Entry No. 14 — the Colorado Springs file — filed under: records
Rainbow Falls ("Graffiti Falls")
A 45-foot waterfall on Fountain Creek tucked under a road bridge off Serpentine Drive, its canyon walls coated in ever-changing, semi-sanctioned graffiti — locals just call it Graffiti Falls.
The story
If you drive Highway 24 west out of Manitou Springs, you will almost certainly pass right over the top of this canyon without realizing it exists. Tucked directly beneath the concrete arches of a 1932 highway bridge, Fountain Creek plunges 45 feet over a red sandstone shelf along the Great Unconformity fault line. But almost nobody in town calls it by its official name—to generations of Manitou locals, high schoolers, and night-owl taggers, this gorge has always been Graffiti Falls.
For decades, the canyon operated in a legal grey zone. Locals scrambled down the steep banks off Serpentine Drive to coat every square inch of bridge footing and red rock in aerosol paint, creating a dense, ever-shifting gallery of neon art, teenage declarations, and rogue murals. County officials spent years fighting the paint with power washers and closures—especially after rockfalls and the Waldo Canyon fire—before settling into an uneasy truce. El Paso County Parks took over management, installed fencing, and left the existing layers of paint on the rocks, turning a rebellious local hangout into an official historic site.
What it's like
You'll pull into the Higginbotham staging lot off Serpentine Drive, pay roughly twenty dollars for parking and shuttle transit, and catch the short van ride down to the gate. From there, a brief 0.15-mile gravel trail runs alongside Fountain Creek. The air changes the moment you step under the giant 1930s bridge arches, where cold creek mist mixes with the faint smell of wet paint. The canyon walls framing the 45-foot drop are entirely covered in layers of bright pink, turquoise, and black spray paint that shift with every season. Visit on a warm weekend to see families wading near the base, or aim for a quiet Friday morning to photograph the spray-painted gorge without the crowds.
The move: Take the short trail in, photograph the falls against the spray-painted rock, and come back another season to see how completely the colors have changed.
📍 Before you go Tucked off Serpentine Drive just off Highway 24, the falls sit directly across from Cave of the Winds — easy to drive past, so watch for the El Paso County Parks signage. Access is now managed: you park at the Higginbotham staging lot and ride a short shuttle to the trailhead, then it's a quick, easy creekside walk to the base. The shuttle and reservation system run only on certain days and warmer months, so check ahead before you go. Flow is strongest in spring snowmelt. Pair it with Cave of the Winds across the road, or downtown Manitou Springs minutes away.
- 📍 Manitou Springs
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Off Serpentine Dr, near Hwy 24 (across from Cave of the Winds), Manitou Springs, CO 80829
Hours: Daytime, year-round; managed by El Paso County Parks. ~$20 parking at 101 Higginbotham Rd.
Pair it with
- Green Mountain Falls Skyspace — Continue west up Highway 24 from Manitou's spray-painted gorge to reach a mountaintop light chamber engineered by James Turrell.
- Horsethief Falls Trail — Trade the street art and concrete bridge arches of Fountain Creek for a quiet forest trail leading to a secluded waterfall near an old railroad tunnel.
- Cripple Creek Wild Donkey Herd — Head higher up Ute Pass past Manitou's human graffiti to find feral burros wandering the historic gold mining streets of Cripple Creek.
- Rita the Rock Planter — Swap street art on natural canyon rock for a 21-foot wooden troll hidden in the mining hills of Victor.
Good to know
Why is it called both Rainbow Falls and Graffiti Falls?
Its official name comes from the rainbows visible in the mist of Fountain Creek, but locals dubbed it 'Graffiti Falls' due to decades of unsanctioned spray paint covering the canyon rocks and bridge piers.
How do parking and shuttles work?
Visitors park at the Higginbotham lot at 101 Higginbotham Rd off Serpentine Drive for ~$20, which includes parking and the short shuttle ride to the trailhead. Limited ADA parking at the trailhead must be reserved in advance through El Paso County Parks.
Can I bring spray paint and add my own tag?
No. Active spray-painting is illegal and monitored by county authorities. While the existing paint layers are preserved as part of the site's modern history, new tagging is prohibited.
When is the park open?
Access is managed seasonally by El Paso County Parks during warmer months, typically operating Friday through Sunday from late morning to 4 p.m.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Wikipedia · uncovercolorado.com · communityservices.elpasoco.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-04