Photo: Jeff Hitchcock · CC BY 2.0Kootenai Falls
Worth the drive
Is it plungeworthy?
A 2-tier tiered on Kootenai River.
The details
- Tiers
- 2 drops
- Type
- Tiered
- Watercourse
- Kootenai River
- Coordinates
- 48.45551, -115.76321
About Kootenai Falls
Kootenai Falls is a 20-foot tiered in Montana, on Kootenai River. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.
Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.
Plungeworthy rates Kootenai Falls 7.2/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
The largest undammed falls in the Northwest: the whole Kootenai River dropping through a mile of ledges and chutes, crossed downstream by a swinging suspension bridge that turns every visitor into a kid. Sacred ground to the Kutenai people — the center of the world, not a photo prop.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Day-use area off US-2 between Libby and Troy
- Parking
- Paved highway lot; summer weekends fill it
- Road
- Paved
- Hike
- 1 mi round trip (easy)
- Heads up
- A third of a mile to the falls overlook, half a mile to the bridge, with a 64-step stair over the railroad. Rough rock past the first stretch.
When to go
May through September; spring for the biggest water, though a river this size never looks small. The concession stand runs in season; the river runs always.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- None to visit (fishing/hunting here needs a Montana conservation license — that's the fee some sites misquote)
- Dogs
- Leashed; the bridge stairs and dogs disagree
- Hours
- Day use
- Camping
- None on site; Libby and Troy options nearby
- Warnings
- Wet rock near big water — respect the edges and the place.
Researched from USFS — Kootenai Falls & Swinging Bridge · Wikipedia — Kootenai Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Kootenai Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
How tall is Kootenai Falls?
Kootenai Falls drops about 20 feet across 2 tiers, in Montana.
Where is Kootenai Falls?
Kootenai Falls is a waterfall in Montana, at 48.45551, -115.76321.
Is Kootenai Falls worth visiting?
Worth the drive — Plungeworthy rates it 7.2/10.
Gear for the trip
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