Box Canyon Falls

Box Canyon Falls is a slot canyon and waterfall at the southwest edge of Ouray, where Canyon Creek drops through a narrow rock fissure before joining the Uncompahgre River. The town park entrance is a short walk from Main Street, and a series of metal walkways and bridges penetrate into the canyon itself, bringing you directly alongside the rushing water in a space barely 3 meters wide and 50 meters deep.

The falls drop about 30 meters with considerable force, and the noise and spray inside the canyon create a visceral, enclosed experience quite different from open-air waterfall viewpoints. The trail above the canyon continues up to a viewpoint over the Uncompahgre Gorge and connects to the network of trails on the ridges around town. The park entrance fee is minimal; the walk takes about 45 minutes round trip.

things to do sight
A story
Box Canyon was known to the Utes as a sacred place before European settlers arrived. The town of Ouray acquired the canyon in the 1880s and has operated it as a public park ever since. The metal footbridge inside the canyon, suspended above the roaring water, was installed in the early 20th century — photographs from that era show well-dressed Victorians navigating it in suits and long skirts.