Florence Falls Hike

Waterfall | Montana

Distance

9.8 mi round trip

Gain

975 ft

Difficulty

Hard

Via the Gunsight Pass Trail

Florence Falls Hike at a Glance

The Florence Falls hike via the Gunsight Pass Trail is 9.8 mi round trip with 975 ft of elevation gain.

Elevation at the falls ≈ 5,100 ft
Trail Gunsight Pass Trail
Distance 9.8 mi round trip
Elevation gain 975 ft
Difficulty Hard

Your time: about 3 h 45 min of moving time at Naismith pace (3 mph plus 1 hour per 2,000 ft climbed); about 4 h 40 min at a relaxed pace. A 160 lb hiker with a daypack burns roughly 2,130 kcal.

Adjust for your pace and breaks →

Route line not shown. The 9.8 mi distance and 975 ft of gain for this hike are verified (hikinginglacier.com), but we don't yet have a trail track we trust, so the map shows only the destination. Carry an official map.

About Florence Falls

Florence Falls is a waterfall in Montana, on land managed by Glacier National Park (National Park Service).

The Hike

The hike to the falls follows the Gunsight Pass Trail: 9.8 miles round trip with about 975 feet of elevation gain, from Jackson Glacier Overlook. Distance from hikinginglacier.com. By the National Park Service difficulty formula (distance against climb) that puts it at Hard.

Before You Go

  • Pets are not permitted on trails, along lake shores outside of developed locations, in the backcountry, or in any building. (nps.gov)
  • Rock around waterfalls is slick when wet; stay on the trail and back from the edge.
  • Check Glacier National Park (National Park Service) for current conditions, closures and parking before you go.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the hike to Florence Falls?

The Gunsight Pass Trail to Florence Falls is 9.8 miles round trip with about 975 feet of elevation gain.

Where does the Florence Falls hike start?

It starts from Jackson Glacier Overlook.

Are dogs allowed on the Florence Falls trail?

Pets are not permitted on trails, along lake shores outside of developed locations, in the backcountry, or in any building.

Safety Information

Current Hazards

  • Slippery wet rock near the falls
  • Fast, high water after rain or snowmelt
  • Check weather before departure

Turn-Around Time

1:00 PM (2:00 PM summer)

Plan to reach the falls by this time so you are back before dark.

Essential Gear Checklist

* Critical items - do not hike without these

Emergency Contacts

Emergency / Search & Rescue

911

In most of the US, backcountry search and rescue is dispatched through 911 — tell the operator you have a hiker emergency and your GPS coordinates.

Downloads

No GPX yet: we don't have a mapped track for this route that we trust. Use the land manager's map.

Sources for The Florence Falls Guide

Where the trail data, elevation and route line on this page come from.

Verified against
hikinginglacier.com
Falls location
geo.mytopo.com
Elevation
≈ Copernicus GLO-90 elevation model at the falls coordinates (via Open-Meteo)

Conditions change. Check the land manager for closures, fees and weather before you go.

Nearby Hikes

Other hikes within 30 miles of Florence Falls.

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