Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge

After we left Ross Creek Cedars area we drove back to Troy, Montana and instead of heading west on Route 2 we turned right towards Libby, Montana.  If we continued on driving on Route 2 in another 125 miles we would have been at Glacier National Park.  However, our goal was to go to the Kootenai Falls and Swinging Bridge, just about 5 more miles to our east.

Pedestrian bridge over railroad tracks - darn, no trains while we were there

Pathway to Falls

Kootenai Falls is one of the largest free flowing waterfalls in the northwest.  The Kootenai River is classified as a calm river.  At the Falls area the river quickly gathers momentum surging first through the China Rapids and then over the falls, dropping 90 feet in less than a mile.  The main falls is 30 feet high.  Doesn't sound impressive on paper until you see it in person. Definitely see the narrowing of the river passage as the water has to squeeze through a smaller opening.

First view of Falls from walk path, could hear it way before 

The roar of the water and the spray was impressive.  The Kootenai Indians once considered the falls sacred, where tribal members communed with spiritual forces.  In 1808 David Thompson, the Canadian fur trapper and explorer, traveled into the Kootenai River area and used the river as a navigational guide.

To get to the falls, you follow the trail through trees and goes over a specially enclosed pedestrian bridge over double railroad tracks, then winds down to the swinging bridge and falls.  Once at the swinging bridge, you can cross over to the other side of the river where hiking trails move out from there.

A limit of 5 persons on the bridge was posted.  I did go out on the bridge about 30 feet but decided I had seen enough and moved back whereas Dave did make it to the middle and took a number of pictures.  Was surprised at how much the bridge moved and swayed.  But the stunning views - beautiful and awesome.

Family playing in water

Young people across the river

The bridge

The movie The River Wild which starred Meryl Streep and Kevin Bacon was filmed at the falls as well as near the Middle Fork of the Flathead River near Glacier.  There were some near accidents when filming such as one of the stuntmen fell overboard which was incorporated into the movie and that scene was used in the movie.  Guess some day I need to rent the movie! The force of the water is so swift in the falls area that special warning signs posted along the trail to tell people to stay out - it’s deadly.  We did see a family with kids and a dog playing near one of the water falls - that was a bit unnerving.  And across the bridge a group of young people were playing/wading in the water.

View from the bridge looking up river

And down river

Dave standing in middle of bridge

The Kootenai Country is definitely living up to it’s reputation with it’s beauty and splendor.  Great day to experience the area.