Monument Falls, Flathead County - Discovering Montana

Nestled deep within the backcountry realms of Glacier National Park, in the Flathead County portion, you’ll find Monument Falls, a segmented horsetails waterfall (i.e., split falls) pouring down 170 feet of rock into a gorgeous pool of icy water below. The falls form from the runoff of Sperry Glacier, along the Avalanche Lake Trail.

The waterfall is better known than many of the backcountry waterfalls, but you’ll still need to bushwhack your way in or find an existing bushwhack (unofficial, rugged) trail.

You’ll find images on Flickr and some hiking blogs to give you an idea of what beauty you’re in for before breaking away from Avalanche Lake Trail and branching out into the “wild unknown.”

A Guide to Monument Falls, Flathead County

Monument Falls has been confirmed and identified by the World Database of Waterfalls at the following coordinates. Interestingly enough, it had previously been falsely identified as a different waterfall, but after some exploration and topographical examination, the location has been more precisely pinpointed for you to be able to find the falls when you head out.

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Monument Falls Stats

Location: Backcountry, Glacier National Park, Flathead County, Montana
Latitude: 48.64951
Longitude: -113.77215
Source: Glacier
Waterfall height: 170 feet
Elevation: 4250 feet
Season: Late spring to mid-autumn for best hiking
Campgrounds and RV parks nearby: 20+ campgrounds located within the park or nearby, with hundreds of sites available

Recreational Activities Near Monument Falls

Glacier National Park remains one of the most intriguing, exciting destinations for visitors from across the nation and around the world.

With more than 35 named glaciers, over 700 named and unnamed lakes, 563 streams and rivers, and at least 154 different trails and trail portions for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and trail running, you’ll find it difficult to run out of recreational opportunities within the park.

Swimming

For many folks, the big question is, can you swim in Monument Falls? The short answer is no. The reason is that waterfalls create dangerous circumstances with their undercurrents and rapid water flow, which can pull you under and cause severe harm.

Instead of trying to swim in this remote, though beautiful, icy pool, consider your polar swim in Avalanche Lake or other nearby bodies of water that don’t run as swiftly and dangerously.

As it is, swimming in the frigid waters of glacier run-off pools and lakes around the park, you’ll need to take proper precautions against hypothermia and other illnesses.

Other lakes that are reported as less chilling include McDonald Lake, Lake Josephine, and Kintla Lake, though that is seasonally conditional. Aim for July and August for warmer swims.

Boating

A popular option in the park and surrounding areas is boating. From canoeing and kayaking to motorboats and pontoons, boating can be an exciting part of your Glacier NP excursion.

If you have your own boat, feel free to bring it along and put it on the many lakes, rivers, and streams. If you need a rental, however, you’ll find vendors both within and without the park with many types of boat options.

Just be sure that if you rent or bring a motorboat, you only use the vehicle in approved waters.

White Water Rafting

For the more adventurous boaters out there, a different take on boating is whitewater rafting, a highly popular recreation sport within the park and nearby rivers.

If you have your own gear, you can put in at many of the access points along rivers, but if you need to join a trip, there are multiple rafting guide companies ready to take you out.