Grand Falls: The Willy Wonka of Waterfalls in Northern Arizona

Grand Falls, also known as Chocolate Falls, is a seasonal waterfall located about 40 miles northeast of Flagstaff (Keep reading to avoid a directional mishap with Google Maps). Grand Falls is a spectacular off-the-beaten place to visit during March and April as the winter snow melt fills up the typically dry Little Colorado River. The massive cascade of falls known as Grand Falls, is over 180′, which is about 5 feet higher than the more famous Niagara Falls.

Aerial photo of Grand Falls Arizona by Mike of MikesRoadTrip.com

While March and April are the best times to see Grand Falls in action, the seasonal summer monsoon can also provide a spectacular sight as the water flowing over the terraces looks more like Chocolate Falls due to the normally dry river sending dirty water downstream. The muddy waters is reminiscent of scenes straight out of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, especially in the late afternoon when the setting sun intensifies the brown color.

As you look downstream of Grand Falls the landscape looks like a microcosm of the Grand Canyon. From the south side of the river there is a trail that leads down to the bottom of the falls so that you can get a close-up view. You will often see rainbows form, which is just another element of this beautiful setting.

Little Colorado River downstream of Grand Falls - Photo by Mike of MikesRoadTrip.com

I have been to Grand Falls twice now, the first time was in early May, 2017 and there was nothing but a trickle of water. The second time was in early April, 2019 and the water was flowing nicely, but not as much as I’ve seen in some photos and videos after monsoons sent a rush of water downstream. Seeing Grand Falls at its best takes a bit of luck and good timing.

Grand Falls close up by MikesRoadTrip.com

Tips for Visiting Grand Falls

  • The best views of Grand Falls, aka Chocolate Falls, is on the south side of the Little Colorado River. NOTE: If you wish to be on the south side, DO NOT follow Google Maps.
  • The north side is still really nice, and, there are far fewer people, but you only get a partial/side view of the falls.
  • There is no access to the hiking trails that lead to the bottom of the falls from the north side of the river.
  • You can make it to Grand Falls in a car, but a high clearance 4×4 truck or SUV is best.
  • There are no amenities anywhere nearby, so be sure to bring plenty of water and snacks/food.
  • The cliff edges are very unstable, so use caution when getting close.
  • There are several picnic tables and gazebos available.
  • Lots of great places to dry camp on both sides of the river.
  • There is a concrete road just above Grand Falls that will allow you to cross the river when there is little to no water. Do not attempt this if the water is high and flowing fast. Again, high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles are recommended if there is water flowing over the road.
  • Be aware that this is a rural area and cell/data coverage is spotty.
  • There are no entrance fees.
  • There are not bathrooms or running water, but you will find a couple of outhouses near the primary parking area.
Nissan Rogue at Grand Falls aerial by MikesRoadTrip.com

Directions to Grand Falls

There is little to no signage to guide you to Grand Falls. Getting there from Flagstaff is only about 30 miles, but 20 miles of that is via unpaved roads. If you use Google Maps, it will take you a long way around (as seen in the second map) and will add more than an hour to your drive. Grand Falls can actually be accessed via a number of Indian roads (this area is on Navajo land) from either HWY 89 or off of I-40, but many are unmarked.

15 miles east of Flagstaff off of I-40, you’ll want to take exit 211 at Winona. Drive 2.3 miles northwest to Leupp Road and turn right. Then, drive 20.3 miles along Leupp Road to unpaved and unsigned Indian Road 70, which will lead you right to the Grand Falls overlook. You can also take Indian Road 6910 if you happen to miss 70. Both roads can have sections of washboard terrain that are quite rough. A 4-wheel drive vehicle is not necessary, but it is nice to have.

Map to Grand Falls
You can see in this map that Google takes you well out of your way. I haphazardly highlighted the shorter route in pink.

However you get to Grand Falls, remember that you want to be on the south side of the river for the best views and access to the hiking trail.

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Grand Falls Road Trip Vehicle

My road trip vehicle for this adventure to Grand Falls was a brand new 2019 Nissan Rogue Sport. While this Rogue was not an AWD version, its front-wheel drive handled the terrain with ease. This road trip-ready SUV Crossover was a great companion not only for the trip there, but to hold all of my gear for camping.

