Waterfall Lodge
Spring Boasts New Mexico Highest Seasonal Waterfall
Each spring, the runoff from the snow on the Brazos Cliffs creates New Mexico’s highest waterfall. The Brazos Falls are a spectacular site and are best viewed from Corkins Lodge. During dry winters in low-snowpack years, the waterfall only flows for a week or less. Spring is an excellent time to visit Corkins, and a mini waterfall in our ravine is always flowing. Discover why we are New Mexico's favorite waterfall lodge.
Hike
Explore breathtaking beauty on 700+ acres of pristine wilderness that is only open to Corkins Lodge guests. It's like having your own private national park to enjoy.
Day Trips
Day-trip adventures include the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad in Chama, NM and several nearby hot springs in Pagosa Springs, CO and Ojo Caliente, NM.
Fish
Spend a leisurely afternoon fishing at our trout-stocked pond or head out for a fly fishing day trip along our 2.5 miles of exclusive private access to the Brazos River.
Spring Outdoor Activities
Fireside Relaxing
Each cabin comes with a wood-buring stove or fireplace stocked with kindling and wood. Cozy up by a warm fire during the cold nights.
Board Games & Puzzles
Check out popular board games and puzzles from our office.
We have a variety of popular board games and puzzles for you to enjoy in your cabin. Contact our main office to check out a board game.
Games include:
- Monopoly
- Pictionary
- Scrabble
- JOOLA
- CATAN
- UNO
- Clue
- Checkers
- Chess
- Cards
- Dominos
- And More!
Wildlife Spotting
Every time of year is a great time to spot wildlife at Corkins Lodge. We always have deer, squirrels, chipmunks, turkeys, birds, and the occasional bear. We ask that guests do not feed the wildlife and do not leave any food out or in your car and use our outdoor bear-proof garbage cans for your safety.
Outdoor Games
Bocce Ball
Horseshoes
Tether-Ball
The Corkins Lodge campus features a varity of outdoor games that the whole family can play. We have a regulation-size horseshoe pit that doubles as a bocce ball court. Horseshoes and balls are available at the Corkins Lodge main office. We also have tether-ball.
Spring ACTIVITIES
Book a SPRING Cabin
Corkins Lodge allows you to have a complete wilderness experience without a sleeping bag. Our rustic-luxury cabins have comfortable beds with comforters and Pendleton blankets, hot showers with polished pebble floors, well-appointed kitchens stocked with everything you need to prepare your meals, and private decks with luxury gas barbecue grills. In springtime only our retreat becomes a waterfall lodge.
Available Packages
Guided Fly Fishing Packages
All-Inclusive Fly Fishing Packages from Land of Enchantment Guides beginners to experts welcome.
Spring Waterfall in Chama, New Mexico
Active Dates:
Sometimes March through the middle of May. The waterfall start and stop dates are dependent on the snowpack and spring thaw. It may run a few days and then freeze and start again, or it may run for a few weeks.
Waterfall Access:
There are no hiking or jeep trails to the foot of the falls. The grounds at Corkins Lodge are reserved for guests only and are not open to the public.
Waterfall Height:
2,400-feet with a 1,300-foot vertical drop
Elevation:
8,700 – 10,000 feet
New Mexico’s Highest Waterfall
It’s hard to describe the majesty of experiencing thousands of gallons of water dropping vertically for 1,300 feet. The rushing sound of the waterfall mingles with the wind through the trees to create nature’s perfect white noise. The Brazos waterfall often creates beautiful rainbows when the mist of the rushing water is kissed by the sun.
The Brazos Falls are a horsetail chute fall meaning the descending water maintains contact with the bedrock, and then a large quantity of water is forced through a narrow vertical passage.
Waterfall Active Dates
The waterfall is entirely weather-dependent on the snowpack on the Brazos Cliffs and the spring thawing. It always flows in the springtime, sometimes for a few days and sometimes for a few weeks. Sometimes the watefall starts and then freezes again with a cold weather snap.
Following are the active dates when the waterfall was flowing in the past few years:
2026 - March 23
2025 - April 5
2024 - May 1
2023 - May 7
2022 - May 1
2021 - April 30
2020 - April 29
Private Waterfall Viewing
The Brazos Falls feed the Rio Brazos river that flows through the Corkins Lodge grounds and has some of the best fishing in the state. Thre are no hiking trails to the base of the falls.
The snowmelt also creates spectacular smaller waterfalls you can access through hiking on the grounds on 1,600 acres of Corkins private land.
The Brazos Falls are also known as the “Brazos Box Falls” and “El Chorro Falls,” meaning “The Jet.”
Spring Waterfall Specifics
The Brazos Falls sare completely dependent on the amount of winter snow and spring warming. In dry, warm years, the waterfall may only flow for a few days. In years when there is a heavy snowpack, the waterfall may flow for a few weeks.
SPRING Vacation Trip Planning
Corkins Lodge sits at 8,500 ft. above sea level, so we encourage you to plan accordingly for high-altitude adventures. The evening temperatures can get quite cold in the mountains. We recommend the following for spring trips to Corkins:
- Jacket/Raincoat
- Sweater Layers
- Sunblock
- Water Bottle
- Hiking Boots
- Day Pack
- Fishing Gear (none available at the Lodge)
SPRING WATERFALL
Spring is a great time to visit Corkins as our rates are lower and we have several specials and discounts available.
★★★★★
"Don’t miss this outstanding lodge in northern NM."
Combine a spectacular setting with impressive cabins and you have Corkins Lodge. I have always wanted to stay there at the base of the Brazos cliffs, and I was not disappointed. The view of the cliffs reflected in the lake below the cabins is stunning. Wildlife is abundant and there are hiking trails to explore the woodlands. For those interested in a pool, outdoor/indoor games, and playgrounds, Corkins has those as well. Don’t miss this outstanding lodge in northern NM.
– Joan Berish