Chasm Falls is a 45-foot tiered horsetail waterfall on Fall River in Rocky Mountain National Park, Larimer County, Colorado, where the river cascades and then drops into a narrow rock chasm beside Old Fall River Road. It is reached by a short flight of steps from a roadside pullout.
The falls
Fall River first tumbles through a series of cascades of about 15 to 20 feet, then falls roughly 25 feet into the slot that gives the waterfall its name. Lidar data indicates a combined drop of 45 feet, though older surveys recorded 33 feet and some references list only the 25-foot lower drop.
Getting there
Chasm Falls sits along Old Fall River Road, a 9.4-mile unpaved road that runs one way, uphill only. The route is generally suitable for passenger cars, though vehicles over 25 feet and trailers are prohibited. From the pullout, about 40 dirt and rock steps lead down to the viewing platform. When the road is closed to vehicle traffic, the hike from the winter gate spans 2.2 miles one way with 640 feet of gain.
Rocky Mountain admission is $35 per vehicle for seven days, paid by card, plus $100 per person for non-US residents aged 16 and older unless they hold an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. During the timed-entry season, a reservation is required to enter the park between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., which covers Old Fall River Road.
When to go
The road is open to vehicles from early July to early October; in 2026 it opened on July 4. Weather can close it temporarily during the season. Outside that window, the falls require a walk up the closed road from the winter gate.
On site
The steps end at a viewing platform above the chasm. There is no step-free route documented to the falls.
History and name
The falls take their name from the narrow chasm of the lower drop. Old Fall River Road was built between 1913 and 1920 and dedicated on September 14, 1920. On July 1, 1933, a bridge below Chasm Falls collapsed and dropped visitors into the water; one suffered a back injury and had to be rescued, an event documented in park records.
Nearby
Thousand Falls on Sundance Creek is about 0.6 mile away, Ypsilon Falls about 1.9 miles and Horseshoe Falls on the Roaring River about 2 miles.
Distances are straight-line.