SigMT

SiG MT 53 Some of the most stunning falls in the park lie along this trail if you are willing to put in the time and effort to get out here. An added bonus for the younger set (and the young at heart): rock hopping across a creek. Prepare to get splashed! DISTANCE: 1.6 miles, out and the same heading back, for a total of 3.2 miles round-trip, with 285 feet of elevation gain. (is includes the St. Mary Falls portion. It is only 0.8 of a mile beyond St. Mary Falls to Virginia Falls.) TIME: 3-4 hours round-trip STARTING POINT: Take the shule or your car to the Sunri Gorge parking area along Going-to-the-Sun Road. You can park on either side of the road near this area. Follow the St. Mary Falls hiking description above for the first section. Aer leaving St. Mary Falls, the trail starts climbing. At this point you have le behind the burned sections and experience the forest as it was before the fires claimed so much of it. Before long you get a chance to try your hand (or feet) at a creek crossing: rock hopping at its best and a young kid's favorite activity! As you continue along the trail, you are rewarded with multiple unnamed falls. e first unnamed fall that you come to is off to the le of the trail. e stone formations along the river make natural "steps," and you will see a distinct "social" trail leading to the falls. Our family could easily have spent all day at these particular falls! ere is a precious lile amphitheater carved into the stone just to the right of the falls (probably in early spring the river fills this area as it continues its carving work). It is a wonderful spot to stop and rest. e falls themselves are not spectacular—just a beautiful cascade over orange-colored rocks—but the whole area is just stunning. e kids enjoyed throwing rocks over a myriad of smaller falls downstream. Tear yourself away and continue on up the trail to reach the next of the unnamed falls along a much less traveled side trail. We had to climb over some fairly large downed trees to get to the falls themselves. For our kids, climbing over the downed trees is at least as exciting as some old waterfall, if not more! ese falls are about 8 feet tall and not easy to get to, but they're beautiful. Once there, you will not find much of a place to sit and relax. Don't worry—more waterfalls ahead! e next unnamed falls are a split falls running over the purple rock of this area. ere is more space to sit and relax, but you are also nearing your final destination, and the pull of the big falls is strong! Continuing onward and upward will lead you to a fork in the trail. is split leads to either the base of Virginia Falls or to a viewpoint farther up and alongside the falls. If you head le at the split, you will cross a log bridge and come out of the trees with the falls up to your right. ere is a huge flat rock area that is perfect for hanging out, and the water below the falls is shallow and slow moving enough for the kids to play. You can't really see the entire falls from here, as the top is masked by rock outcroppings. If you are hoping to find a toilet, a pit toilet lies in this direction. Unfortunately, it was in terrible shape when we last used it: small, hot, smelly, dirty, and generally disgusting. Try to avoid using it if at all pos- sible! But if you really must, take the trail past the rocky siing area. It is BYOTP for sure—and you'll also want to hold your breath if you can! Back to the fork in the trail . . . if you head to the right, you will come across multiple social trails forking off to the le farther up. ese trails lead to various viewpoints, as people are looking for a beer and more complete view of the falls; don't take any of them. Instead, continue on the main trail until you come to a metal sign with the name of the falls. is last section, from the bridge below to the viewing area along the top of the falls, is the steepest section. Your lile people may be too exhausted to make it this final bit. However, our eleven-year-old bound- ed right up there and came back reporting that it was "amazing" and said, "You have to go check it out!" It was amazing! You get to feel the spray of the falls as you stand on a huge flat step of a rock. You can see up to the top of the falls and down to the people below, all of which is very exciting for kids. Enjoy the view and the mist until everyone is recovered from the ascent and then head back down the trail. Depending on the energy of your party—and where you le your car—either return to the split that leads to the St. Mary Falls parking area or pass that by and head all the way to Baring Falls, another mile or so plus further. is hike is a long one, and you'll likely need to take a lot of breaks, but there are many wonderful stopping places along the way. Leave plenty of time to enjoy all the falls and to give your kids plenty of rest. Virginia Falls Wild Flowers

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