Take a scenic boat ride on Saint Mary Lake to access Baring Falls for one of the easiest waterfall hikes in Glacier National Park.
Baring Falls Trail Basics
5 Minutes
0.2 Miles Round Trip
Out-And-Back
50 Feet
Duration: Under 30 Minutes
From the boat dock, it only took about 2-3 minutes to get to Baring Falls. The walk is through some tall grass then the trees until you get to the base of the waterfall. When taking the boat ride, you are given 15 minutes to walk to the fall, take some photos, and get back to the dock for the return trip.
Distance: 0.2 Miles Roundtrip
Walking from the boat dock to the waterfall is only about 500 feet each way. This is a very short walk to get to the beautiful waterfall.
Type: Out-and-Back Trail
On this hike, you’ll walk to the waterfall and then back along the same route to the boat dock.
Elevation Change: 50 Feet
Getting to the spectacular waterfalls location doesn’t require much of an elevation change. It’s so minimal, that you likely won’t even notice it for most of the walk.
Season: Summer
The waterfalls have the highest water levels in the late spring or early summer due to snowmelt so this is the best time of year to visit. Also, due to heavy snowfall, most of Going-to-the Sun Road is closed from October through June, making it difficult to get to the falls.
Time of Day: Any
This waterfall’s short trail can be done at any time of the day. Just know, if you are taking the boat ride, the last one of the day does not include a stop at the waterfall.
Amount of Shade: Mostly Shaded
Most of the walk is shaded for this trail. Once you get off the boat dock, you walk through tall grass and then into the trees along St. Mary Lake.
Difficulty: Easy
This is the best waterfall hike in the park since it’s such an easy walk. You end up at the bottom of the fall from the trail at the boat dock.
What Makes Baring Falls Trail a Great Hike?
Baring Falls is a gorgeous waterfall that spills over the top of the cliff for about 25 feet of waterfall. Depending on the amount of snowmelt, this waterfall can be flowing pretty heavily.
We only had about 10 minutes at the waterfall to take in the views and grab a few photos. Tyler, Ryan, and I saw someone climbing some rocks to the left to get closer to the fall. They said they wanted to do that, too, and Justin wasn’t sure but I said I wanted to go out there so took them with me.
Scenery on the Baring Falls Trail
Start of the Trail
When leaving the boat dock, you are on a small dirt path along the side of St. Mary Lake.
On the Trail
As you walk back towards the fall, you end up between tall grass and trees.
End of the Trail
The trail ends at a wooden bridge that continues up to Going-to-the Sun Road for those who come down to the fall that way. When you get to the foot of the bridge, the waterfall is on your left.
Notable Places on the Hike
The wooden bridge that leads up to Going-to-the Sun Road is a great place to stop and take some photos. You can look in one direction to see the fall and the other direction looks out over Baring Creek as it flows to the largest lake in the park.
Baring Falls Trailhead Information
Park Name: Glacier National Park
The Baring Falls is located in the stunning Glacier National Park in northwest Montana along the border between the United States and Canada. This is one of two national parks with boundaries in Montana with the other being Yellowstone National Park at the southern border of the state.
Glacier National Park utilizes a vehicle reservations system during the peak season similar to other National Park Service sites. If you have a trip booked on the St. Mary Lake tour, that will count to get one vehicle in through the East Entrance in St. Mary Village. The reservations are $2 per day in addition to the park's entrance fee.
Finding the Trailhead
The trailheads are marked well in Glacier National Park. When stepping off of the boat, the captain will direct you to the small dirt trail that leads to Baring Falls.
Markers Along the Trail
When taking the trail from the boat dock, there are no other trail markers since the trail doesn't veer from the dirt path.
Nearest Restrooms: Rising Sun Dock
The nearest restroom facilities are at the Rising Sun Campground or St Mary Visitor Center to the east or Logan Pass Visitor Center to the west. There are no restrooms near the trailheads or on the historic vessels that take you across the lake.
Parking Area
For those going on the boat ride, you'll park in the Rising Sun Parking Lot. Check-in here at the small booth for your boat ride reservations.
If you want to walk on the trails to the falls, park either at the Sunruft Gorge parking area or the Sunpoint Nature Trail trailhead area.
Other Trails at this Trailhead
From the boat dock, there are no other trails. From along Going-to-the Sun Road you can also get to Piegan Pass Trail, Siyeh Pass Trail, Gunsight Horse Trail Cutoff, and the St. Mary Lake Trail.
Tips for Baring Falls Trail
- When entering from the East Entrance in St. Mary, if you get to Logan Pass you've gone too far if you are hiking the regular trails instead of going from the boat ride. On the shuttle, look for the St. Mary Falls shuttle stop.
- Along the left side of the falls, there's an outcropping of rocks that you can climb across to get about halfway to the top of the falls and a closer view of the waterfall.
- While on the boat ride, you can look out at the high peaks that make up the Continental Divide within the park.
Accessibility Information for Baring Falls Trail
Dirt
Paved
Trail Type: Dirt
Most of the trail is a dirt path. Be aware, though, that there are a few tree roots that stick up in the dirt which can make the path a little more difficult for those with mobility issues.
Parking: Paved
The parking area for the Rising Sun Boat Dock is a paved lot. The historic vessels of Glacier Park Boat Company are wheelchair accessible as well.