Throw on your boots, micro spikes or snowshoes to get to these winter gems

By Natasha Lovato

Bust out your snowshoes and ski poles for winter hikes leading to icy waterfalls so ethereal you’ll feel like you’re walking through Disney’s “Frozen.”

The state boasts about 80 different waterfalls. Some are widely known and easy to find, while others in the backcountry will take more of a commitment to reach. But hiking is a year-round adventure in Colorado if you possess the right gear and attitude. Plus, the diverse landscape in this state makes it easy for all levels of adventurer.

Some falls, such as Fish Creek Falls in Steamboat Springs, have paved paths to make it easy for those in wheelchairs or strollers. Waterfalls such as Cascade Falls in Ouray are ideal for experienced ice climbers.

Then, there are places like Piedra Falls near Pagosa Springs that are perfect for you and your four-legged hiking buddies. So, make sure to layer up and seek out these magical treasures this snowy season.

Fish Creek Falls

Steamboat Springs

This quarter-mile hike offers a paved path to the falls overlook for those in strollers or wheelchairs. If it is a longer hike you’re looking for, you can continue to the upper falls for a strenuous 2.5-mile round-trip trek or take an additional 3.5 miles to Long Lake from there.

Treasure Falls

Pagosa Springs

Treasure Falls features a 105-foot plunge viewable just 15 miles outside of Pagosa Springs. A short half-mile hike to the falls is perfect for the whole family. In the summer months, you can get close enough to feel the rushing water mist; in the winter, you’ll step into a magical winter scene.

Rifle Falls

Rifle

The frozen triple waterfall makes for a magical area to explore. Spelunkers visit the falls for the mysterious limestone caves. It’s an easy hike for the whole family and a great way to start or end a day of exploring Rifle Falls State Park.

Piedra Falls

Pagosa Springs

Dark volcanic rock provides a sleek backdrop among the frozen-over Piedra Falls. The hike is an easy, one-mile round trip and a fun place to explore crevices and cave-like areas in the ice.

Cascade Falls

Ouray

Cascade Falls Park is reachable on an easy hike that takes you up to the base of a series of seven waterfalls. The falls are high in the red stone cliffs overlooking Ouray and can be seen from many vantage points around the city, but up close in the winter, it is an ideal spot for ice climbers and spectators alike.

North Clear Creek Falls

Lake City

Within the Rio Grande National Forest area there are dozens of hiking trails, but luckily these roaring falls are viewable from an overlook situated as a stop on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway. Carved into the landscape of southwestern Colorado, North Clear Creek Falls makes for a desirable picnic spot or photo op before furthering on to your next adventure.

Native Natasha Lovato celebrates the Colorado lifestyle through hiking, biking or playing bingo while enjoying a sour ale or two.