Elk Falls Guide Before Visiting 2026 Updated

Elk Falls is a waterfall in Park County, Colorado, about 10 miles southwest of Evergreen. This guide covers what to check, bring and expect before you go, using visitor ratings, official USGS records and live conditions for this exact location.

At a glance

Location

Park County, CO

Nearest town

Evergreen (10 mi)

Visitor rating

★★★★☆ 4.2 from 29 reviews

Crowds

Quieter

Coordinates

39.50610, -105.41361

USGS topo

Meridian Hill quad

Getting there

Elk Falls sits about 10 miles southwest of Evergreen in Park County. Navigate to the coordinates 39.50610, -105.41361, which mark the waterfall itself; the trailhead or parking area may be some distance away.

Open directions in Google Maps or Apple Maps, or view the map on the Elk Falls listing. Navigation apps sometimes route onto seasonal forest roads, so check road status if you are heading into the mountains.

Most Colorado falls are on federal land: Rocky Mountain National Park, plus national forests such as Arapaho-Roosevelt, Pike-San Isabel, San Juan, Rio Grande and White River. Rifle Falls is in a state park, and Helen Hunt Falls is in a city park in Colorado Springs. Rocky Mountain National Park has used timed-entry reservations in busy seasons, so check current requirements before going. Popular trailheads fill early, and some cities and parks run shuttles. Altitude is a real factor: trails often start above 8,000 feet, and visitors from low elevations tire quickly. Snowmelt creeks are icy cold and fast, and spray-coated rock near falls stays slick. Lightning is the most serious summer hazard above treeline, and some high access roads require high-clearance vehicles or open only in summer.

What to bring

This checklist is tailored to Elk Falls based on what visitors report and the conditions typical of Colorado. For the complete list, see our waterfall hike packing guide.

• Offline map and coordinates. Save 39.50610, -105.41361 and download offline maps; cell service is often weak near waterfalls.
• Shoes with real grip. Rock near falling water stays wet and slick even in dry weather.
• Water and a snack. More than you think you need, even for a short walk.
• A light rain layer. Spray from the falls and quick-moving showers can soak you.
• Headlamp. In case your visit runs later than planned; check sunset time in the conditions panel above.

How to prepare

Timing

Snowmelt sets the calendar. Lower falls along the foothills, like Helen Hunt Falls, often peak in May, while high-country falls in Rocky Mountain National Park and the San Juans usually run strongest from early June into early July, after the main melt reaches the upper basins. By late August many smaller falls thin noticeably, though larger creeks keep running. July and August also bring an afternoon monsoon pattern, with lightning on exposed ridges and brief downpours, so early starts are the norm. Late September adds golden aspens to the scenery with lower flows. In winter, several falls freeze into ice formations, and some high roads and trailheads are not plowed. Weekends in summer bring heavy crowds to the Front Range and Telluride. With 29 reviews, it sees fewer visitors than the region's headline falls, so you may have it to yourself on a weekday.

Safety

Stay behind railings and off wet rock, never climb on the falls, and keep children within arm's reach near the water. Check the weather panel above for flood or storm alerts before you set out; water levels can rise fast after upstream rain. Our waterfall safety guide covers the most common hazards.

Respect the place

Pack out everything you bring, stay on established paths to limit erosion, and leave rocks and plants where they are. See Leave No Trace at waterfalls.

What visitors say

Elk Falls holds a 4.2-star average across 29 Google reviews, and 66% of reviewers give it five stars. That makes it the most reviewed waterfall in Park County. Visitors have shared 60 photos.

See the rating breakdown or read reviews on Google.

History of the area

Elk Falls was entered in the Geographic Names Information System on October 13, 1978, and it appears on the USGS Meridian Hill 7.5-minute topographic map.

Its neighbors on the map tell the story of the surrounding land: Chimney Rock (pillar, under 0.1 mi), Lions Head (summit, 0.5 mi), North Elk Creek (stream, 0.6 mi), and North Fork North Elk Creek (stream, 1.0 mi).

Pikes Peak, Sangre de Cristo and Sawatch. South of Denver, falls are tucked into canyons at the foot of high, steep ranges. Helen Hunt Falls in North Cheyenne Canon near Colorado Springs is one of the state's most visited, since it sits beside a road with a trail leading higher. In the San Luis Valley, Zapata Falls hides inside a narrow rock crevice in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, reached by wading over slippery stones. The Wet Mountains and Sangres around Westcliffe, and the Sawatch Range near Buena Vista, add falls fed by snowfields on fourteeners and high ridges. These eastern slopes are drier than the Divide country, so flows drop faster in late summer.

Nearby waterfalls to add to your trip

Summary

Elk Falls about 10 miles southwest of Evergreen is rated 4.2 out of 5 by 29 visitors. Check the live forecast and stream gauge above, save the coordinates for offline use, and pack for wet, uneven ground. Ratings, hours and access can change, so confirm conditions with the land manager before you drive out.

See the full Elk Falls listing for the map, photos and nearby landmarks.