Colorado State Parks: Rifle Falls and Rifle Gap

Next up in our series exploring Colorado’s state parks are Rifle Falls and Rifle Gap! Rifle Falls State Park and Rifle Gap State Park are two distinct park sites both located along East Rifle Creek in western Colorado.

Rifle Falls is most famous for the three 70-foot waterfalls that tumble down limestone cliffs. These lofty waterfalls are the result of an interesting geological phenomenon called a travertine dam. As explained in the Rifle Falls park brochure, travertine is a type of rock formed when mineral-rich fresh water, like that in East Rifle Creek, rapidly deposits calcium carbonate. This often happens around the mouths of limestone caves, like those underneath Rifle Falls. Eventually, the travertine deposits build up vertically and form a natural dam

These waterfalls also hide caves that are open for exploration. Visitors interested in caving should come prepared with a flashlight – one of the caves extends 90 feet into the limestone! For further information about Rifle’s geology, check out this 1993 report published by the Colorado Geological Survey.

Following East Rifle Creek south, it runs into Rifle Gap State Park. Rifle Gap is centered around a 360-acre reservoir that was created in 1967 with the completion of the Rifle Gap Dam. The reservoir is a popular spot for boating, water sports, and fishing. Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery, one of the largest in the state, is located close by and stocks the reservoir with trout, yellow perch, pike, and more. When the temperatures drop, Rifle Gap is known as one of the best ice-fishing locations in the state. Ice rescue stations are present around the reservoir, but it’s best to be prepare and aware of self-rescue instructions just in case.

Rifle Gap was also the site of a famous art installation by the environmental artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Their work, titled Valley Curtain, was a 1,250-foot-long orange curtain spanning the valley. This striking work took years of planning and hundreds of workers to construct, but unfortunately, it only lasted 28 hours before wind gusts shredded the curtain’s fabric. The artists re-installed the curtain a year later but encountered the same issue with the wind and removed the curtain after 24 hours. More information about Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Colorado artwork can be found in a previous blog post.

With two parks in one place, Rifle is a great stop on your Colorado state parks bucket list!