Thomas Creek Falls
One for the list
Is it plungeworthy?
A waterfall on Thomas Creek.
The details
- Watercourse
- Thomas Creek
- Coordinates
- 40.64711, -115.40631
About Thomas Creek Falls
Thomas Creek Falls is a waterfall in Nevada, on Thomas Creek.
Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.
Plungeworthy rates Thomas Creek Falls 3.5/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
A 25-foot falls on a creek that never stops cascading — the Thomas Creek Trail passes small waterfalls nearly the whole way up before ending in a subalpine meadow beneath 11,220-foot Mt. Fitzgerald.
Don't confuse it with the Thomas Creek near Reno, 250 miles west — same creek name, different mountains. This one is in Lamoille Canyon, the glacier-carved centerpiece of the Ruby Mountains near Elko.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Thomas Canyon Campground on the Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway, about 20 minutes from Elko
- Parking
- Day-use parking at the campground
- Road
- Paved scenic byway
- Hike
- 4.4 mi round trip, 1,272 ft of climb (Moderate — steady climb through aspen and pine)
- Heads up
- The campground is a fee site (reservable); the trail itself is free
When to go
May through October. July hits peak snowmelt and wildflowers; the last week of September is aspen gold.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- None for the trail
- Dogs
- On leash in the campground; under control on the trail
- Camping
- Thomas Canyon Campground at the trailhead; wilderness rules apply beyond
- Warnings
- Stage 1 fire restrictions run June 10 – October 31, 2026 in this district — no campfires outside developed sites.
Researched from Travel Nevada — Lamoille Canyon & Ruby Mountains · Atlas Obscura — Lamoille Canyon. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Thomas Creek Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Thomas Creek Falls doesn't have a photo yet. If you make the trip, send one to hello@plungeworthy.com and we'll publish it here with credit to you.
Before you go
The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.
Common questions
Where is Thomas Creek Falls?
Thomas Creek Falls is a waterfall in Nevada, at 40.64711, -115.40631.
Is Thomas Creek Falls worth visiting?
One for the list — Plungeworthy rates it 3.5/10.
Gear for the trip
As an Amazon Associate, Plungeworthy earns from qualifying purchases.
