Photos of Palisades Falls
About Palisades Falls
The Palisade Falls tumbles down a wall of dark basalt columns at the foot of Palisade Mountain. As this volcanic rock cooled millions of years ago, it formed a soaring wall of tall upright pillars. Water spills over the top in a thin white curtain and breaks into strands as it catches each ledge on the way down. There is lots of space at the base of the falls to back up and take in the whole cliff in one frame. Moving in closer lets you highlight the falls as they start to tower over you. Looking up along the long vertical lines of the columns gives you a unique perspective to experiment with leading lines, or work tighter on the spots where the water splits around them for more abstract frames. Bright sun on white water makes it glare against the dark rock, so a bright but overcast day works better to keep the detail in both. These falls are also fun to capture in winter when they completely freeze into a tall sheet of white and blue ice. The falls are accessible along a well marked trail that starts in the Palisade Falls Picnic Area. The paved trail winds about 1 km through spruce, fir and pine before the trees open up and the falls come into view. The canyon road closes to vehicles for several weeks each spring while the snow melts. It's an easy walk but during weekends it can be a popular one, so you'll want to come early if you want the falls mostly to yourself. (Bozeman, Montana, United States)
Photo Tips and Community Notes
Be the first to add one
