Saint Mary's Wilderness — Attraction in Stuarts Draft

Oh I loved the little swimming spots along the way which were so tempting I simply stopped and dunked myself several times on my way to the top! The trail to the main swimming hole is along the river, and its a hiking trail so you'll need hiking shoes if you want to be kind to your feet; but be prepared to take them off a time or 2 in order to cross the river. There were spots where it seemed the trail just disappeared but if you look up accross the river, it usually continues from there. The final swimming hole at the top, with the little waterfalls was just loads of fun but I certainly overdid it with the swimming and forgot that I had to hike back🙂 ; I almost kissed the ground when I arrived back at the parking lot, coz my arms and legs were so fatigued and jelly-like that I was ready to be airlifted if I had to go any further! But note that there's no network at all throughout so be prepared to go really off-grid. Carry loads of snacks and drinking water. Although the river water is very clear, if you look closely you can see some green algae particles floating around so NOT for drinking. I met some guys at the top who were attempting to scale the cliff with ropes, which I guess you can do if you're into rock climbing and stuff, but there's a roundabout way which you can take if you want to continue the hike, otherwise the swimming hole would be a great place to turn back. Overall this is a great place for a good cardio workout and green scenic views...

Off 81 near Steele's Tavern is the rocky St. Mary's Falls trail. The moderately difficult, relatively flat trail is 5.5 mi r/t. It's follows alongside a beautiful, scenic creek that demands stepping around strewn tailings from iron ore & mangense mining from the past. The trail is not marked, so it gets confusing at times. Especially whenever it crosses the stream. You'll do this 5 times before arriving at your destination. Just commit yourself to wet feet. It's a lot safer than balancing on stepping stones and trying to avoid the water. There's a few spots for camping, one near the falls, a couple of deep swimming holes, and some narrow, tricky passages to navigate while hiking. I heard there's even good fishing here, as well....

Loved it so much, I came back with more people a couple weeks later!!! Not an easy hike, but sooo rewarding when you make it to the falls! Great spot for cliff jumping!!! Not real high, but jumping into the base of the waterfall offers a really cool effect! Also, a great place to take beginner cliff jumpers since there’s a small jump, the big jump at the waterfall, and just past the falls is a medium (5-6 foot) jumping spot. Every time I’ve been there, I’ve seen someone that’s never cliff jumped before jump from the smaller ones, build up their confidence, and eventually jump from the waterfall!!! As a heads up, I have seen snakes every time I’ve gone so just make sure you’re aware when...