United States · Colorado
Zapata Falls
Zapata Falls is a waterfall located in the San Luis Valley near the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on Bureau of Land Management land adjacent to Rio Grande National Forest and south of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Alamosa County, Colorado. The waterfall has a drop of about 30 feet .
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Zapata Falls drops 9 metres (30 ft). It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Colorado, United States. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Zapata Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Colorado are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotographyWildlife & safari
When to go
Snowmelt-driven: April to June is the big-water window, and some falls almost disappear by late summer.
Getting there
- Base town Colorado, United States
- Country United States
- Region Colorado, United States, North America
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Zapata Falls
United States
Height9 mWidth—
Most similar
Lewis Falls
United States
Height9 mWidth—
Also a cascade waterfall, of similar height and in the United States too
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
Angel Falls is 109× taller than Zapata Falls. Victoria Falls is 12× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Zapata Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
On the map
37.6189, -105.553
Quick answers
Where is Zapata Falls?
Zapata Falls is in United States (Colorado). The nearest base is Colorado, United States. Its coordinates are 37.6189, -105.5530.
How tall is Zapata Falls?
Zapata Falls drops 9 metres (30 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall.
When is the best time to visit Zapata Falls?
Peak flow is April to June. Snowmelt-driven: April to June is the big-water window, and some falls almost disappear by late summer.
What can you do at Zapata Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking, photography and wildlife & safari. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Zapata Falls?
The usual base is Colorado, United States. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
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