Piedra Falls

The picturesque mountain town of Pagosa Springs, Colorado sits atop one of the deepest geothermal hot springs on earth—over 1,000 feet—which makes for some of the best soaking in the state. Not all the water around here is underground though. Just outside town, Piedra Falls is an off-the-beaten-path waterfall open for year-round visitation.

These falls are formed by runoff from the Piedra River, itself originating high in the nearby San Juan Mountains. Rainfall and snowmelt plummets 40 feet over a volcanic rock shelf into a base of several pools that visitors can wade and soak in during warmer months. And while it is a lesser-known destination in the Pagosa Springs area, it’s not at all difficult to reach.

The trailhead is just an hour from downtown, with the route climbing the scenic, forested foothills of Pagosa Peak. From the parking area, this out-and-back hike meanders a quick half-mile along the East Fork of the Piedra River, gaining just 100 feet in elevation. A roundtrip hike will take just about half an hour, not including the time spent at the falls. 

While there’s no wrong time to visit these hidden gem falls, you can expect some snowpack from December through April. The wintry falls may be less prodigious, but the frozen overspray can make for some otherworldly ice figures.