The story of how Treasure Falls got its name involves a tale of buried treasure and the capture of a group of Frenchmen.

Several hundred Frenchmen had entered the area of Treasure Mountain in the late 1700s, which is found near southwestern Colorado’s Wolf Creek Pass.

According to legend, the group of Frenchmen was being pursued by a band of Spaniards or Native Americans at the time. Given that the San Juan Mountains were then Spanish territory and that there was a chance of hostility from native people, the trip was quite risky for the Frenchman. Due to this risk, they were hiding out, and while doing so, the Frenchmen reportedly found gold.

The Frenchmen were ultimately captured, but before that happened, they supposedly had time to bury the gold in a chest.

Unfortunately, due to harsh weather conditions, disease, and conflict with indigenous populations, only two of the several hundred Frenchmen would ultimately survive to tell the tale – and the true location of the buried gold has since been lost to time. Thus, the chest of gold may still be buried somewhere in the area of Treasure Falls, and that’s how the falls got its name.

Treasure Falls is a 105-foot-tall waterfall located in Mineral County. The waterfall features a dramatic drop and is visible from Highway 160.

Visitors can also enjoy a 1/4-mile hike to the area’s Misty Deck and enjoy the stunning view of the waterfall. You might even get sprayed by the falls from the deck.

It’s recommended that you don’t go looking for the supposed gold though – it might not even be there, and searching for it comes with plenty of risk.

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