Waterfall Hikes in Colorado (CO)

3 Parks
468 Major Cities
81 Waterfalls

to explore

Colorado’s waterfalls are concentrated in high-elevation terrain — the Rocky Mountains, Continental Divide, San Juan and Front Range — and descend through alpine basins, glacial cirques, steep river gorges, canyon walls and western mesas where tributaries drop into deep valleys. Hikes range from numerous moderate backcountry treks and many short, family-friendly trails to a handful of drive-up and remote technical routes, with seasonal snowmelt, thin-air alpine settings and dramatic vertical relief distinguishing Colorado’s waterfall experiences. See waterfalls near major Colorado cities .

Popular Difficulties

Moderate: 25 trails
Easy: 21 trails
Unknown: 15 trails

Trail Types

Loop: 1 trails
Out And Back: 59 trails
Out And Back: 1 trails
Unknown: 20 trails

Parks in Colorado

0 Waterfalls

0.0 Total Trail Miles

0 Waterfalls

0.0 Total Trail Miles

25 Waterfalls

106.8 Total Trail Miles

Flowing strongest right now in Colorado

Updated about 2 hours ago

Ranked by live stream-gauge flow versus each waterfall's seasonal normal.

  1. 1 Big Creek Falls Roaring · 57 cfs 99th percentile
  2. 2 Chasm Falls Roaring · 1 cfs 92nd percentile
  3. 3 McElmo Falls Strong · 194 cfs 78th percentile
  4. 4 Morgan Creek Falls Strong · 15 cfs 75th percentile
  5. 5 Lower Disaster Falls Moderate · 363 cfs 73rd percentile
  6. 6 Upper Disaster Falls Moderate · 363 cfs 73rd percentile

Winter guide: Frozen waterfalls in Colorado, ranked every night by sustained cold at each falls.

Best Waterfall Hikes in Colorado

Our top picks based on trail quality and scenic value.

Colorado
Hard
19.2 miles 1,050 ft
Colorado
Hard
16.2 miles 2,350 ft
In Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado
Hard
14.0 miles 1,900 ft
Colorado
Hard
12.0 miles 1,500 ft
Colorado
Moderate
6.4 miles 778 ft
In Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado
Moderate
5.4 miles 950 ft

All Waterfall Hikes in Colorado

In Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado
Unknown
Unknown Unknown
LiDAR terrain view around Macey Falls in Colorado, about 123 feet of drop LiDAR
Colorado
Moderate
6.0 miles Unknown
In Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado
Unknown
Unknown Unknown
LiDAR terrain view around McElmo Falls in Colorado, about 64 feet of drop LiDAR
Colorado
Unknown
Unknown Unknown
In Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado
Moderate
3.0 miles 500 ft
Colorado
Unknown
Unknown Unknown
Colorado
Unknown
Unknown Unknown
Colorado
Drive Up
0.1 miles 50 ft
In Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado
Moderate
5.4 miles 950 ft
Colorado
Easy
1.2 miles 200 ft
Colorado
Drive Up
0.4 miles Unknown
Colorado
Easy
0.5 miles Unknown
Colorado
Unknown
Unknown Unknown
In Rocky Mountain National Park
Colorado
Moderate
4.5 miles Unknown
Colorado
Easy
1.5 miles 100 ft
Colorado
Easy
1.0 miles 200 ft
Colorado
Moderate
6.3 miles Unknown
Colorado
Moderate
0.8 miles 224 ft
Colorado
Easy
0.7 miles 200 ft
Colorado
Easy
0.5 miles 100 ft

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Major Cities in Colorado

Waterfall Hikes Near Denver

2.7 M residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Colorado Springs

638.2 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Fort Collins

335.4 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Lakewood

156.1 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Thornton

141.8 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Grand Junction

138.4 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Pueblo

120.4 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Boulder

118.1 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Centennial

107.7 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Loveland

76.5 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Castle Rock

74.1 K residents

Waterfall Hikes Near Broomfield

73.9 K residents

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