Updated July 2026
Sitting Bull Falls
A 150-foot spring-fed plunge in a desert canyon of the Guadalupe Mountains, reached by a short paved trail from the Lincoln National Forest day-use area.
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 Lincoln National Forest (USFS) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Sitting Bull Falls drops about 150 feet. That makes it the 114th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 83% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Sitting Bull Falls Trail (Trail 68 area / paved access) reaches it about 0.5 miles (out-and-back), rated easy. The nearest town is Carlsbad. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Lincoln National Forest (USFS) for closures and current conditions.
year-round (spring-fed). Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More New Mexico waterfalls
- Bluff Springs Waterfall
- Bridal Veil Falls · 45 ft
- Catwalk Falls (Whitewater Canyon)
- El Salto del Agua Falls
- Jemez Falls · 70 ft
- Nambe Falls · 100 ft
- Rio en Medio Falls · 20 ft
- Soda Dam · 50 ft
Sources
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