Zapata Falls is a waterfall located in the San Luis Valley near the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on Bureau of Land Management land adjacent to Rio Grande National Forest and south of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Alamosa County, Colorado.[3] The falls has a drop of 30-foot (9.1 m). Access to this waterfall entails a mildly steep 0.5 mi (0.80 km) hike. Viewing the falls requires fording the stream and climbing rocks. Black swifts nest near the falls, one of the few known breeding sites for this species in Colorado During the summer months, the falls provide a cooling oasis, but during the winter months, the waterfall freezes into an enormous column of ice, perfect for the experienced ice climber. Travelers along Los Caminos Antiguos Scenic and Historic Byway can stop for an overnight stay at one of 24 campsites in Zapata Falls Campground.

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