Waterfall Hikes in Colorado

Waterfall Hikes in Colorado at a Glance

This page lists 10 waterfall hikes in Colorado from the Summit Seeker trail database. Summit elevations run from 6,620 ft (Rifle Falls) to 10,410 ft (Timberline Falls).

10 of the 10 routes have a distance we can quote from a published source. The shortest is Horseshoe Falls at 0.4 mi; the longest is Timberline Falls at 8.1 mi. Elevation gain ranges from about 15 ft (Copeland Falls) to 1,510 ft (Timberline Falls). Together the quoted routes add up to 26.9 miles of hiking. By their own ratings they break down as 6 easy, 2 moderate, 1 hard, 1 strenuous.

9 of the 10 guides name a specific trailhead or parking area; the others give the summit location and route line only.

Figures are as recorded in each trail's own data and are planning estimates (≈ marks a figure estimated from the mapped track); confirm conditions and route length with the land manager before you go.

Every waterfall hike in Colorado, with route facts

Trail	Summit	Route	Distance	Gain	Time	Difficulty	Trailhead
Timberline Falls	10,410 ft	Loch Vale Trail	8.1 mi round trip	1,510 ft	—	Strenuous	Glacier Gorge Trailhead
Ouzel Falls	9,540 ft	—	5.4 mi round trip	950 ft	—	Hard	Wild Basin Trailhead
Zapata Falls	9,430 ft	—	0.9 mi round trip	237 ft	—	Easy	—
Alberta Falls	9,410 ft	—	1.2 mi round trip	160 ft	—	Easy	Glacier Gorge Trailhead
Calypso Cascades	9,220 ft	Wild Basin Trail	3.6 mi round trip	610 ft	—	Moderate	Wild Basin Trailhead
Horseshoe Falls	9,020 ft	Alluvial Fan Trail	0.4 mi round trip	130 ft	—	Easy	East Alluvial Fan Trailhead
Fern Falls	8,790 ft	Fern Lake Trail	5.2 mi round trip	700 ft	—	Moderate	Fern Lake Trailhead
Copeland Falls	8,550 ft	Wild Basin Trail	0.6 mi round trip	15 ft	—	Easy	Wild Basin Trailhead
Adams Falls	8,530 ft	East Inlet Trail	0.6 mi round trip	68 ft	—	Easy	East Inlet Trailhead
Rifle Falls	6,620 ft	Coyote Trail	0.9 mi loop	116 ft	—	Easy	Rifle Falls Trailhead

Route notes

Timberline Falls — 8.1 mi round trip via the Loch Vale Trail from Glacier Gorge Trailhead, 1,510 ft of elevation gain, rated Strenuous.
Ouzel Falls — 5.4 mi round trip from Wild Basin Trailhead, 950 ft of elevation gain, rated Hard.
Zapata Falls — 0.9 mi round trip, 237 ft of elevation gain, rated Easy.
Alberta Falls — 1.2 mi round trip from Glacier Gorge Trailhead, 160 ft of elevation gain, rated Easy.
Calypso Cascades — 3.6 mi round trip via the Wild Basin Trail from Wild Basin Trailhead, 610 ft of elevation gain, rated Moderate.
Horseshoe Falls — 0.4 mi round trip via the Alluvial Fan Trail from East Alluvial Fan Trailhead, 130 ft of elevation gain, rated Easy. Parking: A park pass is required..
Fern Falls — 5.2 mi round trip via the Fern Lake Trail from Fern Lake Trailhead, 700 ft of elevation gain, rated Moderate.
Copeland Falls — 0.6 mi round trip via the Wild Basin Trail from Wild Basin Trailhead, 15 ft of elevation gain, rated Easy.
Adams Falls — 0.6 mi round trip via the East Inlet Trail from East Inlet Trailhead, 68 ft of elevation gain, rated Easy. Parking: Entrance fees may apply..
Rifle Falls — a 0.9-mile loop via the Coyote Trail from Rifle Falls Trailhead, 116 ft of elevation gain, rated Easy. Parking: A daily vehicle pass costs $10-$15..

8,530 ft