McDonald Falls

The short and mostly-flat trail to McDonald Falls is a great family-friendly hike in Glacier National Park, and it provides some great views. The trail to the falls is the first short segment of the Upper McDonald Creek Trail, which forms a part of the Johns Lake Loop and the longer hike up McDonald Creek. The creekside environment is delightful and offers nice views of the distant mountains and the interesting rock formations that line the creek.

Starting from the parking area along the road to the McDonald Lake ranger station, the trail is wide and fairly accessible for most of the way to the falls. There are many spots to look out over the creek and find an isolated spot to sit and watch the creek. Once you reach the falls, it is an easy scramble down to a few overlooks with views up and down the creek. Above the falls, McDonald Creek follows close along the route of Going-to-the-Sun Road all the way up nearly to the Continental Divide.