6 frozen waterfalls to admire around Colorado

While they roar in spring and summer, there is something no less wondrous about Colorado’s waterfalls when they freeze. Take in the winter silence while admiring Mother Nature’s great sculptures.

Bridal Veil Falls

Spanning as high as 365 feet in a box canyon overlooking Telluride, these are considered the state’s tallest cascades. You can hike to the icy base via a trail covering about 21/2 miles round trip.

Elk Falls

You’ll have to earn this 75-foot waterfall, the grand prize of Staunton State Park west of Conifer. The round trip is 12 miles from the main parking lot or 8 miles from the new Lazy V parking lot.

Fish Creek Falls

A snowy forest is the backdrop for this 283-foot slab outside Steamboat Springs. A short, paved path leads to an overlook. Another short, dirt trail leads to the base. A longer trek includes a second waterfall.

Horsetooth Falls

Near Fort Collins, a popular canyon is adorned by pearly white, jagged sheets and slender columns. These are the rewards along a 3-mile loop accessed from Horsetooth Mountain Open Space.

Rifle Falls State Park

In western Colorado, Rifle Mountain Park becomes a photo-worthy series of ice caves. The nearby state park adds another destination. There are more quiet caverns to explore behind this triple waterfall.

Seven Falls

The Broadmoor-owned spectacle is a holiday classic in Colorado Springs. Visitors follow a staircase beside the frozen pillars aglow in color. It’s heralded “The Grandest Mile of Scenery in Colorado.”

Seth Boster