McDonald Creek Falls is an 835-foot series of tiered falls and cascades on upper McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park, Flathead County, Montana. The name is unofficial and the series was identified from lidar data, with no established trail.
The falls
The series forms a run of tiered horsetails and cascades with a cumulative drop of about 835 feet, the tallest single drop about 400 feet. The series sits at about 5,550 feet in the upper McDonald Creek valley.
Getting there
No trailhead, route or parking has been published for this stretch of McDonald Creek. The better-known falls on the creek near Lake McDonald are a different place.
Glacier admission 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 pass. The park requires no vehicle reservations in 2026.
When to go
The falls are likely seasonal, running strongest with snowmelt and close to dry once the winter snowpack has melted off in summer.
On site
Glacier does not allow pets on park trails or in the backcountry.
Nearby
Continental Creek Falls is about 1.3 miles away. Flattop Mountain Falls is about 3.3 miles away, and Upper Flattop Creek Falls about 4.3 miles. The nearest town, Columbia Falls, is about 32.6 miles to the south.
Distances are straight-line.