Updated July 2026
Fossil Creek Falls
Fossil Creek Falls is a travertine waterfall roughly 25 feet tall on spring-fed Fossil Creek, a designated Wild and Scenic River in the Coconino National Forest. The roughly 2.2-mile round-trip Dixon Lewis Trail reaches the falls and swimming holes, and a paid parking permit is required April through October.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Coconino National Forest for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fossil Creek Falls drops about 25 feet. That makes it the 575th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 16% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Dixon Lewis Trail (Fossil Creek Waterfall Trail) reaches it about 2.2 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 190 feet of elevation gain, rated moderate. The nearest town is Camp Verde. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Coconino National Forest for closures and current conditions.
Spring through fall. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Arizona waterfalls
- Beaver Falls · 40 ft
- Bog Springs Waterfall
- Cibecue Falls · 30 ft
- Deer Creek Falls · 100 ft
- Ellison Creek Cascades
- Grand Falls (Chocolate Falls) · 185 ft
- Havasu Falls · 100 ft
- Horton Creek Falls (Horton Spring) · 30 ft
Sources
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