A skein is defined as a tangle or complicated arrangement of objects or situations. This is the perfect description of the Silken Skein Falls in Hyalite Canyon, Montana.
This delicate waterfall cascades through a web of trees. There are five separate drops on the Silken Skein Falls, with the final drop creating a beautiful, delicate stream of water that looks almost like strands of silk.
Silken Skein Falls can be found south of Bozeman, MT on Hyalite Canyon Road. This waterfall is one of 12 waterfalls that can be found in Hyalite Canyon.
Nine of the falls, including Silken Skein Falls can be found along the Hyalite Lake Trail. Silken Skein Falls is the only one of the nine that is not right along the trail.
A Guide to Silken Skein Falls
To access Silken Skein Falls, you’ll take an off-shoot trail from the main Hyalite Lake Trail. The quarter-mile trail to Silken Skein Falls is a challenging uphill hike that is completely worth the effort. It is difficult to see all five drops from any one point, but the three lower drops are easy to see and are quite beautiful.
Silken Skein Falls Statistics
- Elevation: 8,050 feet (2,466 meters)
- Height: 240 feet
- Trailhead: Hyalite Lake Trail
- Season (when can it be accessed): Year Round
Things to Do Near Silken Skein Falls
The area around Silken Skein Falls is dotted with places to enjoy outdoor activities. Hyalite Canyon is a great place to start, but there are tons of spots in the Bozeman area that offer visitors outstanding opportunities for exploring and recreating.
Hiking
Silken Skein Falls is located in the Custer Gallatin National Forest. The National Forest is crisscrossed with outstanding hiking trails. In the Bozeman area, there are approximately 392 hiking trails.
Hiking trails near Silken Skein Falls range from multi-day hikes that are best for experienced hikers to short easy trails that are family and dog friendly.
Mountain Biking
Many of the trails in the Custer Gallatin National Forest are multi-use, making this an outstanding place to try your hand at single-track mountain biking.
In Hyalite Canyon most trails are open to mountain bikers. However, the Hyalite Lake trail is very steep and is considered to be relatively difficult.
If you’re just getting started with mountain biking, the National Forest near Bozeman offers a wealth of trails that will be fun to explore and help you improve your biking skills.
Camping
Hyalite Reservoir is a great place to camp if you want to be close to the trails that take you past the multiple waterfalls in the Canyon. However, these two campgrounds aren’t the only ones that are close to the Silken Skein waterfall.
The National Forest operates a number of developed campgrounds in the Custer Gallatin National Forest near Bozeman. If campgrounds are too busy to make camping enjoyable for you, the National Forest also allows dispersed camping in most parts of the forest. You’ll want to check the NFS website for current camping and campfire regulations.
Closer to Bozeman you’ll find a number of RV parks that offer full hook-ups as well as cabins and tent camping sites.
Snowmobiling
The Bozeman area has some of the best snowmobiling areas in Montana. Many of the Forest Service roads in the Custer Gallatin National Forest are not accessible to vehicles during the winter. These forest service roads become ideal spots for snowmobiling.
Hyalite Canyon Road is relatively accessible during the winter. However, once you reach Hyalite Lake, the Hyalite Lake Road which takes you to the trailhead to Silken Skein Falls becomes impassable for vehicles.
This road is popular with snowmobilers, cross-country skiers, and snowshoers.
Can You Swim at Silken Skein Falls
Swimming at Silken Skein Falls is not possible. The five drops of the falls don’t leave much for creating pools. The steepness of this area creates fast-moving falls that tumble over the rock without slowing much.
The base of the last drop is probably the best place to access the creek. However, even at this point the pool is shallow and is better for wading.