Rifle Falls Hike
Waterfall · about 70 ft high | Colorado
0.9 mi loop
116 ft
Easy
Rifle Falls Hike at a Glance
The Rifle Falls hike via the Coyote Trail is 0.9 mi loop with 116 ft of elevation gain.
| Falls height | About 70 ft |
|---|---|
| Elevation at the falls | ≈ 6,620 ft |
| Trail | Coyote Trail |
| Distance | 0.9 mi loop |
| Elevation gain | 116 ft |
| Difficulty | Easy |
Your time: about 20 min of moving time at Naismith pace (3 mph plus 1 hour per 2,000 ft climbed); about 25 min at a relaxed pace. A 160 lb hiker with a daypack burns roughly 200 kcal.
Adjust for your pace and breaks →Route line not shown. The 0.9 mi distance and 116 ft of gain for this hike are verified (trails.colorado.gov), but we don't yet have a trail track we trust, so the map shows only the destination. Carry an official map.
About Rifle Falls
Rifle Falls is a waterfall in Colorado, about 70 feet high, on land managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Rifle Falls State Park). Its height is from en.wikipedia.org.
The Hike
The hike to the falls follows the Coyote Trail: 0.9 miles as a loop with about 116 feet of elevation gain, from Rifle Falls Trailhead. Distance from trails.colorado.gov. By the National Park Service difficulty formula (distance against climb) that puts it at Easy.
Before You Go
- A daily vehicle pass costs $10-$15. (cpw.state.co.us)
- Rock around waterfalls is slick when wet; stay on the trail and back from the edge.
- Check Colorado Parks and Wildlife (Rifle Falls State Park) for current conditions, closures and parking before you go.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the hike to Rifle Falls?
The Coyote Trail to Rifle Falls is 0.9 miles as a loop with about 116 feet of elevation gain.
Where does the Rifle Falls hike start?
It starts from Rifle Falls Trailhead.
How tall is Rifle Falls?
Rifle Falls is about 70 feet high.
Is there a fee to hike to Rifle Falls?
A daily vehicle pass costs $10-$15.
Safety Information
Current Hazards
- Slippery wet rock near the falls
- Fast, high water after rain or snowmelt
- Check weather before departure
Turn-Around Time
1:00 PM (2:00 PM summer)
Plan to reach the falls by this time so you are back before dark.
Essential Gear Checklist
* Critical items - do not hike without these
Emergency Contacts
Emergency / Search & Rescue
911Point Forecast
NWS Point Forecast →In most of the US, backcountry search and rescue is dispatched through 911 — tell the operator you have a hiker emergency and your GPS coordinates.
Downloads
Sources for The Rifle Falls Guide
Where the trail data, elevation and route line on this page come from.
- Verified against
- trails.colorado.gov
- Distance
- trails.colorado.gov
- Falls height
- en.wikipedia.org
- Falls location
- en.wikipedia.org
- Elevation
- ≈ Copernicus GLO-90 elevation model at the falls coordinates (via Open-Meteo)
Conditions change. Check the land manager for closures, fees and weather before you go.