailhead where you can park. From this trailhead, the round-trip hike to and from Virginia Falls is approximately 3 miles. 

From this trailhead, the hike to Virginia Falls and St. Marys Falls is a 3-mile round-trip hike and will take approximately 1.5-2 hours depending on your speed.

Hiking Via Piegan Pass Trail and Adding Baring Falls to The Trail

If you need to find parking for the trail, you’ll notice that the official trailhead parking lot is relatively small and only fits a handful of cars. 

If you’re up for a longer adventure, I highly recommend starting the trail at Sun Point. This trailhead has a large parking lot with more room to park. The name of the trailhead is “Three Falls” as noted by the picture below.

When you start at Sun Point, you take the Piegan Pass Trail to the St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls Trail. This also adds another waterfall to the trail, Baring Falls.

Starting at Sun Point is approximately a 6.3-mile round-trip trail, so it does add a considerable amount of time to the trail, although not a lot of elevation. It’s a relatively flat trail.  

Baring Falls From Sun Point

When starting the trail at Sun Point, Baring Falls will be the first waterfall that you see. This stunning waterfall is slightly hidden from the trail and feels like a recluse in nature. It’s approximately 0.6 miles from the Sun Point trailhead. 

You can also access Baring Falls from the St. Mary Trailhead. When you come to a fork in the trail, instead of going right to follow the St. Mary Falls Trail, you can go left to the Sun Point Trail and find Baring Falls. 

St. Mary Falls

Getting to St. Mary Falls is relatively flat and easy. The views of the falls are spectacular. I’ll share some pictures below.

Virginia Falls

The trek from St. Mary Falls to Virginia Falls includes more elevation gain and loss of terrain than the rest of the trail. 

There are loose gravel and rock stairs to get to Virginia Falls. If you had any trouble with mobility getting to St. Mary Falls, know that Virginia Falls is going to be slightly more challenging. 

Are Dogs Allowed on This Trail?

No, dogs are not allowed on this trail. 

Recap: St. Mary Falls and Virginia Falls

St. Mary and Virginia Falls are 2 of the most beautiful waterfalls in Glacier National Park. They are accessible via a 3-mile round-trip hike. You can also add on Baring Falls to the hike by starting at Sun Point. 

Come prepared with water and sun protection for the hike as well as bear spray.

Enjoy and happy hiking!