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Waterfalls in New Mexico

14 waterfalls in New Mexico with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Sandoval County has the most (4). The darkest skies are at Folsom Falls (Bortle 1).

Top waterfalls

Sitting Bull FallsWaterfall
Sitting Bull FallsEddy County · 1,481 m
Jemez FallsWaterfall
Jemez FallsSandoval County · 2,374 m
Waterfall
Folsom FallsUnion County · 1,876 m
Waterfall
Big FallsMcKinley County · 2,120 m
Waterfall
Catfish Falls (historical)Guadalupe County · 1,426 m
Waterfall
Chamisa Vega Spring FallsSandoval County · 1,860 m
Waterfall
The FallsCibola County · 2,231 m
Waterfall
Garcia FallsSocorro County · 1,878 m
Waterfall
Lower Frijoles FallsSandoval County · 1,745 m
Waterfall
Nambe FallsSanta Fe County · 2,047 m
Waterfall
Pecos FallsMora County · 3,195 m
Waterfall
Petrero WaterfallRio Arriba County · 2,299 m

Waterfalls by county

All waterfalls (14)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Sitting Bull FallsCarlsbad CavernsEddy County1,481 mCarlsbad1
Jemez FallsSandoval County2,374 mJemez Pueblo3
Folsom FallsUnion County1,876 mRaton1
Big FallsMcKinley County2,120 mGallup2
Catfish Falls (historical)Guadalupe County1,426 mSanta Rosa2
Chamisa Vega Spring FallsSandoval County1,860 mJemez Pueblo3
The FallsCibola County2,231 mThoreau2
Garcia FallsSocorro County1,878 mTruth or Consequences1
Lower Frijoles FallsBandelierSandoval County1,745 mWhite Rock3
Nambe FallsSanta Fe County2,047 mNambe3
Pecos FallsMora County3,195 mChimayo2
Petrero WaterfallRio Arriba County2,299 mOhkay Owingeh2
Rio Quemado FallsRio Arriba County3,375 mChimayo2
Upper Frijoles FallsBandelierSandoval County1,769 mWhite Rock3

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.