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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2020
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DENVERPOST.COM
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THE DENVER POST
Find winter magic on a hike to these frozen waterfalls
boat; a ¼-mile one-way hike will get you to the lower falls. (A second fall is another 2.5 miles up the trail with nearly 2,000 feet of elevation gain.) The trail is typically pretty packed down from foot traffic and fairly easy to follow. Fish Creek Falls is open year-round 6 a.m.-10 p.m. and requires a $5 vehicle day use fee.
Bridal Veil Falls
Where: Telluride At 365 feet — a foot for each day of the year! (Unless it’s leap year, but that nonsense is behind us in 2020.) — Bridal Veil is the tallest free-falling cascade in Colorado. It’s a neat sight when it’s completely frozen over. Finding the falls: Trekking to the falls is discouraged during the winter months (and the 4WD road leading to its base is closed to cars), but you can still see the awe-inspiring waterfall in all its frozen glory from the end of Telluride’s box canyon. Just take Colorado Avenue east out of town for a couple miles until the pavement ends.
Rifle Falls
Waterfalls may be more visually intriguing when they’re frozen over than when they’re gushing. An ice climber scales a human-made ice cliff known as the Pic o’ the Vic section at the Ouray Ice Park on Jan. 11, 2019. Andy Cross, Denver Post file By Allyson Reedy Special to The Denver Post
Can you call it a waterfall if the water isn’t falling? We vote yes, and believe winter to be the coolest — see what we did there? — time to check out these frozen-over cascades. (Waterstill just doesn’t have the same ring to it.) In fact, waterfalls might be at their peak majesty when iced over and dusted in newly fallen snow, creating a scene straight out of Arendelle or Narnia or some other idyllic, frosted land that isn’t in a children’s movie. Hanging Lake may be the first spot you think of for impressive, wintry frozen falling water, but the Grizzly Creek fire burned areas above the trail and the lake, prompting White River National Forest Service officials to close the trail due to safety concerns. No reopening date has been announced. Luckily, Colorado is full of falls. Here are nine frozen cascades sure to stun and inspire. All you need are warm clothes, common sense — some trails will be icy; some will be dif-
ficult to follow — and a spirit for adventure.
Fish Creek Falls
Where: Steamboat Springs The 283-foot waterfall is a favorite for local ice climbers and snowshoers alike. The short but snowy trek to the falls is straight out of a fairy tale winter wonderland, lined with evergreens along the way. Finding the falls: The parking area and trailhead is just a few miles from downtown Steam-
Where: Rifle Described as tropical in the warm months, Rifle Falls transforms into a fairy tale-esque sight in winter, complete with icy daggers, frozen spray and sparkling spires. And since you drove all that way, be sure to stop at Rifle Mountain Park for the equally stunning ice caves — limestone caves full of beautiful turquoise icicles. Finding the falls: For prime viewing, head up the short, easy-to-follow trail. It’s just .2 miles round-trip, but there are other trails from the base of the falls if you want to further explore the area. Rifle Falls is open year-round 6 a.m.-10 p.m. and entry to Rifle Falls State Park is $8 per day, per vehicle. (An annual state parks vehicle pass costs $80.)
Seven Falls
Where: Colorado Springs This 181-foot, seventiered wonder is privately owned by The Broadmoor, but publicly loved by falling water aficionados. In winter, the falls are lit up with rainbow lights, adding a touch of festivity to the granite chambered ice sculptures. The falls sit in a 1,250-foot tall box canyon with hiking trails winding through the trees. Finding the falls: Park at Norris Penrose Event Center, where you’ll be shuttled 4 miles to the falls’ entrance. It’s then a .8 mile walk to the base of the falls and optional 224-step climb WATERFALLS » 9
