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Trip Planner:   USA  /  Colorado  /  Woodland Park  /  Rainbow Falls

Rainbow Falls, Woodland Park

2.5
#7 of 7 in Things to do in Woodland Park
Waterfall · Hidden Gem · Nature / Park
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Rainbow Falls (informally known as Graffiti Falls) is a waterfall located on Fountain Creek in Manitou Springs, Colorado. The falls' plunge is located beneath a bridge that links Manitou Avenue to Highway 24.

The trailhead to the falls is located on a 180-degree bend on Serpentine Drive, about 1⁄2 mile (0.80 km) off of Highway 24 across from the entrance to the Cave of the Winds. The falls were closed in 2013 for improvement from the El Paso County Parks Department, but have since reopened with a concrete walkway that snakes along the river.
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Rainbow Falls reviews

TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 3.0
39 reviews
Google
4.3
TripAdvisor
  • So many other beautiful well managed spots to visit. Avoid this one - parking is ridiculous. People trying to save parking spots - standing in the middle of available spots “saving for a family... 
    So many other beautiful well managed spots to visit. Avoid this one - parking is ridiculous. People trying to save parking spots - standing in the middle of available spots “saving for a family...  more »
  • To get your feet wet in the cold ice cold water. Lots of people it’s only open over the weekend. We were the first in line to get their very inexpensive a dollar donation totally enjoyed sitting... 
    To get your feet wet in the cold ice cold water. Lots of people it’s only open over the weekend. We were the first in line to get their very inexpensive a dollar donation totally enjoyed sitting...  more »
  • The waterfall was much smaller than I imagined. So we were disappointed basically. I kinda liked the unusual harmony between a waterfall and graffiti though. 
    The waterfall was much smaller than I imagined. So we were disappointed basically. I kinda liked the unusual harmony between a waterfall and graffiti though.  more »
Google
  • It was my first time here.. The park is technically closed until further notice. I did still get some pictures . It had some picnic tables set up looked like it would be nice place to relax for couple hours when it does open.
  • Awesome spot to do some offroading! Highly recommend you check it out with a full tank of fuel, some food/snacks and lots of drinks. Some of my favorite trails are Mini Moab, The Gulches, Schubert’s Loop. Most trails can be done in a stock jeep rubicon with a bit of skilled driving.💯💯
  • For me personally, this was a fun trip because we were able to enjoy nature and hike up the mountain to the Falls since there weren't any parking spaces. HOWEVER, I noticed around lunch time spaces open up. So if you're wanting to plan it where you have a chance of having a parking spot actually in the Rainbow Falls gate, try going then. My experience started rocky, pun intended. We arrive at 9:15 not knowing they didn't open until 10 and that's when we noticed there's hardly any parking spots inside that gate. My mom had already tried to visit 3 times before this most recent but didn't have time to wait for a spot to open, so she had to leave. Anyway, the Rainbow Falls attendant came out and told us to drive around until 10 and come back. Which we did. And when we came back, right at 10, every spot was taken as we knew would happen. It was frustrating at first. After we backed out, we decided to find a spot in town and just walk, mind you had a five year old with us and didn't know if she would be able to hang it there. It was also getting in the 90s, super hot. Thankfully, we all had brought water bottles so we were able to hike it. It really was a beautiful walk, at times there's weren't sidewalks so we had to walk in the road with traffic. There's also construction going on, a bit of a mess but we made the best of it and decided to soak in the nature! Once we reached the Falls, BEAUTIFUL!!! It was very cold and I would recommend wearing crocs or shoes you can walk in the water with, there's rocks that will hurt. For us, it was perfect since we were hiking up and down the mountain to get to/from our vehicle, so the water felt great and refreshing. We came on a Saturday right as they opened, perhaps during the week might be better, parking wise? If hiking sounds like your ideal thing, then DO ITTTT. Plan to pay for parking in town and take your time walking, it's worth it :)
  • It was an amazing waterfall, being only a short one but you could walk in the water if you wanted to. The admission is donation only so if you want, which I recommend, donate a dollar per person or even more if you wanted to. The lady at the entrance was very polite and told us a little bit about it and the short 1/10th of a mile walk to the waterfall.
  • I'm giving this 4 stars because the parking area is small and confusing. The falls are pretty. It's 1/8 mile from the parking area to falls. They're nice but honestly I liked the path along the creek better than the falls themselves. It's worth a visit if you have 20 minutes.

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