Holland Falls Trail

Holland Falls is the hike to pick if you want a lake walk and a real climb in the same short outing. Trail #416 starts at Holland Lake, about 25 miles north of Seeley Lake,⁴ and runs 1.6 miles each way to the falls.¹ The first two-thirds follows the shore close to lake level; the last third climbs about 750 feet to the falls.¹

The trail details here come from a 2016 Seeley Swan Pathfinder article. Holland Lake sits on the Flathead National Forest rather than the Lolo, but the Seeley Lake Ranger District (406-677-2233) is a good first call for current conditions in the valley.¹⁰

How long is the Holland Falls trail?

1.6 miles one way, so about 3.2 miles round trip.¹ The Pathfinder puts the trailhead at about 4,050 feet and the falls at about 4,800 feet.¹

How hard is the Holland Falls hike?

No agency difficulty rating appears in our sources. Moderate is a fair label: the distance is short, but the climbing is concentrated. After you round the northeast corner of the lake, you gain roughly 750 feet in the remaining distance to the falls.¹

How do I get to the Holland Lake trailhead?

From Seeley Lake, drive north on Highway 83 to near mile marker 35 and turn east onto Holland Lake Road. Stay left and continue about 4 miles to the dead-end trailhead, which has parking and a vault toilet.¹

The Pathfinder describes the trail as heavily used, so arrive early on summer weekends.¹

Who can use the trail?

Hikers only. The Pathfinder lists Trail #416 as closed to bikes, stock and motorized use.¹

What else is at Holland Lake?

Holland Lake is one of the larger and deeper lakes in the Seeley-Swan Valley: about 413.5 acres, with a maximum depth of 156 feet and an average depth of 59 feet on FWP’s lake map.²³ FWP lists species including bull trout (native), kokanee, westslope cutthroat trout (native) and lake trout.² Holland Lake is in FWP Region 1, a different region from the Seeley Lake chain, so check the current fishing regulations for it specifically.

Holland Lake Campground has 38 rentable sites (24 reservable and 14 walk-up), plus a day-use area, a group site and a boat ramp, and Recreation.gov lists kayak, canoe and paddleboard rental (as of 2026; check current).⁴ Our nearby lakes page has more on Holland Lake itself.

Is Holland Lake a gateway to the Bob Marshall?

Yes. The Pathfinder describes the Holland Lake trailhead as a main Bob Marshall Wilderness entry along the Swan Front.¹ The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex (the Bob Marshall, Great Bear and Scapegoat wildernesses together) covers more than 1.5 million acres.⁶ A Forest Service order sets occupancy, use and trail restrictions for the complex; read it before any overnight trip.⁷

From the same trailhead area, Trail #415 climbs to Upper Holland and Sapphire lakes: about 7 miles each way and roughly 3,100 feet of total climbing, a much bigger day.⁵ It is summarized on our more trails page.

Bear safety at Holland Lake

Holland Lake lies within the area covered by the Forest Service’s Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem food and wildlife attractant storage order, which applies March 1 to December 31 each year on the Flathead and Lolo national forests. Unattended food, garbage and other attractants must be stored in a bear-resistant way, and penalties can reach $5,000.⁸

FWP advises carrying bear spray where you can reach it and standing your ground if a bear charges, spraying at 30 to 60 feet.⁹ Our wildlife and bear safety guide covers the details.

Tips for the hike

• The falls are the turnaround point. Stay back from the edge and off wet rock.
• Carry water. The Pathfinder lists only parking and a vault toilet at the trailhead.¹
• The campground’s day-use area and boat ramp make it easy to pair the hike with time on the water.⁴