Lower Disaster Falls
About
Lower Disaster Falls is a waterfall in Dinosaur National Monument in western Colorado, managed by the National Park Service. The nearest town is Craig Place, about 5.4 miles away. The falls sit at roughly 5,247 feet. For comfortable weather, aim for late spring or early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show September highs around 79°F with lows near 43°F, while July highs climb to about 91°F. Winters are cold, with January highs near 40°F. The Pot Creek Trail starts about a mile away. Rippling Brook River Camp 1 and the Wild Mountain climbing area are both about 4.8 miles off. Gates of Lodore Trail lies about 6 miles away.
Waterfall Facts
Elevation
5,247 ft
Land manager
National Park Service
Elevation from USGS 3D Elevation Program terrain data (about 10 m resolution).
Location
Lower Disaster 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: Apr–Jun. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 62–83°F and lows of 31–47°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Jarvie Rch, UT weather station, 22 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan40° high13° low
- Feb44° high18° low
- Mar55° high25° low
- Apr62° high31° low
- May72° high39° low
- Jun83° high47° low
- Jul91° high54° low
- Aug88° high51° low
- Sep79° high43° low
- Oct65° high32° low
- Nov50° high22° low
- Dec40° high13° low
Where it is
- Dinosaur National Monument · National Park Service
- Nearest town
- Craig Place, Colorado · 5.4 mi
- Managed by
- National Park Service
Source: NPS Land Resources boundaries; USGS PAD-US 4.1; USGS GNIS populated places
Conditions
Active alerts for Dinosaur National Monument as of Oct 9, 2026:
Echo Park Road and Campground Closure
Park Closure · posted Oct 9, 2026
Rainbow Park Closure
Park Closure · posted Sep 25, 2026
Source: NPS Alerts API
Nearby
- Pot Creek TrailHiking1 mi
- Rippling Brook River Camp 1Camping4.8 mi
- Wild MountainRock climbing4.8 mi
- Gates of Lodore TrailHiking6 mi
- Gates of LodoreCamping6.1 mi
- Green River Multiday TripCanoeing8.7 mi
- Harper's Corner TrailHiking9 mi
- Echo Park CampgroundCamping9.1 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
