Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls drops 365 feet from the head of Telluride's box canyon, the tallest free-falling waterfall in Colorado, with a restored 1907 hydroelectric powerhouse perched on the brink. The hike is a walk up the switchbacking jeep road from the old Pandora mill at the east end of town, 1.4 miles and 1,200 feet each way, and the view back down the canyon over Telluride is as good as the waterfall.

From the Idarado parking area by the settling ponds past the Pandora mill site, there are two ways up. The Bridal Veil Trail, a hiker-only path built to keep walkers off the jeep road, leaves the parking area and climbs to the base of the falls in about 1.1 miles and 840 feet, where the spray reaches you on a windy day, then continues to the top for about 1.5 miles total. The Black Bear Pass road climbs the same canyon wall in long switchbacks and is the other option; it is open to hikers but shared with vehicles.

Either way, the route tops out at the brink of the falls at about 10,600 feet, where the road passes beside the powerhouse. The powerhouse is a private residence and a National Historic Landmark; look from the road. The view from the brink takes in the whole box canyon, the town, and the ski area across it. The road continues toward Black Bear Pass and Ingram Falls, but the powerhouse is the turnaround for the 2.8-mile day.

Drive east through Telluride on Colorado Avenue, which becomes the gravel road past the Pandora mill, about 2 miles from downtown, to the Idarado parking area at the settling ponds. Parking is free and very limited; on summer weekends it fills by mid-morning, and San Miguel County tickets cars parked outside the lot. Many people walk or bike from town instead. No fee or permit is needed.

Dogs are allowed, on leash on the road because of the traffic. Kids handle the climb; the spur to the base of the falls is the part they remember. The road is steep enough that the descent is hard on knees, and the surface is loose gravel in places. There is no water and no toilet at the trailhead; the nearest are in town. Telluride sits at 8,750 feet and the powerhouse is at 10,600, so visitors from low elevation feel the climb. The Telluride hikes page and the San Juan region page list the rest of the canyon trails.