Best dog-friendly waterfall hikes in Montana
34 verified hikes from our directory of 127 Montana waterfalls.
What we mean by dog friendly
Dog-friendly means the land manager allows leashed dogs on this specific trail. State parks and National Forests usually do; National Park trails almost never. We mark dog_friendly only when we've confirmed the policy applies to the trail, not just the parking lot.
One caveat: Leash rules are enforced. Bring a 6-foot leash, waste bags, and water for the dog. Hot rock and pavement burn paws — check temperature with your hand for 5 seconds before letting them walk on it.
Gear hint: Our dog Brook carries her own water in a fitted pack; we carry her booties for shale and hot pavement. Cold-water tail-tuck on small breeds is real — keep them out of glacial plunge pools.
The 34 picks
Each opens to a full page with trail distance, elevation gain, parking, fee, best months, and live conditions when available.
Alpine Falls
height unverified · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Apex Falls
height unverified · Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area
Arch Falls
height unverified · Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area
Bird Woman Falls
560 ft · 0 mi · Glacier National Park
Boulder Falls
height unverified · Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
Calamity Falls
height unverified · Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness
Canyon Falls
height unverified · Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness
Cascade Falls
height unverified · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Champagne Falls
height unverified · Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area
Crow Creek Falls
height unverified · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Elizabeth Falls
height unverified · Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness
Grotto Falls
height unverified · Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area
Hoodoo Cascade
height unverified · Lee Metcalf Wilderness
Horsetail Falls
height unverified · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Kootenai Falls
height unverified · Kootenai National Forest
Leigh Creek Falls
height unverified · Cabinet Mountains Wilderness
Memorial Falls
height unverified · Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
Mill Falls
height unverified · Bob Marshall Wilderness
Mission Falls
height unverified · Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness
Mud Creek Falls
height unverified · Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness
Palisade Falls
height unverified · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Palisade Falls
height unverified · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Passage Falls
height unverified · Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness
Pintler Falls
height unverified · Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness
Pioneer Falls
height unverified · Lee Metcalf Wilderness
Rock Creek Falls
height unverified · Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
S'il Vous Plait Falls
height unverified · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Sentinel Falls
height unverified · Absaroka–Beartooth Wilderness
Shower Falls
height unverified · Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area
Silken Skein Falls
height unverified · Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area
Sutton Creek Falls
height unverified · Kootenai National Forest
Terrace Falls
height unverified · Mission Mountains Tribal Wilderness
Twin Falls
height unverified · Hyalite-Porcupine-Buffalo Horn Wilderness Study Area
Upper Big Timber Falls
height unverified · Custer Gallatin National Forest
Before you go: 5 things we always check
- The official land manager's page for road and trail closures (linked on every individual waterfall page).
- The weather forecast for the area AND upstream — flash floods come from rain miles away.
- Recent ranger or hiker reports for slippery rock conditions.
- Whether the trail crosses a creek without a bridge — water levels change daily in snowmelt season.
- Cell coverage at the trailhead. Download offline maps in advance.
See our full safety disclaimer for the dangers we've flagged on individual waterfalls. Several have fatalities on record.