Zapata Falls

Zapata Falls is a short but spectacularly rewarding hike near Mosca, Colorado — a 0.4-mile walk that leads to a hidden waterfall tucked inside a narrow slot canyon in the Sangre de Cristo foothills above the San Luis Valley. The final approach requires wading through a shallow stream in the canyon — typically knee-deep or less — adding an adventurous element to what would otherwise be a trivial walk.

The falls themselves are dramatic: a 25-foot torrent of water exploding through a crack in the granite and plunging into a pool inside the cave-like slot, backlit by the entrance opening. The contrast between the harsh, sun-bleached landscape outside and the cool, mossy, roaring interior is extraordinary.

Zapata Falls sits at 9,000 feet in the Rio Grande National Forest with sweeping views over the San Luis Valley from the trail, and the Great Sand Dunes are clearly visible to the south.