Ouzel Falls

Ouzel Falls is a roughly 40-foot waterfall in Rocky Mountain National Park's Wild Basin. It is reached by a 2.7-mile trail from the Wild Basin Ranger Station, so plan for a 5.4-mile out-and-back rather than a quick roadside stop. Go for the creekside walk as much as the last view: several cascades come before Ouzel.

Lower Copeland Falls is just over a third of a mile from the start, with Upper Copeland Falls farther upstream. The trail follows North St. Vrain Creek, crosses Sandbeach Creek, and reaches Calypso Cascades at about 1.8 miles. Ouzel Falls is the finale at 2.7 miles, not the only waterfall on the route.

The water drops over rock into a boulder-filled creek. A footbridge crosses Ouzel Creek and gives a view of the falls; use that established viewpoint rather than chasing the closer off-trail angle mentioned in older hiking directions. For a photo, frame the falling water with the rock walls around it so the cascade's height reads clearly.

A 2013 flood destroyed an earlier footbridge at Ouzel Creek and changed the ground around the falls. The current footbridge is the documented viewing point on the route. Older directions that suggest leaving the trail may no longer match the terrain.

“Ouzel” is another name for the American dipper, a small slate-gray bird that bobs beside fast streams and dives into the current to forage. Ouzel Falls, Ouzel Creek, and Ouzel Lake all carry the name. It fits a hike that stays close to rushing water for much of the way.

From Colorado Highway 7, Wild Basin Road runs about two miles to the Wild Basin Ranger Station and trailhead, at roughly 8,500 feet. Visitors often report that the small parking area fills early, so arriving early helps with the parking gamble. The total trail distance is 5.4 miles round trip; published elevation-gain figures differ, so the distance is the more dependable planning number.