Booth Falls Trail is a 4.8 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Vail, Colorado that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
dogs on leash
kid friendly
birding
hiking
nature trips
trail running
walking
forest
views
waterfall
wild flowers
rocky
snow
Beautiful trail. Definitely some steep and rocky sections, so be prepared. Minimal parking at the trailhead, so consider parking at the bottom of the road. Adds a few hundred feet of elevation and 0.5 miles to the hike.
Snow is pretty deep above 9500'. I posted a few times falling one of those times into more than 3' of snow, finding it difficult to get out!
Lower elevations have no snow, but the trail is slushy.
It was snowing during our entire 3-hour hike; started late, at 3 pm.
Snow shoes and hiking poles are advisable.
Pretty good hike. Deep snow makes it harder.
Got lost a couple of times.
Saw only 2 other hikers on the trail.
God willing, I plan to do it after the snow has melted, during summer/fall season.
Terrible. You have to hike up a road to even get to the entrance.
Absolutely beautiful. Didn't make it anywhere near the falls though as we ended up waist-deep in snow! Still a great workout though!
My family loves to visit this lake. Last year, I did the Booth Falls hike for the first time and it's probably my favorite place on earth. It's absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately the activity area at the head of the trail is not super picnic friendly anymore, but as long as you're on the trail or at your car you'll be fine.
Not busy at all but a beautiful hike even during the winter. The falls and river are frozen which adds a unique touch to the experience. Most of the trail was icy, so I was very thankful for my mini ice spikes, especially on the way down. But its well marked and not very difficulty.
Beautiful! It was extremely muddy and slippery in spots, so wear appropriate shoes. Not too busy this time of year. I'll definitely come back
Great hike- definitely one of the harder ones I’ve done as it was literally uphill the entire way. But thankfully, what goes up must come down! We did the hike to the falls in the early morning and the ground/trail was still frozen over (thankfully). After the falls, we kept going in the direction of the lake. This half of the hike was snow covered, and I was really happy to have my yaktrax on my feet to keep me from sliding (others weren’t so lucky). We never made it to the lake as the snow was too deep, but it was a gorgeous hike. The way back was thankfully downhill, but fairly muddy since the sun was out and thawed the ground. I took a spill and a mud bath... but all in all, it was a great hike- I’d do it again. The parking lot isn’t large- so get there early!
Moderately trafficked but a great waterfall to view
The directions take you to Booth Creek park which is like a mile away from the trailhead. You need to go past Vail Mountain school on booth falls road up the mountain. There’s a special little parking lot for the trailhead.
Wonderful hike to see Aspen colors. We saw green Aspens tucked in valleys, yellows on exposed south side and bare trees in the middle. quite beautiful nestled against the deep green firs. The falls were puny, but to be expected in the Fall. Trailhead parking is limited to 18 slots which are filled early. No parking in large school lot at base, reminding me what I so love about Vail, so I suggest you park on road beyond furthest no parking sign, going east.
No snow yet on the trail so still very doable. Hiked in sneakers. There were some muddy spots so hiking boots may have been advisable, but we all made it fine. Hiked with my three teenage kids, my in-shape husband and myself (out of shape 50yo). We made it round trip in 2.5 hrs. Trail on the way up varies from moderate to steep uphills but with a few breaks along the way, we reached the pretty falls. Happy with the accomplishment and would do it again!
Great trail. Straight up the whole way there but worth the climb. Waterfall isn't THAT visible but the views and creeks are amazing. There were many other hikers so not much privacy
The parking lot for the trailhead is in the back of a subdivision area. Not exactly where this app brings you, but close.
Great hike. Challenging in some spots with steep ascents, but not overly difficult. If you hike this in mid to late October, make sure to layer, temps can be quite cold near the top.
Great hike! Incline all the way to the falls kicked our butts but it was so worth it! The directions took us to a residential area, so google where the trailhead is in advance otherwise you'll be driving around in circles like we did. Parking is a nightmare here, only 20 spots or so and there is no addition parking anywhere. I would recommend getting here early otherwise you'll be waiting a while! There was also no public restrooms lol! We posted more about this hike on our Instagram page @pathsandpourovers if you want to check it out!
Gradual incline hike that made it a nice afternoon hike. all the leaves have fallen but it winds through beautifully tall pine and aspen grove to the 60 foot falls!
Great hike! Was a little busy towards end (12-1) but we had a great time.
DO NOT PARK DOWN BY THE PARK. GPS coordinates take you to a residential area by a park and they are very strict on the 3 hour time limit. If you don’t get there early, you won’t be hiking for a while. No where else to park because the police have put up a bunch of signs about street parking and using the school lot. Wish I could tell you about the trail, but we never made it.
This hike is beautiful! The leaves are amazing and there are a ton to see! A little crowded but so worth it!
Excellent fall foliage! A gradual incline all the way to the falls. Steady and manageable. Great views of the vail valley the whole way. Streams for our dog to drink from along the way too, always a plus.
Love it have hiked here many times!
Great hike with beautiful views of the aspens and surrounding area.
Great hike and views of surrounding area. Aspen trees were beautiful.
This was a great trail to fit in during a weekend in the mountains. The altitude made the uphill climb challenging, but we were rewarded with several beautiful views back down into the valley. The trail was quiet around 8am but started to fill up significantly around noon on our way back down. Overall, this trail took us a solid two hours on the way up. We spent around 30 minutes relaxing at the river up by the falls and made it back down the trail in about 30 minutes. Definitely worth the climb if you have the time!
Great trail conditions, gorgeous aspen vistas.
Did this trail yesterday afternoon as the aspen are beginning to peak. Absolutely breathtaking views, especially behind you once you get past about the halfway point to the falls. Falls are nice too but the yellowing aspen steal the show right now!
Amazing falls! Well worth the trip! We are from Indiana (sea level), got to Vail on Wednesday, hiked on Thursday, it was phenomenal! If you aren't used to the altitude, take water and go slow, but the falls are well worth the trip! (hiked on 09/21/2017)
Great hike to see Fall Foliage!
Gorgeous! Leaves are changing and you walk through many Aspen Groves.
Peter A.
I hiked to the falls on a beautiful September day. The aspens were in full color, and the sun was shining. It took me about an hour from the parking lot to the falls at a very moderate pace. It's easily done in 2 to 2 1/2 hours, including a brief break for snacks.
Awesome hike and great views. Would definitely recommend an early start if you are going all the way to the lake. Beautiful aspens and well groomed trails.