Nambe Falls
If you're passing
Is it plungeworthy?
A dam on Rio Nambe.
The details
- Type
- Dam
- Watercourse
- Rio Nambe
- Coordinates
- 35.84559, -105.90642
About Nambe Falls
Nambe Falls is a dam in New Mexico, on Rio Nambe.
Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.
Plungeworthy rates Nambe Falls 4.1/10 — if you're passing. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
A double waterfall on the Rio Nambé pouring through red granite in the Sangre de Cristo foothills — roughly 100 feet on the upper tier and 75 on the lower, one of the tallest waterfall drops in New Mexico.
This is Nambé Pueblo land, run as the Pueblo's own Nambé Falls & Lake Recreation Area. Two short trails leave the Ramada Area: one climbs to an overlook above the falls, the other follows the creek to the base pool.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Nambé Falls & Lake Recreation Area via NM-503 northeast of Santa Fe, then the Pueblo's access road
- Parking
- At the Ramada Area inside the recreation area
- Road
- Paved to the gate
- Hike
- 0.5 mi round trip, 111 ft of climb (Easy to moderate — two quarter-mile trails, one to an overlook, one to the base)
- Heads up
- Tribal land — the Pueblo's own rules govern everything past the gate
When to go
Open late March through October only, Thursday–Sunday. Spring runoff is the show.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- $20 per vehicle day use, cash only; fishing and camping priced separately — reservations (505) 455-2304
- Dogs
- Welcome on leash; clean up
- Hours
- Thursday–Sunday 7am–7pm; begin exiting by 6:30pm
- Camping
- $40–80 per night at the Pueblo's sites
- Warnings
- Fire restrictions in effect — no campfires or charcoal; gas grills only.
Researched from Nambé Pueblo — Nambé Falls & Lake Recreation Area. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Nambe Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
Planning a visit? We want your photo.
Nambe 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 Nambe Falls?
Nambe Falls is a waterfall in New Mexico, at 35.84559, -105.90642.
Is Nambe Falls worth visiting?
If you're passing — Plungeworthy rates it 4.1/10.
Gear for the trip
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