Ouray Parks – Box Cañon Falls
Info About Ouray Parks
learn more about Ouray Parks and the famous Box Cañon Falls. Use this interactive map to find locations and details. Perhaps you’re looking for more information about Ouray’s off-road trails. Learn more about Ouray’s off-road trails. Keep reading to learn about Box Cañon Falls and all the other amazing wonders of nature that Ouray’s city parks offer.
Box Cañon Falls
Location: West end of Third Avenue
The famous Box Cañon Falls is a natural wonder – formed when the rushing waters of Canyon Creek eroded a deep and narrow
boxed canyon through fault-weakened limestone. This Ouray Park’s short trails are easily accessible from the southwest corner of town. You can reach the visitor center and entrance by car or on foot. The lower trail is an easy 500-foot hike via a walkway and a suspension bridge that will lead you straight into the belly of the falls. You will be silenced by roaring water as the force of thousands of gallons a minute ricochets off a mix of rugged crags and smoothly eroded pre-Cambrian rock, rushing eighty feet to the canyon’s bottom.
Lookouts and Picnic Spots at Box Cañon Falls
Stop and soak up the beauty of the surrounding forests in one of the numerous sheltered picnic houses situated throughout Cañon Falls Park. Some pavilions have grills and are perfect for a family gathering or a peaceful place to get away with friends. Be sure to walk through the Visitor Center and see the interpretive exhibits of the area’s geology, wildlife, rare plant life, and history. From the visitor center, you can also take the short but steep hike to the bridge above the falls and look down on the fury of the water as it plummets into the Box Canyon. As an added treat, enjoy beautiful views of Ouray. The native plant loop is a short and level trail near the visitor center where you can enjoy the sights and sounds of the forest.
Designated as an Important Bird-Watching
In 2001, Box Cañon Falls was designated as an important bird-watching area by the National Audubon Society. It supports one of the state’s largest populations of Black Swifts, a protected species. These birds nest in their preferred habitat – the canyon walls sheltered by overhanging rocks near waterfalls.
More Ouray Parks
Cascade Falls
Location: East end of Eighth Avenue
The Cascade Falls are high in the red stone cliffs overlooking Ouray and can be seen from many vantage points around the city. The Lower Cascade Falls trail is rated an easy hike, which takes you up to the base, and last in a series of seven waterfalls. The trailhead starts at a parking area at the east end of Eighth Ave., and the lower trail is short but steep. There are picnic tables along the way to enjoy a snack or rest.
Fellin Park
Location: Adjacent to the Ouray Hot Springs Pool
Fellin Park has a 1/4-mile running track, tennis courts, playground, softball diamond, horseshoe pit, barbecue grills, and picnic tables. This beautiful park can be booked for group events through the City of Ouray Parks Department at 970-325-7072.
Rotary Park
Location: One mile north of Ouray Hot Springs Pool
The Ouray ice skating rink is located at Rotary Park. It is typically open from late December throughout the winter as long as winter temperatures remain cold enough to maintain ice. The rink is maintained by the City of Ouray and a cadre of volunteers. During the warmer months, picnic tables are also available to enjoy a picnic lunch amid the towering pine trees.
Ouray Parks – Community Center
Location: Sixth Avenue, next to City Hall
The City of Ouray Community and Conference Center is the perfect place for special events. The conference center offers two separate meeting rooms, with capacities that range from 50 to 400. The rooms can be set up with tables, folding chairs, and state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment. There is also a full commercial kitchen, elevator, and ADA accessibility. With its southern-facing windows revealing the Amphitheatre and Mount Abrams, this conference center is a beautiful and relaxing setting for your group meeting, company party, family reunion, birthday party, or wedding.
