Often regarded as the highlight of a trip to Colorado Bend State Park, Gorman Falls spills down 70 feet over rugged, mossy formations, feeding dripping bunches of maidenhair ferns. In this image, originally printed in June 1979, a bather stands on boulders beneath the silver spray, boosted by the clear, spring-fed waters of the snaking Gorman Creek. (Though the falls still flow today, they’re diminished by the recent drought and low aquifer levels.) The strange appearance of the cliff face is a product of travertine—a stone formed by thousands of years of calcite deposited by the flowing waters. This results in spectacular cave-like growths and pools around the cliff and upper creek. Research has shown that the mossy habitat and intricate formations making up the falls are incredibly fragile and easily damaged, even by relatively careful guests. Keep the falls beautiful for everyone—appreciate them from the designated viewing space, and don’t clamber around the rocks. —Asher Elbein
From the June 2025 issue
