Treasure Falls

From Coloradohikingtrails

Treasure Falls
A short but uphill 1/4 mile hike takes you to the base of these 100-foot falls. A short side-jaunt to the overlook offers dramatic views down the San Juan River Valley.

Fast Facts Distance(Miles):  0.25 one-way Trail Surface & Condition:  Dirt Other Trail Users:   Ownership:  Unknown Ownership Best Seasons:  Year around weather permitting Type:  Out-and-Back Beginning Elev (Feet):  8,112 Ending Elev (Feet):  8,437 Elevation Gain (Feet):  325 Difficulty Rating:  1.15 Treasure Falls Trailhead GPS Coordinates:  Latitude: 37.4426167  Longitude: -106.8772389 Treasure Falls GPS Coordinates:  Latitude: 37.4427472  Longitude: -106.8740361

Treasure Falls

Trailhead Information

Treasure Falls Parking Lot & Trailhead
Near To: Pagosa Springs and Wolf Creek Pass, Colorado

Driving Directions To Trailhead From Pagosa Springs, drive 15 miles east on Hwy 160. The parking lot and trailhead are on the right (east) side of the road. Restroom facilities, no water.

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Treasure Falls Parking Lot & Trailhead Elevation: 8,112' Maps & Images Lat: 37.4426167 Long: -106.8772389 Street map from Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps Satellite image from Google Maps or Microsoft Virtual Earth Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

Trail & Hike Description

Treasure Falls' name comes from a legend suggesting that a chest full of gold was buried in the area after a group of Frenchmen was captured by either Spaniards or Indians. We didn't find the gold, but the falls itself is a treasure. There's a large parking area with a trail leading up to the falls. For those that aren't up for the short but uphill hike, they can be viewed from the parking lot.

The trail starts on the north side of the parking lot, near the restrooms. Although only about 1/4 mile, the trail climbs over 300 feet in this short distance. But the slight effort is worth the views of the falls. The trail switchbacks through the canyon, densely-forested with pine and oak. Just below the falls is a bridge crossing the stream, a short jaunt further up the trail takes you to a viewing spot at the base of the falls. Don't miss the overlook, which branches off of the main trail about 1/3 of the way up. The overlook is only about 100 yards from the intersection with the main trail, and offers a stunning view down the San Juan River Valley toward Pagosa Springs.

The round trip takes about 20-30 minutes, depending upon how long you want to spend at the falls and valley overlook. This is a great hike for kids, or for an opportunity to get out of the car, stretch your legs and get the blood flowing.

External Links & References

Treasure Falls Picture Gallery

Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better!

Treasure Falls	Treasure Falls	Treasure Falls	View from Treasure Falls Trail
View from Treasure Falls Trail