Although the most famous waterfalls in the United States (and perhaps in the world!) are on the East Coast, on the other side of North America there are some truly unforgettable ones. The most famous waterfalls in the West are in California, in Yosemite, but there are many others in the Northwest and in the states in the Great American West, including the Mesa Falls and the Shoshone Falls in Idaho, the waterfalls in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Palouse Falls and the Snoqualmie Falls in Washington State, and Toketee Falls in Oregon.
WARNING: As of March 2023, the Grand Falls area has been closed until further notice. Here is the Facebook post from the Navajo Nation Tourism Department. We will keep you updated.
To this short list (obviously it’s only a partial list), I must add some hidden gems in places you would not expect, such as the Upper and Lower Calf Creek Falls in Utah and the highly coveted and mysterious Havasu Falls in Arizona in the Grand Canyon. Well, not far from Arizona’s most famous park, there are also chocolate waterfalls! Yes, just like the ones in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Chocolate Falls is a fun nickname (which we will explain shortly) for Grand Falls in Arizona.
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Why Are They Called Chocolate Falls?
The image I have conjured up is very imaginative and captivating, but as you will imagine the reality is obviously a bit more prosaic. The name Chocolate Falls comes from the color of the muddy water of the falls. At certain times of the year, the tumultuous flow of water spills 180 ft down into the canyon (yes, Grand Falls is higher than Niagara Falls!).
One of the phenomena that draw many visitors is the formation of a rainbow at the base of the waterfall, which contrasts with the brown color of the muddy water. The falls were formed by an eruption of nearby Merriam Crater, whose lava flow created a kind of natural dike that abruptly diverted the course of the river. Merriam Crater is visible from Leupp Road at this location.
Location
Grand Falls, located in the Navajo Nation in Arizona, is a remote volcanic area within the Painted Desert near Leupp, a small town east of Flagstaff. This is where the Leupp Chapter House, the local government office that maintains the wilderness area, is located. Leupp is also easily reached from the east (coming from Winslow) by turning off Route 66 (I-40) at Exit 245. The falls are located on the course of the Little Colorado River, one of the most important tributaries of the Colorado River, that generates the magnificent Little Colorado River Gorge.
How to Get There
There are several ways to get to Grand Falls from Leupp via the many Indian Routes that cut through the desert, but I recommend Indian Route 6910, a dirt road in good condition that does not necessarily require a 4×4 vehicle (unless it has rained recently and, consequently, the ground is wet). It takes about 30 minutes to reach the falls from Leupp.
To get to Grand Falls from Flagstaff, however, I recommend you take Route 66 (I-40 E) to Winona, then get on Leupp Road and drive to the intersection with Indian Route 70 (follow the “Grand Falls Bible Church” sign). The road leads directly to the falls, rejoining 6910. It is a 39-mile drive that takes about 55 minutes.
Things to Do
The destination upon arrival will be the Grand Falls Campground, where there are restrooms and some gazebos for shelter from the heat. You will be on the edge of the volcanic embankment overlooking the falls, where you can park your car and walk to admire the view. If you want to see the falls from various perspectives, walk to the various gazebos or get back in your car and follow the dirt road that takes you right in front of the falls. The route is very intuitive, and the road is in much the same condition as the Indian Route.
Grand Falls Trail
You can also descend to river level from the canyon rim to get even closer to the big waterfall. This is the point from which you start descending to the river, so the length of the trail varies depending on whether you start at the campground or if you continue further. From the main parking lot, it takes about half an hour to walk the mile-long trail (round trip; elevation gain 187 ft), not counting the time to see the waterfall.
Grand Falls Arizona Water Flow and Best Time to Visit
The best time to go to see the Chocolate Falls is in the spring: especially between March and early April when the waterfall flow is at its highest due to snowmelt in the White Mountains (the Little Colorado River has its source near Mount Baldy in Arizona).
If you are around there in the summer, you probably won’t be able to see the falls in their full glory unless there has been a thunderstorm recently during monsoon season. My advice, nevertheless, is to inquire before you go there so that you do not find them dry or with minimal flow. A good resource for figuring out for yourself whether you should go is this page on the USGS website. Before making arrangements, check that the value given (cubic feet per second) is at least 200. If the value is around 1000, visit the falls within 24-48 hours.
Where to Stay
Perhaps after visiting Grand Falls you will need to make an overnight stop. You have mainly two options:
Nearby Attractions
The Chocolate Falls area is really quite remote, but there are so many things to see around Flagstaff and Holbrook, besides, of course, the Grand Canyon. Here is a list:
- Petrified Forest/Painted Desert: Located near Holbrook, visit this striking multicolored desert landscape with ancient tree fossils. The Grand Falls area would also have these colors if it were not for lava flows from nearby volcanoes.
- Meteor Crater: There are lots of volcanic craters around here that are not easy to reach, but the huge Meteor Crater (meteoritic crater and not volcanic) can be visited. You will need to pay for admission.
- Sooner or later we may also visit the futuristic building created by James Turrell in the depths of the Roden Crater, but after several more years (as of 2024) the project is still unfinished.
- Wupatki National Monument: Although it may be very close to the falls geographically, it is only reachable only from Flagstaff. Wupatki National Monument is an area of great archaeological interest where you can see artifacts of ancient Native American pueblos.
- Sedona: A small city that has the great fortune to be located among the red rocks. Numerous trails reach the so-called “energy vortices” in this area.
- Winslow: Like all the other towns on Route 66 in Arizona, Winslow has several stories to tell. For example, as the Eagles said, “Well, I’m a standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona. Such a fine sight to see.”…
- Natural attractions around Flagstaff: Click on this link to see all the other destinations worth visiting around Flagstaff. Not to mention that the city itself has great charm and some tourist appeal.
Please be advised that Grand Falls is currently Closed to Public due to debris build up in the area. This is private land. Please call Leupp Chapter for more information (928) 686-3227.
All areas on the Navajo Nation are closed to non-Navajos unless you have a valid camping, hiking, or backcountry permit issued by Navajo Parks and Recreation Department or other duly delegated tribal authority. Any Navajo Tribal Park location can issue permits. Failure to have a permit is considered Trespassing on a Federal Indian Land.
Navajo Tribal Parks are open to the Public and include Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Canyon de Chelly, Four Corners Monument, and Little Colorado River Gorge. Be advised, if you plan to hike or camp in any of the Navajo Tribal Parks, you need a valid camping, hiking, or backcountry permit issued by Navajo Parks and Recreation Department which can be obtained from the Welcome Center or Visitor Center.
Hello Cristi. We have already written that the waterfalls are closed to the public. Furthermore, I have to correct you: it is not possible to obtain a permit from Leupp Chapter to access the waterfalls.