CR 16/FR 510 - North Clear Creek Falls

Trail Overview

This trail starts just off Highway 149 and north of South Clear Creek Falls. Take a quick detour at the beginning of the trail to view North Clear Creek Falls, one of the most photographed waterfalls in Colorado. Dropping more than 100 feet off the Nelson Mountain Tuff, North Clear Creek Falls was formed out of ash flows from an enormous volcanic eruption about 27 million years ago. The eruption was one of many, over a period of about 35 million years, that helped create the San Juan Mountains. The falls are a nesting site for the rare black swift. Black swifts nest in shady nooks in the spray zone of waterfalls, where clouds of mist keep the nest cool 24 hours a day. Occasionally, they build nests behind the waterfall itself, so that the parents must fly through the falling water to reach their young. Continue along this trail for great views of Bristol Head, which overlooks the Rio Grande Valley. The trail is mainly two lanes and gravel but does get narrower in a few places. Ample opportunities for camping, both in established campsites as well as dispersed sites. Access to Bristol Head - MF532, FR 556 - Clear Creek Ridge, and Stony Pass trails nearby.