Hayes Creek Falls Guide Before Visiting 2026 Updated

Hayes Creek Falls is a waterfall in Pitkin County, Colorado, about 17 miles south of Carbondale. 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

Pitkin County, CO

Nearest town

Carbondale (17 mi)

Visitor rating

★★★★★ 4.9 from 33 reviews

Crowds

Quieter

Access

Easy access reported

Coordinates

39.15925, -107.25208

USGS topo

Placita quad

Getting there

Hayes Creek Falls sits about 17 miles south of Carbondale in Pitkin County. Navigate to the coordinates 39.15925, -107.25208, which mark the waterfall itself; the trailhead or parking area may be some distance away. Reviewers describe the approach with "roadside access" and "easy access".

Open directions in Google Maps or Apple Maps, or view the map on the Hayes Creek 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 Hayes Creek 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 39.15925, -107.25208 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 33 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

Hayes Creek Falls holds a 4.9-star average across 33 Google reviews, and 91% of reviewers give it five stars. That makes it the most reviewed waterfall in Pitkin County. Visitors have shared 147 photos.

The topics that come up most in reviews: roadside accesseasy accessaccessibilityhighwayhikinglocationfalls

See the rating breakdown or read reviews on Google.

History of the area

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

Its neighbors on the map tell the story of the surrounding land: Hayes Creek (stream, under 0.1 mi), Big Kline Creek (stream, 0.2 mi), Hawk Creek (stream, 0.5 mi), and Bears Gulch (valley, 0.9 mi).

Western Slope Plateaus and Valleys. West of the Divide, waterfalls appear where streams cut through plateau edges and limestone. Rifle Falls in Garfield County is notable for a triple waterfall pouring over a travertine ledge, with small caves in the porous rock nearby, and Garfield County holds several other falls in the canyons near Parachute and Glenwood Springs. In Routt County, Fish Creek Falls drops into a forested canyon just outside Steamboat Springs, with upper and lower sections. Moffat County's falls lie in remote canyon country in the state's northwest corner. Resort valleys around Aspen, Vail and Crested Butte contribute a few more, mostly reached by short trails from summer trailheads.

Nearby waterfalls to add to your trip

Summary

Hayes Creek Falls about 17 miles south of Carbondale is rated 4.9 out of 5 by 33 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 Hayes Creek Falls listing for the map, photos and nearby landmarks.