Cascade Falls
- Physical DifficultyThis is the average user-submitted rating on the physical difficulty of this route. In general, green is beginner, blue is intermediate, black is advanced/most difficult and double-black is expert-only. It is recommended that users build up to black and double-black routes.
- Technical DifficultyThis is the average user-submitted rating on the technical difficulty of this route. In general, green is beginner, blue is intermediate, black is advanced/most difficult and double-black is expert-only. It is recommended that users build up to black and double-black routes.
RMNP’s Cascade Falls hike is a relatively easy hike that will take you to the West side of Rocky Mountain National Park. This part of RMNP is a little less traveled and the sights are just as amazing. Cascade Falls is one of the best waterfall hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park.
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Route Description for Cascade Falls
The hike to Cascade Falls starts at the North Inlet trailhead and heads east. For the first 1.6 km, you’ll be parallel to the border of the park on the north side of the trail and private property on the south. You’ll be following a seldom-used dirt road for a private cabin you’ll pass at 2.4 km. This is where the trail starts to climb, but it’s not that hard at all, and you’ll be following the river.
4.8 km into the hike, the trail gets steeper, but then you can start to hear Cascade Falls ahead.
At 5.6 km, you’ll see a small sign pointing to the right for Cascade Falls. Follow the trail down to the base of Cascade Falls, crossing a river to get there. When you come back to the main trail, you can hike up further to the top of Cascade Falls. This is a great place to take pictures and sit on a rock as the falls cascade around you.
To return to the trailhead, just go back the way you came, there are no intersections to worry about making any turns!
Want to find more amazing hikes in Rocky Mountain National Park? Check out Chasm Lake hike, Lake Haiyaha hike or the Sky Pond and Lake of Glass hike.
Insider Hints for Cascade Falls
- A 1.6 km up the road is the East Inlet trailhead and a well worth the short hike to Adams Falls and a view of Grand Lake.
Getting to the Cascade Falls Trailhead
In the summer, from Estes Park, take highway 34 West over Trail Ridge Road to Grand Lake. This road closes with weather. If Trail Ridge road is closed, from Denver, take I-70 West, exit onto US 40 and head north through Granby and turn right on highway 34 toward Grand Lake. Once in Grand Lake, head east on Street 5 (highway 278) for 2.3 km. Turn left (north) on the dirt road to North Inlet Trailhead. Follow it to up the steep, bumpy road to the parking lot.
Route Information
Cascade Falls Elevation Graph
Weather Forecast
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