Right now
Right now as of Nov 4, 2026
- Status Closed: on Jan 16, 2026 the City of Boulder said "Until the new access is in place, Boulder Falls remains completely closed." Its Boulder Falls trail page still showed "Status: Closed" on Nov 4, 2026. No reopening date has been set.
Status note (Nov 4, 2026): Closed: on Jan 16, 2026 the City of Boulder said "Until the new access is in place, Boulder Falls remains completely closed." Its Boulder Falls trail page still showed "Status: Closed" on Nov 4, 2026. No reopening date has been set. What the status labels mean
Boulder Falls is closed. The City of Boulder closed the area in November 2024 after a rockslide damaged the trail. In January 2026, the city said Boulder Falls "remains completely closed" until a new viewing platform is built. It gave no timeline. The falls sit on North Boulder Creek, 11 miles west of Boulder off Boulder Canyon Drive (SR 119).
About Boulder Falls
Boulder Falls is on North Boulder Creek in Boulder Canyon, in Boulder County. The City of Boulder's Open Space and Mountain Parks department (OSMP) manages it.
The city says the site was "five acres of mining claims" donated to the City of Boulder "for recreational purposes in 1914." Visit Boulder, the area's tourism site, puts the falls at about 70 feet. The city gives no official height.
Why Boulder Falls is closed
On November 12, 2024, the city said OSMP "has temporarily closed the Boulder Falls area in Boulder Canyon due to a recent rockslide that has damaged the trail."
The closure then became open-ended. On January 16, 2026, the city announced it "will move forward with the design of a new viewing platform." It said the existing trail "remains a dangerous area" until construction is complete.
The viewing platform plan
The city said it "will begin a feasibility study of design options in 2026 which will inform cost and schedule for construction." In other words, there is no build date yet.
Its conclusion was blunt: "Until the new access is in place, Boulder Falls remains completely closed." We found no later city update as of November 4, 2026.
Getting there and parking
There is currently no permitted way to visit Boulder Falls. The city's trail page shows "Status: Closed," and Visit Boulder's page also carries a closure notice.
Where the falls are
The city says Boulder Falls is "located 11 miles west of Boulder, on the north side of Boulder Canyon Drive (SR 119)." It sits between Boulder and Nederland.
There is no trailhead. Before the closure, the city said visitors used a parking area across Highway 119 from the falls. Don't stop there expecting to walk in, since the falls area itself is closed.
The map pin uses GNIS coordinates from Wikipedia's list of Colorado waterfalls, which gives an elevation of 7,050 feet.
Map and nearby falls
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OpenPartly open / seasonalUnconfirmedClosedLarger map
The trail (closed) and open falls nearby
The Boulder Falls trail is closed, and the city says entering closed areas "puts visitors and first responders at serious risk."
The trail before the closure
Before it closed, the city's trail page listed the walk as easy and 0.10 mile long, with 63 feet of elevation gain. It gave a trail width of 3 to 6 feet and listed hikers and dogs as allowed.
Visit Boulder described it as "A short, stair-filled, 100-yard hike." The city plans to replace this access with a new viewing platform.
Open falls to visit instead
Rocky Mountain National Park has two falls hikes on this site, and both are open as far as we can tell. Both need a park entrance pass, and dogs are not allowed on park trails.
Alberta Falls is the short option: 0.8 mile each way from Glacier Gorge Trailhead on Bear Lake Road, per the National Park Service (NPS).
Ouzel Falls in Wild Basin is the longer one. A former NPS page listed it at 5.4 miles round trip, passing Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades on the way.
Our Colorado waterfalls guide lists more falls around the state.
When to visit
There is no season to visit Boulder Falls while the city's closure stands.
Reopening outlook
The city has not set a reopening date. Its plan depends on a 2026 feasibility study, which will shape the cost and schedule for a new viewing platform.
