Waterfalls in New Mexico

New Mexico's waterfalls, from volcanic canyons to pueblo land

New Mexico's waterfalls owe less to rainfall than to relief: young volcanic mountains in the north and canyons cut into old lava and sandstone give streams somewhere to drop. Twenty named falls turn up across the state, and more than half sit in just two counties around the Jemez Mountains and the upper Rio Grande.

Where the waterfalls are

Rio Arriba County holds the most listings, 7, stretching from the Chama highlands down toward the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, whose Truchas Peak reaches 13,102 feet. Sandoval County has 4, on the volcanic east flank of the Jemez Mountains around Jemez Falls and inside Bandelier National Monument's Frijoles Canyon; nearby Jemez Springs also has Soda Dam, a travertine formation built by hot springs on the same volcanic ground. Lincoln National Forest covers both Eddy County, home to Sitting Bull Falls in the Guadalupe Ranger District, and Otero County farther west. The rest sit one to a county: Cibola, Guadalupe, McKinley, Mora, Santa Fe, Socorro and Union counties.

Waterfalls worth the trip

• Sitting Bull Falls, 170 feet, is spring-fed and keeps running through dry stretches; a short paved path from the parking area reaches the pool below it.
• Nambé Falls, 100 feet, tiers down the Rio Nambé on Nambé Pueblo land; a short walk from the Ramada Area reaches an upper overlook, and a lower route wades the river to the base pool.
• Pecos Falls, 55 feet, is a hike of roughly 9 miles into the Pecos Wilderness, where camping and campfires are banned at the falls themselves.
• Jemez Falls, 35 feet, drops in two steps on the East Fork Jemez River a half mile from its namesake campground, closed since a 2026 wildfire.
• Lower Frijoles Falls, a 60-foot drop, sits inside Bandelier National Monument's Frijoles Canyon.

When to go

Sitting Bull Falls keeps flowing through dry spells because it draws on springs rather than runoff. Jemez Falls rises with spring snowmelt, and Pecos Falls runs year-round but strongest in late May and early June. Nambé Falls' lower approach depends on river depth and can mean wading at high water.

Fees, permits and closures

Sitting Bull Falls charges $10 per vehicle, $25 for a van or bus, year-round with no reservation needed. Nambé Pueblo charges $20 per vehicle, cash or card, at Nambé Falls, and asks visitors to keep dogs on leash. Bandelier National Monument charges $25 per vehicle for a week-long pass, or $15 per person on foot or bicycle, and takes no cash. The Pecos Wilderness needs no permit to reach Pecos Falls, but bans camping and campfires there and caps groups at 15 people. A 2026 wildfire closed Jemez Falls' campground and trailhead; check current conditions before planning a trip.

Safety

Nambé Falls' lower trail wades through the river itself rather than skirting it, and depth shifts with the season. Pecos Falls sits nine miles into designated wilderness. Nambé Falls is on Nambé Pueblo land, not a public park: pay the posted fee at the gate and follow the pueblo's rules.