Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Zapata Falls - Sangre de Cristo Mountains
If you are traveling to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, this short hike should be part of your itinerary. Zapata Falls is a waterfall in a crevasse in the mountain. The trail is easy as only a half-mile long, but the end is a bit tricky. You have to walk through the creek to get to see the waterfall. In this video, we take you along on our hike. Please subscribe to our channel if you enjoy exploring our parks and public lands.
From the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve website: This popular short hike is located on BLM (US Bureau of Land Management) land south of the national park, off of Highway 150. It is a good option for summer afternoons when sand surface temperatures are high. Simply driving to the trailhead provides an excellent view of the entire dunefield and San Luis Valley. However, the hike to the falls requires wading over slippery rocks into a rock crevasse.
happytrailshiking.com
At Happy Trails Hiking, we encourage you to live the life you love and seek solace and adventure in America’s Parks and Public Lands. We strive to motivate and inspire people through travel.
Kay and Matt have been planning park travel and traveling to parks across the country for 20+ years. Kay has planned trips to National Parks for High School groups as well as couples over the last 5 years. Their personal tips and trail guides can be found on their various social media platforms as well as on their website.
Our Park Travel videos come out on Mondays and Thursdays.
Zapata Falls - Sangre de Cristo Mountains
If you are traveling to Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, this short hike should be part of your itinerary. Zapata Falls is a waterfall in a crevasse in the mountain. The trail is easy as only a half-mile long, but the end is a bit tricky. You have to walk through the creek to get to see the waterfall. In this video, we take you along on our hike. Please subscribe to our channel if you enjoy exploring our parks and public lands.
From the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve website: This popular short hike is located on BLM (US Bureau of Land Management) land south of the national park, off of Highway 150. It is a good option for summer afternoons when sand surface temperatures are high. Simply driving to the trailhead provides an excellent view of the entire dunefield and San Luis Valley. However, the hike to the falls requires wading over slippery rocks into a rock crevasse.
happytrailshiking.com
At Happy Trails Hiking, we encourage you to live the life you love and seek solace and adventure in America’s Parks and Public Lands. We strive to motivate and inspire people through travel.
Kay and Matt have been planning park travel and traveling to parks across the country for 20+ years. Kay has planned trips to National Parks for High School groups as well as couples over the last 5 years. Their personal tips and trail guides can be found on their various social media platforms as well as on their website.
Our Park Travel videos come out on Mondays and Thursdays.
