Red Rocks

Red Rocks at Glacier National Park near West Glacier, Montana is an easy 0.1-mile out-and-back trail that leads to Redrock Falls and views of turquoise-colored pools within McDonald Creek.

Walk to Red Rocks

This short trail begins at the main parking lot for Red Rocks, located on the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road and leads downhill to reach an overlook above McDonald Creek. On the way down the path, you'll pass an offshoot trail that leads to a bench with a view of the creek and nearby alpine slopes. From the end of the trail, at the overlook, you'll find Redrock Falls -- a very short but scenic waterfall that spills down the red-colored bedrock within McDonald Creek. Facing north (upstream) from the overlook includes more views of turquoise-colored water along with a dark tunnel carved under the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Surrounding the creek are evergreens that adorn the red-colored bedrock.

Just behind the overlook, if you head off-trail, you can walk out and on top of the red bedrock to find an even-better view of the turquoise-colored pools. This view of McDonald's Creek vibrant turquoise water is virtually unmatched at the park, especially with the juxtaposed red bedrock and surrounding evergreens. Due to this, Red Rocks is virtually always busy with visitors vying for a chance to take their own picture of this unique water feature.

Vehicle Reservations

Depending on what time of year you visit, you may need to reserve a vehicle entrance pass to get into the park, in addition to a park entry fee (or annual National Parks pass). Before planning this hike, ensure you've checked the NPS website for when and where Glacier NP vehicle reservations are required.

Universal Access

This trail is universally accessible and follows a dirt path that leads down to the overlook. Please note that this specific route follows the staircase to reach the main path, but on the south side of the parking lot is a universally-accessible trailhead.

Parking

Visitors will find a medium-sized parking lot at the coordinates provided, located on the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. The parking lot is large enough to fit two dozen vehicles at most, as of September 2024. The parking lot can fill up quickly, so you may have a hard time finding a parking space especially during mid-day. Evenings and early mornings are generally easier to find parking at the Red Rocks lot.

Pets

Dogs are not allowed on any trails at Glacier National Park.