Virginia Falls is a 165-foot tiered waterfall on Virginia Creek in Glacier National Park, Montana, on the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier County. It is the turnaround point of the St. Mary Falls Trail, 1.8 miles from the trailhead past St. Mary Falls.
The falls
Lidar surveys measure Virginia Falls as a series of tiered plunges dropping about 165 feet in three sections, with the main drop measuring about 120 feet. Earlier surveys listed 100 feet. The falls sit at about 4,920 feet. Below them the trail follows a string of smaller cascades along Virginia Creek.
Getting there
The St. Mary Falls Trailhead is on the south side of Going-to-the-Sun Road, 6.8 miles east of the Continental Divide at Logan Pass. The trail to Virginia Falls runs 1.8 miles one way from the trailhead, with 359 feet of gain and 335 feet of loss; St. Mary Falls comes first, at 1.2 miles. The falls can also be reached from the Sun Point Picnic Area. Fires burned the forest here in 2015, so much of the trail has little shade.
Summer admission to Glacier is $35 per private vehicle for seven days ($25 from November through April). Non-US residents aged 16 and older pay an extra $100 per person unless they hold an eligible Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. The park requires no vehicle reservations in 2026.
When to go
Starting just after sunrise is recommended, to find parking and avoid the heat on the exposed first stretch.
On site
A footbridge below the falls gives a view up the creek toward them, and the path continues upstream for closer views. Dogs are not allowed on Glacier trails. Hikers should take extra care around water, steep drop-offs, and wildlife. In June 2010 a 62-year-old hiker slipped off the Virginia Falls trail bridge into high, 40-45 degree water and drowned; her body was found about 220 yards downstream. Stay back from the creek edge.
Nearby
Saint Mary Falls, passed on the way in, is about 0.5 mile away. Virginia Creek Falls is about 0.6 mile away and Upper Virginia Creek Falls about 2 miles, both on the same creek. Baring Falls is about 1.5 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.