Gros Ventre Falls is a 45-foot series of cascades on the Mokowanis River in Glacier National Park, Montana, downstream of Cosley Lake in the Belly River country of Glacier County. It sits on the backcountry trail to Cosley Lake, a long walk from the Chief Mountain trailhead.
The falls
The falls form a steep series of cascades with a combined drop of about 45 feet, and Ninantic Falls is an alternate name; Glacier to Yellowstone puts the drop at 100 feet, plunging into foam and a deep green pool. A park fisheries report suggests the falls closed off the hanging valley above them after the glaciers retreated, which may be why no native fish reached Cosley Lake; records of trout stocking in the lake go back to 1921.
Getting there
The route starts at the Chief Mountain trailhead and drops steeply for about two miles to the Belly River. From there, it is 6.1 miles to the Belly River Ranger Station and 2 more to Cosley Lake, crossing the Belly River on a one-person suspension bridge with a ford below; the trails are easy to moderate apart from that first descent, which becomes a climb on the way out. The falls lie on a 0.2-mile side trail on the left, a little over a mile before the Cosley Lake Campground turnoff.
Overnight camping requires a permit. Summer admission is $35 per vehicle for seven days ($25 from November through April), plus $100 per person for non-US residents aged 16 and older unless they hold an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. The park does not take cash.
When to go
The Park Service installs seasonal bridges in the Belly River area from late May, has them all in by mid-July and removes most by late September. Early summer brings mosquitoes.
On site
The side trail leads down to the falls, offering a spot for a break and a water refill. Pets are not allowed on Glacier's trails.
Nearby
Dawn Mist Falls on the Belly River is about 1.7 miles away, Kaina Mountain Falls about 2.1 miles, Kaina Lake Falls about 2.8 miles and Miche Wabun Falls about 3.8 miles.
Distances are straight-line.