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Waterfall

Gray Copper Falls

Colorado

About

Gray Copper Falls is a waterfall in the Ouray Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, managed by the Forest Service. It sits at about 10,767 feet, roughly 7 miles from the town of Ouray, Colorado. Summer is the most comfortable time to visit. Typical averages from the nearby Silverton weather station, which sits well below the falls, run to highs around 75°F in July. That station's July and August also bring the most wet days of the year. The falls sit higher than that station, so temperatures here run cooler. Several other destinations are close by. The Hanson Peak and Gray Copper Gulch hikes are both about 0.7 miles away, and the Corkscrew Camping Area and the Million Dollar Highway Free Campsite are each within about a mile and a half.

Waterfall Facts

Elevation

10,767 ft

Land manager

Forest Service

Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).

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Location

Gray Copper Falls

Colorado

Name and location: U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). Elevation: USGS 3D Elevation Program. View the GNIS record.

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: Jun–Sep. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 66–75°F and lows of 30–38°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Silverton, CO weather station, 7.8 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan34° high-6° low
  2. Feb36° high-3° low
  3. Mar43° high6° low
  4. Apr48° high17° low
  5. May58° high25° low
  6. Jun70° high31° low
  7. Jul75° high38° low
  8. Aug72° high37° low
  9. Sep66° high30° low
  10. Oct55° high20° low
  11. Nov43° high7° low
  12. Dec34° high-5° low

The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this spot, so expect it to run cooler up here.

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Nearest town
Ouray, Colorado · 7.3 mi
Managed by
Forest Service

Source: USFS EDW boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1; USGS GNIS populated places

Conditions

Active alerts for Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests as of Oct 9, 2026:

Source: USFS forest alerts

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)

Is Gray Copper Falls open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. It doesn't name Gray Copper Falls, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).

As of · Source: USFS · Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Best time to visit Gray Copper Falls

No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    34° / -6°

    9 wet

  2. Feb

    36° / -3°

    9 wet

  3. Mar

    43° / 6°

    10 wet

  4. Apr

    48° / 17°

    9 wet

  5. May

    58° / 25°

    9 wet

  6. Jun

    70° / 31°

    7 wet

  7. Jul

    75° / 38°

    13 wet

  8. Aug

    72° / 37°

    15 wet

  9. Sep

    66° / 30°

    12 wet

  10. Oct

    55° / 20°

    9 wet

  11. Nov

    43° / 7°

    8 wet

  12. Dec

    34° / -5°

    9 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Silverton, CO, 7.8 mi away at 9,285 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.