Distinctly Montana Magazine

84 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 4 GROTTO FALLS Sitting south of Bozeman in the popular Hyalite Reservoir area, Grotto Falls is the first in a series of waterfalls that punctu- ate Hyalite Creek Trail like so many pearls. The name "Grotto Falls" conveys a kind of coziness and intimacy that more stately monikers like "Monument Falls" and "Grand Falls" just cannot pull off. And in years gone by, this particular waterfall did feel like a somewhat well-kept secret for only being about a mile off the road. It's short, for one thing, coming in at 30 feet tall. There are much more visually impressive cascades in the Hyalite area, including Palisade Falls back up the road. The walk into Grotto Falls is relatively mild, too, a quality that apparently makes the falls itself less appealing to those rec- reationists who self-identify as waterfall chasers. Entire websites dedicated to the sport of waterfall chasing provide detailed specs on the waterfalls' appearance (height, water volume, number of tiers), along with access directions (sometimes painstakingly de- scriptive and detailed, other times left intentionally vague). Based on the rhetoric of these websites, waterfall chasers come off more like adrenaline junkies than they do seekers of calm, contemplative spaces. The more isolated the waterfall, and the more precarious and death-defying the approach, the better. Off-trail waterfalls seem to carry more clout than those with well-developed trails and vista points. The trail to Grotto Falls is wheelchair-accessible, pretty short, and not too steep. The pool at the waterfall's base makes for a great swimming hole, which everyone and their grandma seems to know by now. You could easily make the walk itself in san- dals, if you felt like you had a point to prove. Finding a parking spot is by far the most challenging part of this hike. Watch out for the crazed mountain bikers and don't step on the broken sel- fie sticks abandoned trailside. To get here, drive south from Bozeman on South 19th Avenue and turn left on Hyalite Canyon Road, which takes you up to the reservoir. When you come to a fork in the road, hang a right and follow the signs for Hyalite Creek Trailhead.

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