RT Treasure Falls

Waterfall in the San Juan Mountains, 15 miles northeast of Pagosa Springs, named after a local legend about "a treasure of gold" buried in the mountain that the falls plunge from

General Information

Length, Elevation Gain & Difficulty:

Length: ~0.5–0.6 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: ~100–150 feet
Difficulty: Easy

Hours:

Open daily, year-round during daylight hours
Access may be limited in winter due to snow and road conditions

Fees:

Free; donations may be requested for parking area maintenance

Pet Policy:

Dogs allowed on leash

Closest cities with hotels:

Pagosa Springs (15 mi)
South Fork (50 mi)
Alamosa (100 mi)

Seasons:

Late spring through fall (best water flow); accessible year-round with caution in winter

Location:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/9t3N3o7kF4tVJp2d7Treasure Falls Trailhead, US-160, Pagosa Springs, CO

Website:

fs.usda.gov

How to Get There

From Pagosa Springs (15 mi): Take US-160 east from town and follow the highway toward Wolf Creek Pass until you reach the clearly marked roadside parking area for the falls.

Overview

Treasure Falls is a waterfall in the San Juan Mountains, within Mineral County, Colorado. It is located in the San Juan National Forest, off U.S. Route 160, about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Pagosa Springs. The falls are named after a local legend about "a treasure of gold" buried in the mountain that the falls plunge from.

Access

The trailhead is off Highway 160. The falls are somewhat visible from the parking lot, and a short and moderately steep hike of about 300 feet (91 m) of elevation gain will bring hikers to the base of the falls, where there is a foot bridge for viewing. A switchback trail will take hikers closer to the plunge base, called the "Misty Deck" where hikers can view and feel the spray of the falls.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Treasure Falls", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0