Nestled in the Santa Fe National Forest in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico, Jemez Falls sits near Valles Caldera, a small super volcano. The East Fork Jemez River begins in a group of springs in the Valles Caldera and travels southeast through the Jemez Mountains, creating the Jemez Falls, later combing with the San Antonio Creek near Battleship Rock to form the Jemez River.

The river runs approximately 20 miles through the mountains and contains 40 different falls. The Jemez Falls are the largest in the Jemez Mountains dropping 50 feet. The falls and the river are home to the Brown Trout and is a popular fishing location.

The Jemez Mountains, River, and Falls were all named for the Pueblo of Jemez. The Jemez people moved into the region from the Four Corners area in the 1200s and were one of the most powerful of the Puebloan cultures at the time of European contact.