Red Rock Falls is a good bang-for-your-buck hike. It’s minimal effort and lots of reward. Between lakes, waterfalls, meadows, and mountain views, it’s got pretty much everything you’d want in a great hike.
Hiked: Early July
Best time to hike: May-October
Accessibility: The road to the Many Glacier area was under construction during our visit and involved about 40 minutes on gravel road. However, it was doable with a sedan.
Length & elevation: 3.6 miles, 236 feet elevation gain
Difficulty: Easy
Crowds: Mildly trafficked
Trail views: Mountains, waterfalls, lakes, streams
Parking was easy – you can park at the Swiftcurrent Hotel area. Alternatively, it’s maybe half a mile walk from the Many Glacier campground to the trailhead.
We chose this hike to take an easy, slower day after many days of early (read: 5:30 am) wake ups. It was a great choice. We started the hike around 9:30 am. On the first part of the trail, a passing hiker let us know that there were moose at Fishercap Lake! So we took a very brief detour off the trail to visit the lake. And let me tell you – it was one of the most magical experiences of this very magical trip.
We had never seen moose before, and at this lake, we saw FOUR. A mama and a calf, and two adult moose. They seemed to be snacking on something underwater. It was a sight to behold and I don’t think I’ll ever forget those precious 30 minutes. We just sat there in awe taking it in and feeling so lucky to witness it all. Tip: our guide from the boat tour mentioned that moose are most active from 6 am to 10 am, so that’s another reason to get early starts in the park!
Continuing on from Fishercap Lake, the trail remained easy and gentle, with many views of the surrounding mountains. We were stunned by the greenery along the trail. It was lovely, but also made for a couple of buggy sections. Nothing too terrible, though!
The trail was pretty exposed, so keep in mind you’ll definitely want to bring sun protection for this one.
The falls themselves were nice. Not super impressive in size, but pretty with the (aptly named) red rocks that they were cascading over.
After snacking on the rocks, we walked a little farther up the trail and found a little swimming area where we waded into the water.
All in all, Redrock Falls made for a nice recovery/easy day after many long days! But, if you wanted to continue along the trail, you can head to Bullhead Lake, or Swiftcurrent Pass if you’re feeling super ambitious.
Elizabeth Seeks 