Twin Falls is a 225-foot segmented horsetail waterfall on the outlet of Palace Lake in Gallatin County, Montana, spilling down the west wall of Hyalite Canyon about 17.5 miles south of Bozeman.
The falls
The stream drains Palace Lake in a high basin and breaks into separate strands as it drops toward Hyalite Creek. Lidar data indicates a drop of about 225 feet.
Getting there
The walk starts at the Grotto Falls/Hyalite Creek trailhead at the end of the main Hyalite Canyon road, where parking and a toilet are available, though no drinking water. Turn left onto the Hyalite Creek trail at the second junction; just past it, Twin Falls shows through the trees on the right, high above. The outing is about 3 miles round trip and rated easy. Trail access to the base is not documented.
When to go
Hyalite Canyon Road closes to motor vehicles every spring from April 1 until mid-May.
On site
The view is distant; one hiker who tried to bushwhack toward the falls lost sight of them at the creek and found no safe place to cross. Stay on the trail. Above the falls, the Palace Lake outlet is hazardous: three hikers who came down into the basin from Mount Blackmore were blocked by the drop during a storm and had to be evacuated by helicopter.
Nearby
Grotto Falls and Arch Falls on Hyalite Creek are each about 0.8 mile away, and Maid of the Mist Creek Falls is about 0.7 mile. Silken Skein Falls is about 1.4 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.