Kootenai Falls / Swinging Bridge - Libby Montana
by bl1899 on 05/29/08 at 10:28 pm
Just off the side of Highway 2, five miles west of Libby, are the Kootenai Falls and the swinging bridge. As my boyfriend and I pulled into the roadside parking lot for a stop to stretch our legs during our trip to Glacier National Park we walked down a paved pathway. There were restrooms available and informational signs about the fish in the Kootenai river along the trail. The path parted, to the left was the bridge and to the right was the falls.
We took the left path that turned into a dirt trail leading us down a small hill. The path crossed over some railroad tracks on an elevated walking bridge, with stairs on either side of the bridge. The path continued on with filtered views of the Kooteani river. Once we arrived to the bridge I climbed up some stairs and crossed over the bridge. The bridge bounced a little bit as I walked across to the other side and saw that there were continuing paths around the hillside. It was pretty exciting and fun to have the bridge moving under my feet as I crossed. I would not recommend this for anyone who gets motion sickness easily, however.
We walked back up to where the paths split apart and took the trail to the falls. The falls may look familiar as they made a cameo appearance in the movie The River Wild. The water was rushing fast, which made the water not as clear as I had remembered it from previous trips. The spring runoff was full of debris, carrying dirt and dead trees down the river, so the water was a little murky. It did not ruin our time however. The falls were still amazing and the bridge was a lot of fun. I would recommend this side trip for anyone who would like to see the beauty of the falls or enjoy the suspended bridge. This trip would be fun for all ages, however we did pass an elderly couple who was not able to finish the path due to a bad knee. The paths are a little narrow and have rocks and tree roots popping up out of the ground across them, so keep an eye out when you are walking.
Directions to Kootenai Falls & the Swinging Bridge: Go five miles west on Highway 2 out of Libby Montana. A dirt parking lot will be found on the right and the trail starts at the east side of the parking lot. Restrooms are available, along with picnic benches.
I’ve gone here a couple of times, and I’ll admit it: I’m too chicken to do the swinging bridge. The pedestrian walkway over the railroad tracks is scary enough for me! (being that the stairs are those “see through” steps.) But, it’s worth stopping and taking a gander. The falls are beautiful, and you can really get up close to water if you explore a little bit. So be careful!
Hi! Thanks for this great picture. I grew up in Libby MT in the 1960’s and have not been back for about 30 years. I have always wished I had a picture of this bridge because we visited it often when I was a kid. You should have seen it then!!! Very much more rickety… but oh so fun. It was narrower, and not as reinforced. But I am really glad I found your blog and picture. That area is the most beautiful area I have ever been at to this day. I live in the Seattle area which is gorgeous and have lived in CO, CA and OR but still have not found that same beauty as I did in Libby, MT. You did a great job of describing the area and telling people how to get there. Hopefully it will inspire even more people to go check it out. I know it has me. I wish I was in the car on my way right now! Thanks again.