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Maxwell Falls

Friends of Maxwell Falls · Evergreen, CO

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Is Maxwell Falls open? Current conditions and alerts

Open.

Day use only. No entry between sunset and sunrise. No camping, no campfires.
Fire: Stage 1 fire restrictions in effect through December 31, 2026. No charcoal grills; gas or liquid-fuel stoves are OK.
Shooting: Recreational shooting is prohibited under Forest Service Order 02-10-00-25-02, in effect until rescinded.

Rules last checked September 2026. Current conditions

Rules in effect

These are the rules and restrictions as we last checked them, in September 2026. They change rarely, but they do change, so confirm with the official sources below before you go.

Trails Open: the Maxwell Falls Trail (#39; older listings say #111) and the Cliff Loop (#39.1) from both trailheads
Hours Day use only. Nobody may be in the area between sunset and sunrise
Camping and campfires Not allowed, ever
Fire restrictions Stage 1 fire restrictions for the Clear Creek Ranger District, in effect through December 31, 2026. No charcoal grills; gas or liquid-fuel stoves are OK
Shooting Prohibited. Permanent Recreational Shooting Order 02-10-00-25-02, in effect until rescinded
Parking Free. Lower main lot fewer than 18 vehicles, lower overflow lot about 15 to 20, upper lot about 15. They fill fast on summer weekends and holidays. Road parking only where legal and unsigned, fully past the white edge line
Restrooms, water, trash None at any trailhead. Pack out everything, dog bags included
Downed trees As of September 2026, no significant downed trees are blocking the trails. Wind knocked down trees around the area earlier in 2026, and a storm can drop more at any time, so watch for fresh blowdown and leaning trunks, especially after high winds

We’re volunteers, not the Forest Service. Closures can come fast, fire closures especially. When this page and an official source disagree, go with the official source, and check the links below before you drive up.

Official sources to check

The day-use order

The Forest Service order covering Maxwell Falls and the start of Cub Creek Trail (Order ARP-CCRD-2021-01) prohibits:

  • camping;
  • campfires;
  • being in the area after sundown or before sunrise;
  • parking or leaving a vehicle anywhere except as posted.

It applies to the National Forest land around both the upper and lower Maxwell Falls trails. A Forest Service sign at the lower trailhead sums it up: “No camping or campfires. Use in the area prohibited between sunset and sunrise.” What that means for you: be back at your car before sunset. More on the rules and why they exist.

Fire restrictions

Stage 1 fire restrictions (Order 02-10-00-26-05, posted at the trailheads) cover the Boulder and Clear Creek Ranger Districts from noon on September 1 through December 31, 2026, unless changed. Under Stage 1, fires of any kind, charcoal and briquettes included, are allowed only in Forest Service-installed grates. The exception is a stove or other device fueled only by liquid or gas that can be turned on and off, used on ground cleared of flammable material for three feet around. You can smoke only inside an enclosed vehicle or building, at a developed recreation site, or while stopped in a cleared area at least 3 feet across. Explosives, welding and torches are out. Violations can bring fines of up to $5,000 for an individual and up to six months in jail.

There are no fire grates at Maxwell Falls, and the day-use order bans campfires here anyway. So: no campfires and no charcoal grills. A gas or liquid-fuel stove is OK, and please don’t smoke on the trail. The roadside sign on Brook Forest Road says the same thing: no fires, no charcoal grills, no shooting, “Stoves OK.”

A yellow Forest Service fire restrictions sign beside Brook Forest Road with symbols for no fires, no charcoal grills, no shooting, and stoves OK.
The fire restrictions sign on Brook Forest Road near the lower trailhead, September 2026: no fires, no charcoal grills, no shooting, stoves OK.

The canyon sits below the homes on Brook Forest Road and Black Mountain Drive, and that road is the way out for hundreds of households if a fire starts. Neighbors take this one personally.

Shooting prohibition

Recreational shooting is prohibited around Maxwell Falls. The Forest Service’s Permanent Recreational Shooting Order 02-10-00-25-02 took effect August 13, 2025 and has no end date. It bans “discharging a firearm, air rifle, or gas gun” on the National Forest land here, including both trailheads, the trail and the Cub Creek trailhead (order and map). Licensed hunters hunting legally are exempt, so wear something bright during fall hunting seasons. More in Rules.

What to expect by season

  • Spring (March to May): snow and ice linger into April, then mud. The water rises as the snow melts.
  • Late May and June: the falls at their fullest. Busy weekends.
  • Summer (July and August): lower water, crowds on weekends and holidays, afternoon thunderstorms. Start early.
  • Fall (September to November): quieter trails, the water at its seasonal low, aspens turning in late September. Bears are most active now, feeding before hibernation (CPW). Snow can arrive from October on.
  • Winter (December to February): snow and ice on the trail, and the falls often freeze. Bring microspikes.
Seasons in detail

Trail conditions

We’re neighbors, not a ranger station, and we don’t post day-to-day trail reports. For current conditions, check the official sources above, look at recent reviews on the big hiking apps, or ask on the Friends of Maxwell Falls Facebook page. If you find something others should know about (a tree across the trail, a washed-out crossing), email us and we’ll pass it on.

Nobody can tell you in advance whether a lot will be full. If it is, use the overflow lot at the lower trailhead (about 15 to 20 cars), park on the road only where it’s legal and safe, or head for the other trailhead or a different trail.

If the lot is full

Both trailheads have small, free lots that fill fast on busy summer days, especially weekends and holidays. The lower main lot holds fewer than 18 vehicles and its overflow lot beside the road about 15 to 20. The upper lot holds about 15, with a little roadside parking on Black Mountain Drive below it. If there’s no space:

  • Park on the road only where it’s legal and safe. Parking along Brook Forest Road is allowed where it’s sensible, safe and not signed “No Parking.” Those signs mark the stretches where the shoulder is too narrow. Both tires on the road side must be completely off the road, past the white painted edge line: Colorado law bars parking on the main-traveled part of a highway, and the “roadway” doesn’t include the shoulder. Never block a travel lane or a driveway (Jefferson County parking rules).
  • Expect tickets on busy days. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office enforces parking here, and neighbors see cars ticketed most crowded weekends.
  • Try the other trailhead, about 2.8 miles away by car. See Trailheads and parking.
  • Come back before 8 a.m. or on a weekday. Either one makes a big difference.
  • Hike somewhere else. Evergreen has good alternatives, and Jefferson County Open Space posts live parking levels for its parks. See Hikes near Evergreen.

Is Maxwell Falls open right now?

It's open for day use. We last checked the rules in September 2026. The USFS alert page will have anything newer.

Is Maxwell Falls open in winter?

Yes. The trail is open year-round for day use. It's usually snowy or icy from December into spring, so bring microspikes. See winter at the falls.

When is the waterfall flowing best?

With snowmelt in late May and June. By late summer and fall it's often a thin veil, and in winter it usually freezes. See the seasons guide.

Can I go at sunrise or sunset?

Not during the closure hours. The order bars everyone from the area between sunset and sunrise, so start after sunrise and be back at your car before sunset. Rules.

Is shooting allowed at Maxwell Falls?

No. Forest Service Order 02-10-00-25-02 prohibits recreational shooting here until it's rescinded. Licensed hunters hunting legally are exempt.

Sources