Fish Creek Falls: trail, fee and best time to visit

Fish Creek Falls sits a few miles from downtown Steamboat Springs, inside Routt National Forest. A paved, wheelchair-accessible quarter-mile trail leads from the parking area to a lower overlook with a clear view of the falls. For hikers who want more, a rougher trail drops to a footbridge below the falls and continues past it toward Upper Fish Creek Falls, with more elevation gain. The Forest Service charges a $5 per-vehicle day-use fee, payable at an automated station on site or in advance through Recreation.gov.

The bridge is the catch. The Forest Service has closed the footbridge and the trail beyond it during spring high water in past years, while the picnic site and the overlook trail stayed open, so the hike to the upper falls isn't a given in spring.

At about 283 feet (the Forest Service's own listing rounds it to nearly 300), Fish Creek Falls is one of the taller waterfalls in Colorado, and it runs fullest with spring snowmelt, typically peaking in May and June before thinning out through late summer. That peak is also when the Forest Service has closed the footbridge in past years, so for a May or June visit plan on the lower overlook and treat the hike to the upper falls as a bonus if the bridge is open. The picnic area near the lower overlook has restrooms and tables, so the short paved trail works well for families.

This page was compiled from U.S. Forest Service information for Routt National Forest, published trail descriptions for the height figure, and public GNIS coordinate data. We haven't visited this site ourselves. Fees, trail conditions and the bridge closure dates can change; verify current conditions before you go. Last checked August 2026.