Zapata Falls, Mosca, Colorado | A Free Refreshing Attraction in the Summer

This is a quick video I took at Zapata Falls. We visit these falls every year we go to our cabin. It can get busy with people, but it's still a nice place to sit down and cool off.

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Zapata Falls, Mosca, Colorado | A Free Refreshing Attraction in the Summer

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Zapata Falls is remarkable waterfall hidden in the vast San Luis Valley. Access to the falls requires a half-mile, uphill hike. From atop the Zapata Falls recreation area you see can the whole valley.

It’s located just down the road from the Great Sand Dunes. It’s a worthwhile stop, offering a scenic high elevation camping are, a fun hike and a rewarding waterfall. It’s a BLM Special Recreation Management Area. In the winter, it’s used as an ice climbing spot.

Waterfall Hiking Trail near Alamosa Rio Grande National Forest Zapata Falls Trail

To really see the waterfall, you’ll need to step over the creek on wet rocks. Wear good shoes and remember your camera. From the parking area, it’s about a 20 minute hike to the falls.

The waterfall is sheltered in its own grotto, so you have to climb in a bit to soak it best in. Like most waterfalls, it’s best visited in spring in May or June, while it’s raging the most.

Zapata Falls area is a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Special Recreation Management Area. The campground is located on BLM Road 5415, seven miles southwest of the Great Sand Dunes National Park. For ALL information on the Zapata Falls area, Please call the San Luis Valley Field Office at 719-852-7074.

Zapata Falls Trail is a 0.9 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Mosca, Colorado that features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from April until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

The falls were formed when South Zapata Creek wore a groove in the crystalline rocks of the Sangre de Cristos, allowing its water to spill onto the soft alluvial soils below. Over millennia, the creek has carved a dim, deep and narrow chasm through which water tumbles some 30 feet. In the summer, the falls offer a cool respite; winter temperatures turn them into a giant ice sculpture.

The views of the valley and the Sand Dunes are fantastic from Zapata Falls, and there are four miles of well-marked hiking and mountain biking trails below the parking area. Access into the mountain peaks and wilderness area is also available on Forest Service Trail #852 beginning in the parking area. This trail follows South Zapata Creek to South Zapata Lake. There are several ruins of cabins along the trail to view.

The falls are particularly impressive in winter when it freezes into a sculpture of ice. In both fall and summer, the water is cold and the rocks can be slippery, so use good judgment as to whether or not you are up to the challenge. Even in the summer, air temperatures inside the alcove can be cool, so bring a jacket.

Access Zapata Falls from Highway 150, 12 miles north of the intersection with highway 160. Turn right at the sign and travel three miles on the dirt road to the parking area.