Big Falls
One for the list
Is it plungeworthy?
A short, pretty falls.
The details
- Coordinates
- 35.35091, -108.87171
About Big Falls
Big Falls is a waterfall in New Mexico.
Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.
Plungeworthy rates Big Falls 3/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
Know what this listing is before you drive: a real, GPS-confirmed 30-foot waterfall near Manuelito in far western New Mexico — on Navajo Nation land, with no developed visitor program covering it. No trailhead, no directions, no signage exists in any source.
The Navajo Nation requires a backcountry permit from Navajo Parks & Recreation ($12 per person, applied for weeks in advance) for any off-highway visiting on Nation land. Without that permission arranged, this isn't a destination — it's a dot on the map that belongs to someone else.
Getting there
- Heads up
- Navajo Nation land — visiting requires a tribal backcountry permit arranged in advance (navajonationparks.org, 928-871-6647).
When to go
Only with a Navajo Nation permit and local guidance.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- Navajo Nation backcountry permit required — $12 per person, apply 3–4 weeks ahead
- Camping
- Only under the same permit system
- Warnings
- Tribal land — do not visit without a permit.
Researched from Navajo Nation Parks & Recreation — Permits. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Big Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Big 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 Big Falls?
Big Falls is a waterfall in New Mexico, at 35.35091, -108.87171.
Is Big Falls worth visiting?
One for the list — Plungeworthy rates it 3/10.
Gear for the trip
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