Booth Falls Vail Colorado Hike Guide
Booth Falls Vail is a quick out and back hike located just outside of the popular ski town. The hike starts in a residential area in East Vail before heading up a valley and eventually to the top of a large waterfall. This is an extremely popular hike that is family friendly and suitable for hikers of all skill levels. This hike can be done year round but is best from May – November when snow is not on the trail to make the hike much more enjoyable. If you want to continue hiking, the Booth Falls Vail trail accesses other hikes in the area like Booth Lake and the Fly or Spider.
Booth Falls Vail Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Booth Falls Vail
Booth Falls Vail: ★★ ★ (⅗ Stars)
Distance: 4 Miles RT
Elevation Start: 8,461ft
Booth Falls Elevation: 9,734ft
Total Elevation Gain: 1,289ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 2-3 Hours
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate What does this mean?
Class: Class 1 – What does this mean?
Season: May – November (expect snow outside of this period)
Directions to Booth Falls Vail
Trailhead: Booth Falls Vail
Getting Here: Booth Lake is accessed via the Booth Falls trailhead and parking area. To get to Booth Falls TH, take exit 180 off I-70 and turn on Frontage Road. Follow this for about a mile until you reach Booth Falls Road on your right. Continue on the road for about a quarter mile until it ends and there is a very small parking lot.
Parking: Booth Falls trailhead has a small parking lot that can fit about 10-12 cars. One side of the lot has a sign for 3 hour parking while the other has a sign for parking 11AM – 7PM. Parking is free and there are no restrooms at the lot but whoever drew the lines for the lot was clearly on Jenny Craig because they are very slim spots. If this lot is full, you can park along Frontage Road which is about a 5-10 minute walk from the trailhead. Technically speaking, if you are going to camp up near Booth Lake (or anywhere in the area) you are supposed to park down at Frontage Road. *Please note: This lot is subject to seasonal closures read more information here. There are porta-potties at the TH.
Fee: There is no fee for this hike as of 2021 – however, I would not be surprised if a fee is implemented in future years.
Summary
Dogs: Booth Falls Vail is a dog friendly hike but please keep your pets on a leash as most of this hike is in a wilderness area. Please, as always, pick-up after your dog – there are trash cans at the TH.
Camping: You could camp along the Booth Falls trail, but options are very limited until you hike past the falls. If you are looking for camping in the area, check out Gore Creek Campground.
Make it a Loop: This is an out and back hike but you could easily extend your hike with loads of other trails in the area. Examples include Booth Lake and The Fly & Spider which start on the same trail.
Trail X Factors: Elevation Gain
Chances are, if you are reading this or considering this hike – you might be visiting Colorado and not super used to elevation gain. If that is the case, be aware that this hike is basically a straight elevation gain on your way up to the waterfall. Take your time and give your lungs a break as you start at over 9k in elevation and work to over 10k in just under 2 miles.
Hike Tip(s): I have seen so many people attempt or do Booth Falls Vail and completely miss the waterfall. It’s very easy to do this, especially if you are not around other people. There is a great rock view point of the large waterfall that offers excellent views. However, be extremely careful here because it is a large drop down if you were to fall. PLEASE DO NOT try to get down to the waterfall, it is extremely dangerous and awful for the area in terms of erosion.
Best Views: This hike just has okay views in my opinion. You have to work fairly hard to get decent views of a waterfall and since most of the hike is in a valley – your landscape views of Vail and Eagles Nest Wilderness are hit or miss. However, if you hike this one during the summer or fall months when wildflowers or foliage are at their prime, this is a stunning area to hike in.
Booth Falls Vail Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Women’s)
- Backpack
- Food & Water
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Hiking Poles
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: Camera and Lens
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
Our Trip to Booth Falls: November 2021
It had been several years since Jackie and I had hiked Booth Falls Vail and with some extra time during shoulder season, we decided to revisit it. The winter was off to a very slow start and in mid-November, the ground was almost dry.
We hit the TH around 3:30 on a Saturday and started the hike with Juno, our husky. The hiking was steep and straightforward but to be honest, kind of boring. This was the ugliest time of year in Colorado – everything was dying or dead and the snow was not blanketing the area to make it pretty. As we got higher, the trail got muddier with a bit of melted snow on the trail and Jackie’s choice of running shoes was biting her in the ass.
We finally made it to the falls around sunset and the views were cool. The lighting was almost perfect, but the small bit of snow made the slippery exposed rock super dangerous to explore. We managed to find a good spot to snap some pictures before heading back to the car. By the time we got back to the car it was pitch black. Gotta love those 5PM Fall sunsets (insert sarcasm here).
Overall Booth Falls Vail is an okay hike, but we both were very underwhelmed and do not think we could hike solely to this destination for a long time.
