Aragon Falls
Worth a detour
Is it plungeworthy?
A horsetail on Aragon Springs.
The details
- Type
- Horsetail
- Watercourse
- Aragon Springs
- Coordinates
- 36.50461, -106.73701
About Aragon Falls
Aragon Falls is a 40-foot horsetail in New Mexico, on Aragon Springs.
Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.
Plungeworthy rates Aragon Falls 6.3/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
A 40-foot spring-fed waterfall pouring over slickrock sandstone in Chama Canyon, framed by Douglas fir. It runs year-round — then, oddly, the creek soaks into its porous bed and arrives at the Chama River just downstream completely dry.
Most visitors who see it are floating the Rio Chama: the falls is a half-mile hike up from the river, eleven miles below the El Vado put-in.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Two ways in: hike a half mile up from the Chama River if you're floating the canyon, or walk about 0.75 miles in from Forest Road 505
- Parking
- Informal at the FR 505 approach
- Road
- FR 505's current condition and gate status are unverified — call the Coyote Ranger District (575-638-5526) before trusting the drive-in route
- Hike
- 1.5 mi round trip (Easy walking once you're on the route)
- Heads up
- Floating the Rio Chama's Wild & Scenic section requires the standard BLM river permit in peak season
When to go
Year-round — the spring keeps it flowing. Spring runoff adds the most volume.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- None for day use — Santa Fe National Forest
- Dogs
- Under control
- Camping
- Dispersed forest rules; river camping under Rio Chama permit rules
Researched from Doug Scott — Aragon Falls · BLM — Rio Chama Wild & Scenic River Permits. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Aragon Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Aragon 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
How tall is Aragon Falls?
Aragon Falls drops about 40 feet, in New Mexico.
Where is Aragon Falls?
Aragon Falls is a waterfall in New Mexico, at 36.50461, -106.73701.
Is Aragon Falls worth visiting?
Worth a detour — Plungeworthy rates it 6.3/10.
Gear for the trip
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