If you are looking for an Only in Colorado activity to do in the coming weeks, we have just the thing for you: visit one of our many breathtaking waterfalls! While visiting some Colorado waterfalls can be downright strenuous (thanks to long hikes and steep terrain), we are blessed to have several that are easy to find and easy to access, like the beautiful and iconic Zapata Falls:
Located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near the equally iconic Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Zapata Falls is one of Colorado’s easiest hikes with one of the most significant rewards.
Flickr/daveynin
Fed by the snowmelt from the San Juan Mountains, Zapata Falls is a stunning 25-foot-tall waterfall that is - thanks to the encompassing rocks and cliffs - one of the most unique in Colorado.
AllTrails/Allison Frary
In addition to the gorgeous falls themselves, visitors of Zapata will also get a chance to view the nearby Great Sand Dunes, which can be clearly seen via the Falls’ parking lot!
AllTrails/Ricardo Sanchez
Fortunately, adventurers will not have to work too hard to get a glimpse of Zapata’s beauty, as the waterfall trail is a mere .9-miles out and back.
AllTrails/Jacqueline Leclaire
Please note: Despite the short distance, the trail can sometimes be challenging to navigate, thanks to cold temperatures and often slippery rocks.
Google/Travis Jamail
No matter when you visit, you are guaranteed to fall in love with Zapata Falls, which flows freely in the spring, summer, and fall, and turns into a gigantic ice sculpture come winter!
AllTrails/Jennifer Prokop
To access Zapata Falls, take Highway 150 north from Alamosa for 12 miles to the intersection with Highway 160, then turn right at the Zapata Falls Recreational Area sign, and head east for 3 miles.
Flickr/JBColorado
Which Colorado waterfall is your favorite? Let us know in the comments or via our nomination page! For even more to do in the area, click on The Day Trip Of A Lifetime You Can Only Take In Colorado.
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Address: Zapata Falls, Colorado 81146, USA
Located at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains near the equally iconic Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Zapata Falls is one of Colorado’s easiest hikes with one of the most significant rewards.
Flickr/daveynin
Fed by the snowmelt from the San Juan Mountains, Zapata Falls is a stunning 25-foot-tall waterfall that is - thanks to the encompassing rocks and cliffs - one of the most unique in Colorado.
AllTrails/Allison Frary
In addition to the gorgeous falls themselves, visitors of Zapata will also get a chance to view the nearby Great Sand Dunes, which can be clearly seen via the Falls’ parking lot!
AllTrails/Ricardo Sanchez
Fortunately, adventurers will not have to work too hard to get a glimpse of Zapata’s beauty, as the waterfall trail is a mere .9-miles out and back.
AllTrails/Jacqueline Leclaire
Please note: Despite the short distance, the trail can sometimes be challenging to navigate, thanks to cold temperatures and often slippery rocks.
Google/Travis Jamail
No matter when you visit, you are guaranteed to fall in love with Zapata Falls, which flows freely in the spring, summer, and fall, and turns into a gigantic ice sculpture come winter!
AllTrails/Jennifer Prokop
To access Zapata Falls, take Highway 150 north from Alamosa for 12 miles to the intersection with Highway 160, then turn right at the Zapata Falls Recreational Area sign, and head east for 3 miles.
Flickr/JBColorado
Which Colorado waterfall is your favorite? Let us know in the comments or via our nomination page! For even more to do in the area, click on The Day Trip Of A Lifetime You Can Only Take In Colorado.
Flickr/daveynin
AllTrails/Allison Frary
AllTrails/Ricardo Sanchez
AllTrails/Jacqueline Leclaire
Google/Travis Jamail
AllTrails/Jennifer Prokop
Flickr/JBColorado
