A waterfall is not merely a feature of the landscape; it is a mechanism of the watershed, a place where gravity and geology intersect to oxygenate the stream and shape the valley floor. Hole-in-the-Wall Falls is an incredible 800+ foot waterfall that plunges down the gigantic Hole In The Wall Headwall. It is located directly below the Hole In The Wall Backcountry Campground in the remote northern wilderness of Glacier National Park. The waterfall is one of the most awe-inspiring in the park, visible from the trail leading up to Brown Pass. Here in Glacier National Park, the water carries the memory of the ice that carved these sheer walls. The hydrology of this system dictates that peak flow occurs in Late Summer - Early Fall, when the winter snowpack finally yields to the advancing sun. By late summer, the roar diminishes to a quieter conversation between water and stone.

The Ecology of the Approach

To reach the falls requires engaging with the landscape on its own terms. The route follows the Bowman Lake Trail to Brown Pass, then Boulder Pass Trail to Hole In The Wall, covering a round-trip distance of 32.0 miles. The terrain demands a strenuous effort, a fair exchange for the privilege of observing this mechanism of the watershed at close range.

Practical Geography

Land Management: NPS Region: Glacier National Park Height: 800 feet Optimal Season: Late Summer - Early Fall

Conservation Notes

The area is known for abundant mosquitoes, so repellent is highly recommended. Footbridges may be washed out, requiring creek crossings. The trail is inaccessible during winter months and can have difficult swollen creek crossings in early spring and summer.