Box Canyon Falls Park

Canyon Creek doesn't ease its way down — it narrows into a quartzite slot barely wide enough to stand in before dropping 285 feet all at once. That confinement is what makes the park worth stopping for: the walls compress the sound and the mist into something you feel as much as see. A steel catwalk and boardwalk system, built directly into the canyon walls, puts visitors almost on top of the falls rather than at a polite distance from them. The main Falls Trail is a mostly level, 500-foot walk from the visitor center into the canyon — realistic for riding gear, though the catwalk can be wet and slippery when the water is running hard.

The park is managed by the City of Ouray and charges a small day-use fee; restrooms, a visitor center with interpretive exhibits on geology and wildlife, and on-site parking are all available. Dogs are not allowed inside the park. The park runs from spring through fall, closing for the winter months. For riders looking to add another option, a second trail climbs about 200 feet over a half-mile round trip to a high bridge with views back toward town and the surrounding peaks. The Uncompahgre River receives Canyon Creek just below the falls, and downtown Ouray — with the hot springs pool and a range of diners — is only a short ride away on US-550.