Box Canyon Falls is located deep inside a box canyon near Ouray, Colorado. There's a short hike of about a 1/2 mile that includes crossing a suspension bridge over a gorge. The fall tumbles 285 feet down into the river at the bottom of the gorge, and it's especially strong in May and June. It's also beautiful in the winter when everything is frozen over.
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Helen Hunt Falls is named after Helen Maria Hunt Jackson, an American poet and activist for improved treatment of Native Americans in the 19th century. Located at Cheyenne Cañon Park, this fall is relatively short at 35 feet, but it's still impressive. It's pretty easily accessible and has a bridge that goes right over the top of it. From here, a short trail leads to the massive Silver Cascade, a 198-foot fall with an unusual spout due to an upturn in the rock face.
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We're not sure why so many people think that waterfalls look like bridal veils, but this particular one is the tallest waterfall in Colorado. Its 365-foot drop is located just outside of Telluride. A former Victorian mining town, Telluride itself is a big draw. Its historical district makes up a significant portion of the town and is actually on the National Register of Historic Places. You can hike around for better views, but you can also get a great view just by driving.
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Seven Falls is just what it sounds like—seven distinct waterfalls running down the walls of a 1,250-foot box canyon and dropping 181 feet at the end. A series of 224 steps leads up the mountain, as well as hiking trails. You can also take an elevator up, but where's the fun in that? Nearby is the Broadmoor Soaring Adventure that offers two zip-line courses around the canyons and woods.
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Ouzel Falls is located in Rocky Mountain National Park on a trail that's about 5.4-miles roundtrip. On your journey to this 40-foot-tall waterfall, you'll come across Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades. Try and go during the spring runoff. Some of these falls are good year-round, but the Calypso Cascades can get a little puny later in the year.
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Hanging Lake is a beautiful, jade-colored lake that hugs the edge of a cliff and is fed by the waterfalls that surround it. It may be one of the most beautiful site on this list, but it's also very delicate. Swimming in the lake is strictly prohibited. In fact, you can't so much as dip parts of your body into the water. The hike out is only a mile, but it's over steep terrain, so be prepared for that.
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Located between Lake City and Creede, North and South Clear Creek Falls are only a 3.5-mile drive from each other, and both are very short walks (five minutes or less from their respective parking lots). The best season to come, according to the Forest Service, is June through September. The North falls drop about 100 feet, while the South drops about 60. The overlook at North is gorgeous, but if you want to camp out, the Silver Thread Campground is very close to the South falls.
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Unfortunately, Boulder Falls has been closed for the last three years as a result of massive damage sustained by the trails in 2013. But the waterfall is such a symbol of the Colorado landscape that it seems remiss not to mention it. This fall is best in early summer when the spring snow melts and North Boulder Creek swells, tumbling over at Boulder Falls into Middle Boulder Creek. This land was preserved in 1914 when Charles G. Buckingham donated it to the city of Boulder for recreational use in order to save it from being tunneled through during the tungsten boom. Its beauty and importance were recognized even then, so here's hoping that it gets opened to the public again soon.
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Rifle falls is an iconic trio of 70-foot waterfalls that spout out over a natural limestone dam near the town of Rifle. Recently, pipes have been added to direct water flow from East Rifle Creek back towards the falls, which is a little sad, but perhaps not as sad as losing the falls themselves. The uniqueness of three powerful waterfalls, combined with the lush greens of the surrounding area, make this one a photographer-favorite. The walk from the parking lot to the falls is only about five minutes, so there is no excuse to not see these breath-taking falls.
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