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Waterfalls in Colorado

82 waterfalls in Colorado with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Larimer County has the most (14). The darkest skies are at Bridal Veil Falls (Bortle 1).

Top waterfalls

Zapata FallsWaterfall
Zapata FallsAlamosa County · 2,868 m
Chasm FallsWaterfall
Chasm FallsLarimer County · 2,760 m
Fish Creek FallsWaterfall
Fish Creek FallsRoutt County · 2,297 m
Bridal Veil FallsWaterfall
Bridal Veil FallsSan Miguel County · 3,132 m
Seven FallsWaterfall
Seven FallsEl Paso County · 2,101 m
North Clear Creek FallsWaterfall
North Clear Creek FallsHinsdale County · 3,052 m
Helen Hunt FallsWaterfall
Helen Hunt FallsEl Paso County · 2,206 m
Rainbow FallsWaterfall
Rainbow FallsEl Paso County · 2,019 m
Silver Cascade FallsWaterfall
Silver Cascade FallsEl Paso County · 2,313 m
Treasure FallsWaterfall
Treasure FallsMineral County · 2,603 m
Snake River FallsWaterfall
Snake River FallsSummit County · 3,222 m
Agnes Vaille FallsWaterfall
Agnes Vaille FallsChaffee County · 2,829 m

Waterfalls by county

All waterfalls (82)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Zapata FallsGreat Sand DunesAlamosa County2,868 mAlamosa East2
Chasm FallsRocky MountainLarimer County2,760 mEstes Park3
Fish Creek FallsRoutt County2,297 mSteamboat Springs4
Bridal Veil FallsSan Miguel County3,132 mTelluride1
Seven FallsEl Paso County2,101 mColorado Springs7
North Clear Creek FallsHinsdale County3,052 mOuray1
Helen Hunt FallsEl Paso County2,206 mManitou Springs6
Rainbow FallsEl Paso County2,019 mManitou Springs6
Silver Cascade FallsEl Paso County2,313 mManitou Springs6
Treasure FallsMineral County2,603 mPagosa Springs1
Snake River FallsSummit County3,222 mKeystone3
Agnes Vaille FallsChaffee County2,829 mBuena Vista2
Copeland FallsRocky MountainBoulder County2,598 mEstes Park4
Adams FallsRocky MountainGrand County2,584 mGranby3
Bear Creek FallsOuray County2,573 mOuray1
Ouzel FallsRocky MountainBoulder County2,895 mEstes Park4
Alberta FallsRocky MountainLarimer County2,867 mEstes Park3
Fern FallsRocky MountainLarimer County2,686 mEstes Park3
Calypso CascadesRocky MountainBoulder County2,832 mEstes Park4
Elk FallsPark County2,661 mBailey4
Marguerite FallsRocky MountainLarimer County2,880 mEstes Park3
Hayes Creek FallsPitkin County2,282 mCarbondale2
Ralston Creek FallsOuray County—Ouray1
Bears Gulch FallsPitkin County—Snowmass Village2
Apache FallsHuerfano County2,675 mColorado City2
Argenta FallsHinsdale County2,730 mOuray1
Bedrock FallsChaffee County3,430 mBuena Vista2
Bridal Veil FallsGarfield County2,198 mGlenwood Springs3
Cascade FallsOuray County2,552 mOuray1
Cornel FallsSan Miguel County2,800 mTelluride1
Crooke FallsHinsdale County2,659 mOuray1
Crystal FallsGreat Sand DunesCuster County2,835 mColorado City2
Eagle FallsDolores County2,762 mMountain Village1
East Fork FallsGarfield County2,310 mParachute2
East Middle Fork FallsGarfield County2,031 mParachute2
The FallsChaffee County2,430 mBuena Vista3
Gray Copper FallsOuray County3,309 mOuray1
Ingram FallsSan Miguel County3,341 mTelluride1
Judd FallsGunnison County2,979 mCrested Butte2
Macey FallsGreat Sand DunesCuster County3,453 mCenter2
McElmo FallsMesa VerdeMontezuma County1,794 mCortez4
Missouri FallsGilpin County2,620 mIdaho Springs4
Piedra FallsMineral County2,563 mPagosa Springs1
Red FallsArchuleta County2,686 mPagosa Springs1
Rifle FallsGarfield County2,013 mSilt2
Saguache FallsSaguache County3,284 mDel Norte1
Saint Marys FallsEl Paso County2,723 mManitou Springs6
Silver FallsMineral County3,304 mDel Norte1
Snyder FallsLake County2,963 mLeadville2
South Clear Creek FallsHinsdale County2,941 mOuray1
South Fork FallsGarfield County2,627 mNew Castle2
Treasure FallsHinsdale County2,745 mOuray1
Trinchera FallsLas Animas County1,652 mTrinidad1
Venable FallsCuster County3,196 mCañon City2
West Fork FallsGarfield County2,164 mParachute2
Whitnach FallsEagle County2,071 mBasalt4
Bessies FallsGarfield County2,829 mGypsum2
Big Creek FallsJackson County2,819 mSteamboat Springs2
Boulder FallsBoulder County2,149 mNederland5
Bridal Veil FallsRocky MountainLarimer County2,715 mEstes Park4
Cascade FallsRocky MountainGrand County2,682 mEstes Park3
Columbine FallsRocky MountainLarimer County3,501 mEstes Park4
Fan FallsRocky MountainBoulder County3,383 mEstes Park3
Glacier FallsRocky MountainLarimer County3,010 mEstes Park3
Grace FallsRocky MountainLarimer County3,130 mEstes Park3
Granite FallsRocky MountainGrand County2,990 mEstes Park3
Horseshoe FallsRocky MountainLarimer County2,729 mEstes Park3
Lost FallsRocky MountainLarimer County3,005 mEstes Park3
Lower Disaster FallsMoffat County1,599 mNaples1
Lyric FallsRocky MountainBoulder County3,100 mEstes Park4
Mertensia FallsRocky MountainBoulder County3,170 mEstes Park4
Morgan Creek FallsRoutt County2,045 mHayden2
Poudre FallsLarimer County2,622 mEstes Park3
Ribbon FallsRocky MountainLarimer County3,222 mEstes Park3
Thousand FallsRocky MountainLarimer County2,774 mEstes Park3
Thunder FallsRocky MountainBoulder County3,320 mEstes Park4
Timberline FallsRocky MountainLarimer County3,189 mEstes Park3
Timberline FallsBoulder County2,810 mNederland4
Trio FallsRocky MountainBoulder County3,450 mEstes Park3
Triplet FallsMoffat County1,576 mNaples1
Upper Disaster FallsMoffat County1,771 mNaples1
War Dance FallsRocky MountainGrand County3,031 mEstes Park3

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph waterfalls

Waterfalls photograph best in soft, even light: overcast days, deep shade, or the hour after sunrise before direct sun hits the water. Bright sun on white water blows highlights and adds harsh contrast.

  • Use 1/4 to 1 second for a silky look; 1/500 s or faster freezes individual drops.
  • A circular polarizer cuts glare on wet rocks and leaves and deepens greens — rotate it while watching the rocks, not the sky.
  • Spring snowmelt and the days after heavy rain give the strongest flow; late summer flow can drop to a trickle.
  • Look for a foreground: a mossy boulder, a fallen log or the creek's leading lines make a stronger frame than the falls alone.
  • Keep a microfiber cloth handy — spray drifts onto the lens, especially at the plunge pool.

Season: Peak flow is usually in late spring; autumn adds color around the falls, and winter can bring ice formations at colder locations.