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Pagosa Ranger District

Quick Facts

Piedra Falls

General Description

One of the more popular waterfalls on the Pagosa District of the San Juan National Forest is Piedra Falls, located where the East Fork of the Piedra River meets the Weminuche wilderness boundary. This waterfall crashes over volcanic cliffs in two large steps. The fall is reached by driving west of Pagosa Springs on Colorado Hwy. 160 to the top of the hill. At the crest of the hill west of town turn right on the Middle Fork Road 636, near the little store. Continue along the Middle Fork Road for about 2.0 miles. Take a right on the East Toner Road. Follow the East Toner Road 637 to this end near the irrigation diversion abut 8.0 miles east of the Middle Fork.

Leave your auto and follow the path upstream to the base of the falls. A NOTE OF CAUTION--The East Toner Road is not graveled and has numerous slick sections during wet weather.

Directions from Pagosa Springs, Colorado: The fall is reached by driving west of Pagosa Springs on Colorado Hwy 160 to the top of the hill. At the crest of the hill west of town turn right on the Middle Fork Road 636, near the little store. Continue along the Middle Fork Road for about 2.0 miles. Take a right on the East Toner Road. Follow the East Toner Road 637 to its end near the irrigation diversion abut 8.0 miles east of the Middle Fork.

Seasonal Information:
Normally Accessible: Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend .

Current Conditions & Trip Reports

Do not attempt to drive FDR 637 when road surface is wet. Updated: 2001-06-08 16:58:00.0

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Filed By: Mitch Simms (Clovis, NM)
Difficulty:
Number of People Encountered: 0-10 ppl
Recommend to a Friend: Highly
Report: My grandparents have owned a place on the Upper Piedra for over 40 years and I have spent many vacations there in the summertime. I have been going to the Piedra Falls since they were really an unknown attraction except to maybe a few hikers. The forest service has begun taking better care of the trail, it used to have several places that could be a little dangerous to hike over. The falls are just a short hike from where you have to park your vehicle. The scenery is very beautiful and with the hike being so easy, it is well worth the trip. A word of caution on two things, the rock around the falls can be VERY slippery during the ealry summer when the runoff is still going strong, and during the rainy parts of July the road from where you leave the gravel road up to the falls gets EXTREMELY slick and dangerous during and right after a good rain. We have an old army jeep that we usually take up there and it even has a hard time getting in and out of there in 4 wheel low. But if the wether is good and no rain threatening then go for it, it is one of the still basically unknown sites in the Pagosa Springs area.

Recreation Opportunities

Activity		Remarks	On Site
	Viewing Interpretive Signs	Piedra Falls	Yes

Related Activities

Piedra River - The river is not navigable by open canoe and paddle rafts are not recommended. The average gradient is 53 feet per mile with swift flow and infrequent slack pools.

More Information

Frequently Asked Questions
Email the Local Ranger

Visitor Information:

Pagosa Ranger District, 2nd and Pagosa, P.O. Box 310 , Pagosa Springs, CO, 81147, Phone: 970-264-2268, Fax: 970-264-1538, TTY: 970-264-1539