Waterfalls in Colorado

Where the waterfalls are in Colorado

Colorado's waterfalls are fed by mountain snow, and most are in the high country: the San Juans around Ouray and Telluride, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the canyons of the Front Range and the Western Slope.

Altitude matters here. High-elevation trails can hold snow into July, and afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, so an early start is standard.

Well-known waterfalls in Colorado

Hanging Lake

Bridal Veil Falls pours into this travertine-rimmed lake in Glenwood Canyon. A permit is required for the trail.

Bridal Veil Falls

At the end of the box canyon above Telluride, often called the tallest free-falling waterfall in Colorado. Falls near Bridal Veil Falls.

Rifle Falls

A triple fall of about 70 feet over a travertine dam in Rifle Falls State Park, with caves beside it. Falls near Rifle Falls.

Fish Creek Falls

A 280-foot fall a few miles from downtown Steamboat Springs, with an overlook and a trail to the base. Falls near Fish Creek Falls.

Box Canyon Falls

A fall roaring through a narrow slot canyon in Ouray, viewed from walkways bolted to the canyon wall.

Alberta Falls

One of the most visited falls in Rocky Mountain National Park, a short hike from the Glacier Gorge trailhead. Falls near Alberta Falls.

When to go

Snowmelt peaks from late May through early July. Many falls run through summer at lower volume, and several freeze in winter. See the best time to see waterfalls for how flow changes by region.

Colorado by the numbers

The map shows 124 named falls in Colorado. 80 of them are in the USGS Geographic Names Information System, the federal register of official place names, and 44 more are named falls mapped only in OpenStreetMap. 2 have a height recorded by OpenStreetMap mappers, which is what the height filter above uses. LarimerCounty has the most, with 14.

Tallest recorded waterfalls in Colorado

Heights as recorded in OpenStreetMap, converted to feet. Guidebooks may list different figures, usually because they count every tier of a fall or only the biggest drop. Why heights differ.

Counties with the most waterfalls

From the USGS record, which gives each fall's county.

Every named waterfall in Colorado

Alphabetical within each county. Tap a name to centre the map above on it.

Alamosa County (1)

Zapata Falls

Archuleta County (1)

Red Falls

Boulder County (10)

Boulder Falls (69 ft), Calypso Cascades, Copeland Falls, Fan Falls, Lyric Falls, Mertensia Falls, Ouzel Falls, Thunder Falls, Timberline Falls, Trio Falls

Chaffee County (3)

Agnes Vaille Falls, Bedrock Falls, The Falls

Custer County (3)

Crystal Falls, Macey Falls, Venable Falls

Dolores County (1)

Eagle Falls

Eagle County (1)

Whitnach Falls

El Paso County (5)

Helen Hunt Falls, Rainbow Falls, Saint Marys Falls, Seven Falls, Silver Cascade Falls

Garfield County (7)

Bessies Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, East Fork Falls, East Middle Fork Falls, Rifle Falls, South Fork Falls, West Fork Falls

Gilpin County (1)

Missouri Falls

Grand County (4)

Adams Falls, Cascade Falls, Granite Falls, War Dance Falls

Gunnison County (1)

Judd Falls

Hinsdale County (5)

Argenta Falls, Crooke Falls, North Clear Creek Falls, South Clear Creek Falls, Treasure Falls

Huerfano County (1)

Apache Falls

Jackson County (1)

Big Creek Falls

Lake County (1)

Snyder Falls

Larimer County (14)

Alberta Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, Chasm Falls, Columbine Falls, Fern Falls, Glacier Falls, Grace Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Lost Falls, Marguerite Falls, Poudre Falls, Ribbon Falls, Thousand Falls, Timberline Falls

Las Animas County (1)

Trinchera Falls

Mineral County (3)

Piedra Falls, Silver Falls, Treasure Falls (105 ft)

Moffat County (3)

Lower Disaster Falls, Triplet Falls, Upper Disaster Falls

Montezuma County (1)

McElmo Falls

Ouray County (3)

Bear Creek Falls, Cascade Falls, Gray Copper Falls

Park County (1)

Elk Falls

Pitkin County (1)

Hayes Creek Falls

Routt County (2)

Fish Creek Falls, Morgan Creek Falls

Saguache County (1)

Saguache Falls

San Miguel County (3)

Bridal Veil Falls, Cornel Falls, Ingram Falls

Summit County (1)

Snake River Falls

County not recorded (44)

Ames Falls, Bear Creek Falls, Beaver Falls, Big South Falls, Booth Falls, Bridal Veil, Browns Creek Falls, Cataract Falls, Chipeta Falls, Clear Creek Falls, Continental Falls, Devil’s Punch Bowl, Disappointment Falls, Dominguez Falls, East Vail Falls, Feather, Fish Creek Upper Falls, Fox Creek Falls, Grouse Hollow Falls, Hidden Falls, Hill, Horsetooth Falls, Hull, Lee Gulch, Lower Copeland Falls, Lower Ingram Falls, Lower Twin Falls, MacGregor Falls, Maxwell Falls, North Inlet Falls, Phoenix Park Waterfall, Ramona, Ryks Waterfall, Shorty, Sneffels Creek Falls, The Chutes, Twin Falls, Upper Copeland Falls, Upper Ingram Falls, Upper Twin Falls, Weimer, West Creek Falls, Willow Creek Falls, Windy Gulch Cascades

Before you go

The map shows where falls are, not whether they are open or safe to reach. Check the land manager, usually a state park or national forest, for closures, fees and permits, and stay on the trail near the water. Our waterfall safety guide covers the hazards, and waterfall hikes near me explains how to pick a trail.

Waterfalls near cities in Colorado

Every named fall within driving range of the city, nearest first: waterfalls near Denver, waterfalls near Colorado Springs.

Waterfalls in nearby states: Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona. Or see waterfalls in every state.