Little Colorado River with Nissan Rogue by Mike of MikesRoadTrip.com

From a road trip perspective, here are some of the things I really appreciated about the Nissan Rogue:

  • Great visibility.
  • Good gas millage and range – One tank I drove 399 miles and averaged 28.8 mpg (rated 25/32)
  • Pro-Pilot Assist – Not billed as an autonomous feature, but does allow you to take your hands off the steering wheel for a moment or two. The car will stay in its lanes and a safe distance behind vehicles in front of you.
  • Fold down rear seats – Great feature for hauling gear like I did for camping.
  • Plenty of outlets – As a road trip blogger this was helpful for keeping my camera gear and gadgets charged up.
  • Observation technology – Nissan has taken the camera system to the next level. You see different angles of the car so you can avoid running over a curb, or into car bumper.
Camping along the Little Colorado River with a Nisssan Rogue - Photo by Mike of MikesRoadtrip.com

Camping at Grand Falls

After the sun began to set, I headed off to find a place to camp. I ended up finding a path that followed the river upstream (on the north side). I probably drove around a mile from the falls where I found a nice flat spot to park the Rogue and set up camp for the night. My tent was just steps from the river, with the Rogue in front so I could easily assess all my gear.

As you may have noticed in some of the photos, I was regulated to the north side of the river because I was misdirected by Google Maps (Hopefully my experience and directions will assist you). Since the river was flowing high, I could not cross via the road I mentioned above. That said, while there are plenty of places to camp on the south side, I think the north has its benefits. For starters, there are far fewer people roaming the north side. As you can see in the photo below, I found a stellar spot to call it a night.

Camping along the Little Colorado River with a Nissan Rogue Sport. Photo by MikesRoadTrip.com

This stretch of the river was pretty calm and provided a soothing sound for sleeping. There was no one around as far as I could see and not a single person drove past me the entire time I was there. The only evidence of previous activity was horse hove imprints, clearly a spot where horses took a drink from the river.

Nissan Rogue camping along Little Colorado River at sunset by MikesroadTrip.com

If you have any questions about visiting Grand Falls (aka Chocolate Falls), leave a comment below. If you’ve ever been to Grand Falls, please share your experience.

Mike Shubic

Mike Shubic is a seasoned road trip travel video blogger, traversing the byways of the world looking for those hidden gems of the road. From unique destinations, unexpected discoveries, creative cuisine, intriguing inns to exciting attractions…the road is his page. The experiences are his ink. And every 300 miles, a new chapter begins. Whether you live vicariously or by example, Mike will do the exploring so you can have an adventure.
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20 Comments

  1. Oh wow! The landscape is amazingly beautiful! It truly is a Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory. I’ve only been to the Glacier National Park in Montana and it’s beautiful as well. I’m going to add Arizona to my road trip bucketlist.

    1. Hey Jane, thanks so much for stopping by. Yes, Grand Falls is a great place to visit if you catch it at the right time. You have to put Arizona on your road trip bucket list, it’s an amazing state. I have a number of road trip guides on my site if you’re interested. All the best, Mike

  2. oh.. VERY AMAZING PLACE AND VERY BEAUTIFUL. Blog and post is so awesome .
    Thanks for sharing information…

  3. We went there in the middle of summer and it was not really the best view, the water was scarce and more of a drip than a fall 🙂
    We will try to make it out again in March and hope for a much better experience. Thanks for the amazing photos.

    1. Hey Jonathan…thanks for stopping by. I too have been there when it was not much more than a trickle. I think the best time to go is late March through early April after the snow melt. Then, right after a heavy monsoon in the summer, but it won’t last long. Best of luck catching it next time. Cheers, Mike

  4. This looks like such a cool place to visit. If it were not for Covid, I’d go right now as it sounds like the perfect time of year.

  5. Wow that was strange. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up.
    Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways,
    just wanted to say fantastic blog!

  6. This looks like a really fun place to visit. Never heard of it before. We love your travel blog so much! Keep up the great work. Florence.

  7. That is a great tip particularly to those interested in waterfalls like me. Many thanks for sharing this one. A must read article and video if you want to visit Grand Falls.

  8. This looks like a great place to visit. Love the title of this post. Great job with the video too.

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