How to Visit Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge in Montana

Located in Montana’s Kootenai National Forest, Kootenai Falls and the nearby swinging bridge are two must-see’s on a Pacific Northwest or Montana road trip, especially if you’re following US Highway 2. I’ll tell you exactly how to visit this fabulous swinging bridge and waterfall in Northern Montana!

How to visit Kootenai Falls – Details

Location: Kootenai Falls isn’t really close to anywhere. The parking lot is located right off of US-2 between the towns of Troy, Montana and Libby, Montana. The closest major attraction is Glacier National Park, which is 2.5 hours away. Libby, Montana is the nearest town and is 10-15 minutes East of the falls.

Parking: We had no trouble finding a parking spot. The hike to Kooteani Falls is very short and most people here aren’t making a ‘day’ of it; they’re snapping pictures and leaving so you shouldn’t have to wait long, if at all, to find a parking spot.

Cost: Free

Dogs: Technically yes, dogs are allowed. However, in order to get to Kooteani Falls and the suspension bridge, you will have to walk up and over a pedestrian bridge that spans over a railroad track. The steps on the bridge have small, metal grated spikes on them, making it imPAWsible for a dog to walk without hurting their paws. So unless you can carry your furry friend, don’t plan on making the hike with your dog. We did not know this prior to visiting – I was traveling with my dog (a black lab, who I obviously can’t carry up steps!) so my sister ended up staying behind with him while I did the hike.

Time commitment: If you want to see the suspension bridge and the waterfall, expect to be here about 45 minutes to an hour.

Other amenities: There is a snack bar that’s open in the summer, serving ice cream and other refreshments. Plenty of picnic tables and grills, as well as bathrooms at the trailhead.

Hiking to Kootenai Falls and the Suspension Bridge

Kootenai Falls isn’t a ‘roadside’ scenic overlook and is not handicap accessible – you will have to do a nearly 1.6 mile round trip hike to see both the falls and the suspension bridge.

From the parking lot, you’ll start the trail on a paved walkway that passes by some picnic sites. The paved trail is only 0.1 miles in length before you reach the stairs leading up to the caged railway bridge. At this point, my sister had to turn around, as we were taking my dog on the trail, and the grated steps would’ve hurt his paws. I continued alone on the hike, crossing the covered bridge, down the stairs and to the trail junction.

After you get over the train bridge, you’ll reach the junction where you’ll have two choices – turn left and hit up the swinging bridge. Turn right and you’ll get to Kootenai Falls. You’ll want to do both on your visit here, because both options are a must-see. Kootenai Falls waterfall looks different from the various perspectives you’ll see along the trails, so try to do both hikes – they’re short enough!

While the trails are easy with very little elevation change, you’ll need to watch your step as large rocks and tree roots are all over the trail.

Swinging Bridge

The swinging bridge is only 1/4 mile from the trail fork. Once you reach the swinging bridge, you can either just photograph the bridge or cross it, if you’re not afraid of heights – but beware – the bridge is 100 feet over the river! I crossed it and really enjoyed photographing the Kootenai River and beautiful canyon from the bridge, but I know that swinging bridges aren’t for everyone (like my sister – I know if she would’ve been able to accompany me on this hike, she wouldn’t have crossed it). Don’t feel bad if you’re not up to crossing it; you can still get cool pictures from the side of the bridge.

If you decide to cross the bridge, you won’t find a whole lot going on over on the other side. The only thing to do here is to photograph the bridge and canyon from a different perspective. I didn’t find the other side that compelling, so I just walked back across. There are some ‘unofficial’ trails on the other side – I have no idea where they lead and frankly, I wouldn’t attempt them.

Kootenai Falls Waterfall

After you finish up at the swinging bridge, head back the way you came and visit the Kootenai Falls waterfall. Once you’re back at the fork in the trail, it’s only 0.2 miles to the falls.

Along the way, you can see the waterfall from various viewpoints. At the end of the trail, there are large, flat boulders where you can walk to see the falls even closer. There are no guardrails – explore at your own risk!

Kootenai Falls Waterfall and Swinging bridge – Final Thoughts

Pros:
Scenic, powerful waterfall
Suspension/swinging bridge is a lot of fun!

Cons:
Dog friendly, but only if your dog is small enough to carry up and down some stairs!
Snack bar sells souvenirs, but they’re not anything good.