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Ever wondered what geological treasures hide near Colorado's Great Sand Dunes? Join me on a refreshing detour to Zapata Falls, where ancient glacial forces created a stunning 25-foot waterfall tucked away in a rocky chasm.
The adventure begins with a scenic half-mile hike through BLM land, leading to Zapata Creek. Don't be afraid to get your feet wet—the final approach requires wading through shallow water and navigating slippery rocks, but the reward is absolutely worth it! As I discovered, the falls cascade dramatically into what locals call the "Pot of Falls," creating a cool, misty sanctuary that contrasts beautifully with the nearby desert landscape.
What makes this site particularly fascinating is its geological history. The waterfall formed approximately two million years ago when glaciers shaped the San Gregorio de Cristo mountains. These ancient ice masses deposited enormous rock piles (moraines) and created weak spots where water could carve its way through—eventually forming the falls we see today. This natural wonder offers a perfect example of how diverse Colorado's landscape truly is, with sand dunes and waterfalls existing just miles apart.
If you're planning a trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park, I strongly recommend adding Zapata Falls to your itinerary. The entire hike is only about a mile round trip, making it accessible for most visitors while still feeling like you've discovered something special off the beaten path. Sometimes you really should chase waterfalls! Have you explored any hidden gems near famous national parks? Share your discoveries in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe for more trail adventures!
Episode Transcript
All right, hiking to Zapata Falls, which is a BLM
area near the Great Sand Dunes.
Follow along, see what we cansee.
(00:20):
Okay, look at this.
Let's see what we can see.
Okay, Look at this, the Pot ofFalls.
Whoa, your moment of sin.
The Pot of Falls.
It's 25 feet tall, supposedlyGood flow today, and it's kind
(00:48):
of hard to get over there to geta good shot.
So hopefully you can see this,but definitely worth the half a
mile hike up to see it.
I think this is a case whereyou would chase waterfalls.
You do have to hike up thecreek a little bit or try to
take your time going acrossthese little slippery rocks into
(01:09):
that little chasm there to getto the actual waterfall Flowing
really nicely today, the secondday of fall 2025.
I would say in some cases it isokay to chase waterfalls.
Do not stick to the lakes andrivers that you're used to chase
waterfalls.
Do not stick to the lakes andrivers that you're used to.
Approximately two million yearsago, there was glaciers that
(01:31):
formed, contributed toformations.
Here in the San Gregorio deCristo mountains, the Wooded
Ridge is a moraine, a huge rockpile deposited by a glacier.
Water flowing from the glacierand snow field was a weak spot.
That's what made Zapata Falls.
And there's the creek.
It's such a wild thing.
The trailhead is right behindme.
(01:54):
These panels talk about thevalley, the water and how people
came to the valley and how youhave these peaks of granite
surrounding big sand, which, ofcourse, I've visited over the
last couple days.
So what a crazy place.
But definitely, if you arevisiting great sand dunes, you
(02:18):
should definitely come and checkout Zapata Falls.
It's about a mile round triphike A little bit of wading that
beautiful little hike off thebeaten path a little bit.
Hope you enjoyed this video.
If you did give it a thumbs up,make sure to subscribe for
(02:39):
future videos and I hope to seeyou on the trail.
Okay, bye.
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