Rio Quemado Falls
One for the list
Is it plungeworthy?
A waterfall on North Fork Rio Quemado.
The details
- Watercourse
- North Fork Rio Quemado
- Coordinates
- 35.98378, -105.65218
About Rio Quemado Falls
Rio Quemado Falls is a waterfall in New Mexico, on North Fork Rio Quemado.
Fed largely by snowmelt, it runs hardest in late spring and early summer and can thin to a trickle by late season.
Plungeworthy rates Rio Quemado Falls 3/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
A two-tier horsetail falls on the North Fork Rio Quemado, high under Truchas Peak — about 120 feet total by lidar, with at least 50 feet visible in the main drop. In a big snow year it's one of the most impressive falls in the Sangre de Cristos.
The approach is the price: rough 4WD roads, then a steep, deadfall-choked route of roughly 10 miles round trip. Respect the boundary — the sanctioned route starts at the locked land-grant gate on Forest Road 667, and the historic shortcut across Truchas Land Grant property is not yours to take.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Locked gate at the end of Forest Road 667 near Truchas — park there and walk; do not cross onto land-grant property
- Parking
- At the gate
- Road
- Rough dirt — 4WD recommended
- Hike
- 10 mi round trip, 2,500 ft of climb (Strenuous — steep grades and heavy deadfall)
- Heads up
- The Forest Service's own trail page advises against the Truchas Land Grant approach
When to go
Summer after a wet winter — flow swings hard year to year. Camp spots exist along the route and in the bowl above the falls.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- None — Santa Fe National Forest
- Dogs
- Under control
- Camping
- Dispersed camping along the route
- Warnings
- Private land-grant boundary on the approach — stay on the public side.
Researched from Santa Fe National Forest — Rio Quemado Trail #153 · World Waterfall Database — Río Quemado Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Rio Quemado Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.
Where it is
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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 Rio Quemado Falls?
Rio Quemado Falls is a waterfall in New Mexico, at 35.98378, -105.65218.
Is Rio Quemado Falls worth visiting?
One for the list — Plungeworthy rates it 3/10.
Gear for the trip
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