Living and Loving Trails Hiking is a great way to spend the day, and for many people exploring state or national parks. The whopping number of nearly fifty state parks, along with thirteen National Forests, that Colorado boasts ensures you have no shortage of daylight hours and fresh air in gorgeous settings. Based On a Visit to Denver Colorado I think it is the perfect place where you can start exploring some top waterfall hikes.
Explore Stunning Waterfall Hikes Near Denver: Your Gateway to Colorado’s Scenic Trails
The landscape alone, which is 5000 feet above sea level (you know it as the Mile High City) has pros and cons of it’s own should be a contender enough aside from being known to have birthed cheeseburger. One of the best things about Denver is how close it is to nature — in a couple hours you can be on an incredible hike. If you want to know all the beneficial factors of that stunning hiking at each waterfall near Denver, then read this article throughout. From deserted beaches just a cab ride away from the busy streets sporting delicious local food to some of the best hiking in Brazil right outside your front door with cascading waterfalls and scenic trails you cannot help but enjoy.
1. Rifle Falls Near Rifle, Colorado: A Quick and Easy Adventure
- Distance: 0.2 to 1.5 Mile Round Trip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Drive Time from Denver: 3 Hours 30 Minutes
The largest triple waterfall east of the Rockies plunges 70 feet down here – yes, you read that right — three! It’s a year-round park that is an easy hour hike (more like 30 minutes). Perhaps the most impressive fact is that the trail at Rifle Falls can be a nice trip with kids because it offers disability access for all guests.
The Coyote Trail has a perfect viewing area of two caves and several waterfalls— so it’s an easy to navigate trail, end enjoyable to walk through! This place is super easy to drive up and has great picnic spots so makes for a nice casual day out. Park-goers are mainly found hiking, fishing, picnicking and photographing. Maximum of 20 camping sites are provided in the park from May to October. For those looking to go deeper into the cave, a flashlight could come in handy for guiding your way. No swimwear allowed so leave the trunks at home. Leashed dogs are allowed.
Rifle Falls can be accessed from Denver through a few different routes, but the quickest and most direct option is to drive. However, for those willing to sit back and enjoy the scenery, instead of driving you can catch a bus or train on Carcross to Atlin Highway (about four hours). Utilizing the bus offers a more reliable timetable with CDOT West Line, one-way for about $25 taking 4 hours and 25 minutes.
2. Adams Falls Near Grand Lake, Colorado: A Quick and Scenic Getaway
- Distance: 0.6 Mile Round Trip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Drive Time from Denver: 2 Hours 15 Minutes
If you’re looking for a short and sweet hike that’s appropriate for everyone, Adams Falls is nearby Rocky Mountain National Park. The Adams Falls Trail offers excellent viewing and a fine introductory waterfall hike.
This is most definitely an ultra light hike so come comfortable with some good hiking boots and a hat. A favorite expenditure of visitors is hiking, picnicking and photo snapping by the pretty waterfall. Remember That The Trail Is Open Between May And September The most beautiful and safest views come from this trail especially around East Inlet Creek. You can visit Colorado Road Conditions for before hitting the road so you are ready to go.
Either way, it is a time-efficient and low-cost option to get you closer to Adams Falls from Denver. Driving is still the easiest, but people like public transports for them bus ride can range from $80-$100 and take 2 hours & 36 min. On the other hand, you can also go for train which costs almost same but get there in 3 hours.
3. Fish Creek Falls Near Steamboat, Colorado: A Journey to a Majestic Waterfall
- Distance: 0.5 Miles Round Trip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Drive Time from Denver: 3 Hours
Be awed by the 284 foot Fish Creek Falls It is a short walk – about 30 minutes return. To fully enjoy the area you may want to consider arriving early, as Dupont is open year round from 6am-10pm The real beauty in this proximity is the falls and creek that embankments drain too
You can even ice climb here in the winter and there are also hiking trails at the park along with a picnic area for visitors to come out and get some fresh air. Three trails are available for visitors: the Fish Creek Falls Overlook Hike (a short ½ mile round trip with wide-open views of everything there); The Fish Creek Falls hike, a well-established path moving you along dirt and gravel to the far eastern end; and A combination trail up which is mostly an easy one-mile loop that offers elements from first two walks together leading into a nice picnic spot. Pack your hiking boots, and snowshoes for the long winters of to this guided hike! Also bring plenty of water.
Travelling to Fish Creek Falls from Denver will only take you just under 4 hours by car or a short hop on a plane. It’s cheaper to drive–about $20-$30 in fuel cost, but that also puts an additional ~160 miles worth of wear and tear on your vehicle. Or you could take a flight to Fish Creek Falls for less than $300, though the trip total length would be 3 hours and 28 minutes. Denver flights touch down at Yampa Valley before a 40-minute taxi journey to Falls Creek.
4. Zapata Falls Near Great Sand Dunes National Park: A Perfect Spot for Adventure
- Distance: 0.8 Mile Round Trip
- Difficulty: Easy
- Drive Time from Denver: 4 Hours
adventurous camping fun, for those wanting a bit more. Picnicking, camping, day hiking via eight miles of interconnected trails within the park and bird watching are also found at Lake Anna State Park. If you want to make the most of your hike, hit the trail super early in the morning (avoiding high midday temps and people) preparing for a 45-minute trek. Views of the creek, rock formations and waterfall will be memorised as you ascend up along this beautiful mountainside. Be sure to come prepared with water shoes, and good ones at that for optimal safety in the rocks near/around/on top of (you can hike down Oskar-ish?) that’s part of it too so Compile all your goods together guys!
Your trip from Denver to Zapata Falls will take around four hours. You can also fly from Denver to Alamosa instead, which will take a bit over an hour on the first leg of your trip. Drive to Alamosa, take a cab to Zapata Falls and the total is less than $200.
5. Helen Hunt Falls in Colorado Springs, Colorado: A Quick Escape to Nature
- Distance: 1/10th of a Mile Round Trip
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Drive Time from Denver: 1 Hour 45 Minutes
In Colorado Springs, Helen Hunt Falls is a 35-foot waterfall just steps from the parking area. It takes about 10 minutes to walk up the path of this Waterfall so it is a quick yet rewarding adventure. Aside from hiking, the site offers opportunities for mountain biking and picnicking as well photo ops of scenic views. Most only go as far the first waterfall, but if you’re up to more hiking there are also Silver Cascade Falls close by.
This is one of the nearest waterfall hikes to Denver out there, and makes for an easily accessible city escape. Helen Hunt Falls, a waterfall part of North Cheyenne Canon Park just outside Colorado SpringsIf you are driving from downtown Denver expect to be at Helen Hunts Fall in less than two hours. Those who rather use public transport cost about $60 per bus trip, which is 1 hours and 16 minutes transportation time from Greeley/Cheyenne to El Paso/Socorro the taxi ending point can reached in under a quarter hour.
From stunning vistas overlooking the Mile High City to impressive mountain scenes and, of course, beautiful waterfalls like these 7 waterfall hikes around Denver all bring something unique. Do consult the weather before you head out to prepare for your gear and clothing. What you need to carry: A backpack with water, snacks & tissue paper; comfortable clothes (swimwear too if applicable); sunblock lotion and hand sanitizer; a flashlight or torch light( becareful walking in case); aplaster kit for any first aid needed. The majority of these waterfall hikes are available year-round so pick your poison and go chase those PRs, pun intended. Happy hiking!
