Zapata Falls

Zapata Falls is a waterfall in the Zapata Falls Recreation Area in Colorado, about 7 miles south of Great Sand Dunes National Park and 10 miles north of Alamosa. The trail to the falls is roughly half a mile (about 800 m) long, rocky and steep. Depending on water levels, you have to wade through Zapata Creek and walk through a narrow gorge at the end; the current can be strong and the rock slippery, and the air in the gorge stays cool. Sources give the height of the falls as anywhere between a little over 25 and 40 feet.

The trail lies at around 2,700 to 2,900 m (9,000 to 9,400 feet). From the campground above, the BLM says, you get a view across the national park with its dunes, the San Luis Valley and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. There is a picnic area and toilets at the entrance.

Important for campers: the 3.5-mile access road from Highway 150 is steep and rough, and the BLM recommends four-wheel drive. The campground has 23 single sites, reservable through recreation.gov. There is no water on site (as of the 2023 BLM brochure). Motorhome drivers should check the access road beforehand.