Colorado Waterfall Hikes

Colorado's waterfalls run hardest in June and early July, when the snowmelt peaks. These hikes range from short, popular walks to falls you pass on the way to a high lake.

Tip: Use a tripod and an ND filter for silky water (about 1/4 to 2 seconds). Overcast days or open shade avoid blown-out highlights in the spray, and a polarizer cuts glare on wet rock.

1.Hanging Lake
A turquoise travertine lake fed by waterfalls, reopened in 2026 after a five-year rebuild.
Distance: About 2.4 mi round trip · Elevation gain: About 1,000-1,200 ft · Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous (steep, rocky)
Best light: The lake sits in a shaded hanging valley, so soft light — overcast days or times when the lake is fully in shade — gives the best color and avoids blown-out falls. Fall brings gold to the surrounding trees, and spring runoff boosts the waterfalls.
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2.Booth Falls
A steep East Vail climb through aspens and wildflowers to a 60-foot waterfall in the Gore Range.
Distance: About 4 mi round trip to the falls; about 9 mi round trip to Booth Lake · Elevation gain: About 1,400 ft to the falls · Falls height: About 60 ft
Best light: Morning is best: you beat the crowds, and the falls are less likely to be in harsh, contrasty sun. Peak runoff in June gives the most water, mid-July brings wildflowers on the open slopes below the falls, and late September lights up the aspens.
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3.Staunton State Park
Granite domes, a hidden waterfall and old homestead cabins, less than an hour up US 285 from Denver.
Elk Falls hike: About 12 mi round trip · Elevation: About 8,100 ft to over 10,000 ft · Trails: About 37 miles
Best light: The big granite formations face a mix of directions, so plan around the specific rock: early and late light warms the cliffs and pulls texture out of the domes. Late September brings gold aspen pockets, and Elk Falls is fullest in late spring and early summer snowmelt; shoot the falls in shade or overcast for even light on the water.
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4.Steamboat Springs
A ranching and ski town on the Yampa River, ringed by hot springs, waterfalls and aspen country.
Elevation: About 6,870 ft · County: Routt County (county seat) · Incorporated: 1900
Best light: Fish Creek Falls sits in a shaded canyon east of town, so overcast days or early morning give the most even light on the water. Late September is prime for aspens in the surrounding hills, and winter evenings bring lit ski jumps and steaming hot springs.
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5.Sky Pond
Scramble beside Timberline Falls to a stark alpine lake ringed by the Sharkstooth and Taylor Peak.
Distance: About 9 mi round trip · Elevation gain: About 1,780 ft · Lake elevation: About 10,900 ft
Best light: Early morning light hits Taylor Peak and the Sharkstooth while the basin is still calm; most photographers time a pre-dawn start to reach the lakes in golden light. July brings wildflowers and roaring waterfalls, and September offers crisp light and fewer storms.
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6.The Loch
A moderate walk past Alberta Falls to a sparkling subalpine lake beneath Taylor Peak and the Sharkstooth.
Distance: About 5.7 mi round trip · Elevation gain: About 1,040 ft · Lake elevation: 10,190 ft
Best light: Morning is best: the peaks at the head of Loch Vale catch early light while the lake often sits calm, though wind can rise quickly. Mid to late September brings aspen color around Alberta Falls, and winter turns The Loch into a frozen, snow-covered amphitheater.
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7.Mohawk Lakes
Waterfalls, mining cabins and twin alpine lakes stacked above Breckenridge in the Tenmile Range.
Distance: About 6-7 mi round trip from Spruce Creek TH · Elevation gain: About 1,400-1,800 ft, depending on lake · Lake elevation: Lower Mohawk ~11,850 ft
Best light: Morning is best for calm lakes and soft light on Continental Falls. Late July into early August is peak wildflower season in the upper basin. Snowmelt in June and early July makes the falls thunder, but the upper trail may still hold snow. Clouds often build by midday, so plan to shoot the lakes early.
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8.Diamond Lake Trail
Waterfalls, wildflower meadows and a subalpine lake tucked beneath the Divide in the Indian Peaks.
Distance: About 5.8 mi round trip to Diamond Lake · Elevation gain: About 1,100 ft · Lake elevation: About 10,940 ft
Best light: Morning is best: you'll usually find calmer water for reflections and clearer skies before summer afternoon storms build over the Divide. Mid-July through early August is peak wildflower season; mid to late September adds golden willows and fewer people.
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9.Lost Lake
A waterfall-lined hike from the Hessie ghost town to a subalpine lake ringed by old mine workings.
Distance: About 4.2 mi round trip from shuttle drop-off · Elevation gain: About 800 ft · Lake elevation: Roughly 9,800 ft
Best light: Morning is best. The lake is calmest early, before breezes and crowds pick up, and the waterfalls are easier to expose in open shade. Late September brings golden aspens along the Hessie road and lower trail. June and early July have the strongest snowmelt in the cascades.
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10.Crystal Mill, Marble
Colorado's most photographed mill, perched on a rock ledge above the roaring Crystal River.
Distance: About 8-9 mi round trip on foot from the Marble lot · Elevation gain: About 850 ft · Trailhead: Parking area past Beaver Lake in Marble (start elevation about 8,150 ft)
Best light: The mill sits in a narrow, tree-lined canyon, so contrast can be brutal under midday sun; bright overcast or the softer light when the canyon is evenly lit is often easiest to work with. Late September aspen color and early-summer runoff, when the falls under the mill are at their fullest, are the two classic windows.
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11.Cascade Creek Trail
A long, waterfall-lined climb from Monarch Lake to two alpine lakes beneath the spire of Lone Eagle Peak.
Distance: About 14-15 mi round trip to Crater Lake · Elevation gain: Roughly 2,400-2,700 ft · Difficulty: Moderate trail, strenuous length
Best light: Early morning is the money window: the air is calmest, Mirror Lake is most likely to hold a clean reflection, and Lone Eagle Peak picks up side light from the east. Mid-July through August brings wildflowers along the creek and around the lakes.
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