Cooper Falls

Worth a detour

Is it plungeworthy?

35feet tall

A 2-tier waterfall on Cooper Arroyo.

Scale38/60

Documentation15/20

Character14/20

The details

Tiers: 2 drops
Watercourse: Cooper Arroyo
Coordinates: 36.58821, -106.73011

Get directions →

About Cooper Falls

Cooper Falls is a 35-foot waterfall in New Mexico, on Cooper Arroyo. The water falls in 2 distinct tiers.

Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.

Plungeworthy rates Cooper Falls 6.7/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Two waterfalls, not one: a spring-fed 25-foot twin falls with a reflecting pool, and a separate 30-foot falls that free-falls straight into the Chama River. The name comes from Cooper's El Vado Ranch, the old fishing lodge just downstream.

The access is the catch. The documented half-mile trail starts near the private ranch, and the cleaner public-side approach — from adjacent El Vado Lake State Park — is hinted at by the one good source but not confirmed. Call the state park before building a trip around this one.

Getting there

Trailhead: A half-mile trail starting about a half mile north of El Vado Ranch — but the ranch is private, and the state-park-side alternative is unconfirmed
Parking: El Vado Lake State Park if entering from the public side ($5 per vehicle day use)
Road: Paved to the reservoir
Hike: 1 mi round trip (Easy walking — the uncertainty is legal access, not terrain)
Heads up: Confirm the public route with El Vado Lake State Park before you go; don't cross ranch property without permission

When to go

Late May to early June is best; the springs keep some flow year-round.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: $5 per vehicle at El Vado Lake State Park, if entering that way
Dogs: Leashed in the state park
Camping: State park campgrounds nearby
Warnings: Part of the documented approach is private ranch land — get permission or use the park side.

Researched from Doug Scott — Cooper Falls · NM State Parks — El Vado Lake State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Cooper Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Planning a visit? We want your photo.

Cooper 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.