Ever stood under a massive highway bridge, dipped your toes in icy mountain water, and realized you were standing right in the middle of a centuries-old secret?
Welcome to Rainbow Falls near Manitou Springs. It is an absolute stunner of a waterfall packed with gold rush drama, ancient trails, and a rebellious modern twist. Most people drive right over it without ever knowing it is there.
The Original Trailblazers: The Mountain Utes
Long before it was a tourist stop, this rugged canyon was a seasonal highway. For generations, the Mountain Ute tribes braved a grueling 3,000-foot elevation climb through these exact rocks. They used the canyon to move their entire encampments between the Front Range and their hunting grounds in South Park.
Later, settlers named the waters Fountain Creek and the path Ute Pass. But the real prize was tucked away at the east end of the canyon: a spectacular 50-foot waterfall. The Utes named it Rainbow Falls because when the sun hits the cascading mist just right, it ignites a brilliant, glowing rainbow.
Gold, Trains, and the Disappearing Falls
As the Colorado Gold Rush exploded, things got wild. The ancient footpaths morphed into a rough wagon road. Then came the Midland Railroad, chugging right through the canyon to carry gold miners 50 miles away to the legendary mines of Cripple Creek.
By 1918, the railroad era was dead, but the car era was booming. In 1926, workers began carving out U.S. Route 24. The highway took years to build with delays after delays. A local, long resident remembers the days before the modern highway took over. The roaring falls could be easily seen right from the window of your car. “It was a pure joy as a child to see it,” she reminisced. An engineering company from Pueblo, Colorado, won contract to construct the massive, towering bridge spanning the canyon gap. Just like that, the beautiful waterfall was completely swallowed from view. But at least not destroyed.
Visit the Ute Pass Historical Society Site for more amazing info!
From Rebel Wasteland to Historical Treasure
Hidden away beneath the highway, the falls became a forgotten world. The trail rotted away, and the area turned into a playground for local graffiti artists, late-night parties, and broken glass. For years, volunteers tried to scrub the rocks clean, but the spray paint kept coming.
Then came the ultimate plot twist. In 2010, El Paso County stepped in and bought the entire waterfall site for literally ten dollars!
They launched a massive cleanup, fenced off the fragile ecosystems, and built safe trails. Instead of fighting the graffiti entirely, they embraced it. The site officially reopened in 2016 as a historic park where human engineering, street art, and raw nature collide.
Read More About Their Amazing Effort to Save This Historic Site!
Your Adventure Checklist: What to Do
If you want a truly effortless trip, you can have the crew at Adventures Out West drop you off right at the site. Click here for more info. on hours.
When you get there, make sure you:
- Bring Snacks! Picnic tables abound.
- Hunt for the secret second waterfall hidden just downstream.
- Wade right into Fountain Creek to feel the icy mountain rush.
- Look straight up to marvel at the giant, historic bridge architecture.
- Photograph the vibrant graffiti art painted across the canyon walls.
- Spot the wildlife darting through the trees and swimming in the shallows.
The Adventure Out West vehicle will return you to the parking area.
Step on board and come visit a truly unique site where nature and man have found a balance,
Sassafras/Tammila K. Wright
For other outdoor fun around the Front Range, Check out Adventure Out West site!