Jemez Falls is a 35-foot, two-step cascade on the East Fork Jemez River in Santa Fe National Forest, Sandoval County, New Mexico. A short trail from Jemez Falls Campground leads to an overlook of the falls, which Recreation.gov calls the largest in the Jemez Mountains.
The falls
The East Fork drops through two steep cascading steps, and the water twists at the bottom of the run. A lidar reading estimates the combined drop at about 35 feet; earlier surveys listed 69 feet. Smaller falls break the river just above the main drop, in ponderosa pine forest.
Getting there
As of July 2026, the Forest Service had closed Jemez Falls Campground, the group area and the Jemez Falls Trailhead until further notice after the McCauley Springs Fire, which burned 712 acres nearby. Check with Santa Fe National Forest before going.
Normally, the campground is about 15 miles northeast of Jemez Springs off NM 4; from Albuquerque, the route runs north on I-25 for 12 miles, then about 20 miles on NM 550 to NM 4. The highway and campground roads are paved. The trail to the falls starts at the campground and day-use area, about half a mile from the campground, and ends at an overlook.
When to go
Flow is heaviest soon after snowmelt. The campground sits at 7,880 feet.
On site
Pets must be leashed in the campground, and recent bear activity means food, coolers, toiletries and garbage must be stored in approved containers. When the area reopens, hazard trees and unstable ground are a concern in the burned area. The East Fork near the campground is used for fishing and whitewater kayaking.
Nearby
Upper Frijoles Falls and Lower Frijoles Falls are about 20 miles away, and Nambe Falls about 39.3 miles. Nearby Battleship Rock and the San Diego Overlook were closed along with the falls after the 2026 fire.
Distances are straight-line.