Swiftcurrent Falls

Glacier National Park / Many Glacier, Montana, USA

About Swiftcurrent Falls

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Swiftcurrent Falls was a waterfall that we didn’t realize was a major waterfall in the Many Glacier area of Glacier National Park.

In fact, we had initially dismissed it as a run-of-the-mill cascade to be lumped in with the other waterfalls on our Many Glacier Waterfalls page until we re-evaluated the literature years later.

Swiftcurrent_Falls_022_08072017 - Swiftcurrent Falls backed by Mt Grinnell
Swiftcurrent Falls backed by Mt Grinnell

That was when we realized that it was indeed a legitimate waterfall that ought to have its own page.

After our first trip to Glacier National Park in late September 2010, I bought a Mapsource map of the North Central states and it even identified the Swiftcurrent Falls by name.

In hindsight, we were probably lucky that we even spotted (let alone recognized) this waterfall as there were no signs indicating its presence.

Plus, we had to do some scrambling to even get the views you see pictured above.

Swiftcurrent Falls and its dramatic backdrop

Swiftcurrent_Falls_038_08072017 - The dramatic scenery around Swiftcurrent Lake, which was the source of the Swiftcurrent Falls
The dramatic scenery around Swiftcurrent Lake, which was the source of the Swiftcurrent Falls

Nonetheless, Swiftcurrent Falls’ impressively high flow and multi-tiered cascade draining Swiftcurrent Lake combined with its scenic backdrop were what made it stand out in our minds.

The triangular peak of Mt Grinnell backing the Swiftcurrent Falls and Swiftcurrent Lake was one of the signature mountains of the Many Glacier area.

It kind of reminded me of how Mitre Peak towered over the Milford Sound in New Zealand.

Thus, it made for an excellent photo subject and I’d bet there would be numerous professional photographers who have utilized this waterfall for their own money shots.

Scrambling close to Swiftcurrent Falls

Glacier_NP_017_09232010 - Context of Swiftcurrent Falls backed by Mt Grinnell and the mountains closer to the Grinnell Glacier behind it as seen from the Many Glacier Road during our first visit back in late September 2010
Context of Swiftcurrent Falls backed by Mt Grinnell and the mountains closer to the Grinnell Glacier behind it as seen from the Many Glacier Road during our first visit back in late September 2010

The way we got close to Swiftcurrent Falls was twofold.

On the one hand, we were able to park at a pullout (see directions below), then follow some of the scrambling trails closer to the Swiftcurrent Creek.

Another way we did it (and perhaps the more sanctioned way given how much wider the trails were) was to come in from the spur road leading to the Many Glacier Hotel.

There was a wide trail to the left of a private residence that briefly meandered through a small grove of trees before emerging in a more open area.

At this open area, we had the option of standing on a rock outcrop to look back towards the Swiftcurrent Falls backed by Mt Grinnell, or we could scramble down to a ledge below for a closer and more intimate view of the falls.

Swiftcurrent_Falls_076_08072017 - Mt Grinnell behind Swiftcurrent Falls becomes harder to see against the afternoon sun
Mt Grinnell behind Swiftcurrent Falls becomes harder to see against the afternoon sun

Either way, the overall walk should take no more than 15 minutes round trip from the Many Glacier Hotel.

Finally, as you can see from the photos on this page, if the weather is sunny, the best time of day to photograph this east-facing waterfall was in the morning.

By the afternoon, the sun would be against you.

There were also some upper tiers of Swiftcurrent Falls, but to get in front of those tiers, you’d have to cross the bridge over Swiftcurrent Creek (at the mouth of Swiftcurrent Lake).

Then, you’d have to scramble along some rock outcrops along the northern banks of Swiftcurrent Creek.

Authorities

Swiftcurrent Falls resides in Glacier National Park near St Mary in Glacier County, Montana. It is administered by the National Park Service. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: glacier, national park, many glacier, babb, montana, waterfall, rocky mountains, canadian rockies, st mary, swiftcurrent lake, grinnell



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Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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