Check the City of Boulder Boulder Falls page for updates. Until it changes from "Closed," plan a different hike.
| Height | about 70 ftNote: about 70 ft per Visit Boulder, the area's tourism site; the City of Boulder gives no official height |
|---|---|
| Trail | Closed. Before the closure, the City of Boulder listed the trail as easy, 0.10 mi long, 3 to 6 ft wide, with 63 ft of elevation gain |
| Difficulty | Closed; the city rated the 0.10-mile trail easy before the closure |
| Entry fee | Not applicable; the area is closed. No fee is listed on the City of Boulder page |
| Parking | No access to falls (area closed) |
| Dogs | Dogs were listed as allowed on the trail before the closure (City of Boulder) |
| Swimming | No entry; the area is closed. Even when open, Visit Boulder said there was no swimming and no climbing on the surrounding rocks |
| Wheelchair / stroller | Closed. Before the closure, Visit Boulder described "A short, stair-filled, 100-yard hike." |
| Managed by | City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) |
Safety and swimming
Do not enter the closed area. The city warns of "very high risk of future rockfall hazards, including the potential for future large-scale events that could result in serious injury or fatalities."
Entering closed areas "puts visitors and first responders at serious risk," the city says. A rescue in a closed rockfall zone puts the rescuers in danger too.
Even when the falls were open, Visit Boulder said "there is no swimming in Boulder Falls, and no climbing on the surrounding rocks."
Our waterfall safety guide covers slick rock, high water and winter ice near falls.
Conditions change: confirm with the official source before you go.
Where to stay near Boulder Falls
Compare hotels, cabins and rentals close to the falls around Boulder.
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Boulder Falls FAQ
Is Boulder Falls open?
No. On January 16, 2026, the City of Boulder said "Boulder Falls remains completely closed" until a new viewing platform is in place. Its trail page still showed "Status: Closed" on November 4, 2026.
Why is Boulder Falls closed?
A rockslide damaged the trail, and the city announced the closure on November 12, 2024. In January 2026, it cited a "very high risk of future rockfall hazards" and said the existing trail remains a dangerous area.
When will Boulder Falls reopen?
There is no date. The city plans a new viewing platform and said a 2026 feasibility study will inform its cost and schedule. Boulder Falls stays completely closed until the new access is in place.
Where is Boulder Falls?
11 miles west of Boulder, on the north side of Boulder Canyon Drive (SR 119) between Boulder and Nederland, per the city. There is no trailhead; visitors used to park across the highway.
How tall is Boulder Falls?
About 70 feet, according to Visit Boulder, the area's tourism site. The City of Boulder gives no official height.
What waterfalls near Boulder can I visit instead?
Two Rocky Mountain National Park falls are open as far as we can tell. They are Alberta Falls, 0.8 mile each way from Glacier Gorge Trailhead, and Ouzel Falls in Wild Basin. Both need a park entrance pass.
Nearby waterfalls
Ouzel Falls17 mi straight-lineOpen
Alberta Falls24 mi straight-lineOpen
Maxwell Falls30 mi straight-lineOpen
City guides: Waterfalls near Denver, CO
Sources
The Ouzel Falls distance comes from the Park Service's former Ouzel Falls page, which is now offline. All Boulder Falls facts come from current City of Boulder pages and Visit Boulder.
- City of Boulder: Boulder Falls trail page (Status: Closed; read Nov 4, 2026)
- City of Boulder news: City Closes Boulder Falls (Nov 12, 2024; read Nov 4, 2026)
- City of Boulder news: City of Boulder moves forward with design of new visitor access at Boulder Falls (Jan 16, 2026; read Nov 4, 2026)
- Visit Boulder: Boulder Falls (closure notice, height and rules; read Nov 4, 2026)
- Wikipedia: List of waterfalls in Colorado (GNIS coordinates and elevation for Boulder Falls) (read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Exploring the Bear Lake Road Corridor (Alberta Falls distance; read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Pets (read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS: Ouzel Falls (former page, last updated July 7, 2022; now offline)
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Fees and Passes (read Nov 4, 2026)
Last verified Nov 4, 2026 by The Waterfall Guide editorial team. Conditions change: confirm with City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) before you go. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.