Granite Falls

By denver-gazette September 2, 2016 | updated 10 years ago

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Granite Falls. Photo Credit: Heather Mrozek – OutThere Colorado.

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Things To Do

Hiking Sightseeing

The west side of Rocky Mountain National Park near Grand Lake offers several lovely waterfall hikes. From the Green Mountain Trailhead on US 34 / Trail Ridge Road, an easy 10-mile roundtrip hike leads to Granite Falls. You’ll head east on an easy trail, then north past cabin ruins, with Big Meadows and Mount Patterson to the east. Moose are common in the meadow and the forest here. At the Onahu Creek Trail junction, bear right toward Flattop Mountain and follow Tonahutu Creek. A small sign marks your descent to the falls, where the creek pours over slabs and into a plunge pool.

Pro Tips

Rocky Mountain National Park is open year-round and is a fee area, so bring some cash or a credit card.

Historical cabin ruins make great photos but leave them undisturbed for others to enjoy.

You’ll want to bring your camera for wildlife photos, but keep your distance from the moose, which can be aggressive if approached.

The trail and falls lie in the Rocky Mountain National Park Wilderness. Be sure to follow the Leave No Trace Principles when visiting any wilderness area.

The Kawuneeche Visitor Center is located between the park entrance and the trailhead. Stop in for guidebooks, maps, and to reserve a wilderness campsite. You can even request a viewing of a 20-minute film about the park.

If camping isn’t your thing, rent a room or a cabin in the nearby village of Grand Lake. In the summertime, enjoy boating on the lake. Grand Lake is known as the Snowmobiling Capital of Colorado, so in the wintertime you can rent a snowmobile and enjoy miles of trails accessible from downtown.

—Susan Joy Paul

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