Ouzel Lake Trail

Ouzel Lake Trail is a 9.8-mile out-and-back from Wild Basin Trailhead, climbing about 1,520 feet to a lake at 10,020 feet. The full route follows the main Wild Basin Trail, passes three named waterfall stops, then takes the final Ouzel Lake spur. Allow 6 to 7 hours with time for the falls; the altitude and length make this a full-day hike. A 6.1-mile out-and-back listing under the same name conflicts with the mapped route to the lake, which is 4.9 miles one way. This description follows the full lake trip. If you have less time, Ouzel Falls makes a shorter 5.4-mile round trip.

Lower Copeland Falls is about a third of a mile from the trailhead, with Upper Copeland Falls just beyond. A short side path visits both and rejoins the main trail. After the falls, the route crosses Sandbeach Creek; at about 1.3 miles, keep left at the spur to the backcountry campsites. An unnamed cascade comes next, then Calypso Cascades at roughly 1.8 miles. Above the cascades, the path gets steeper and winds through switchbacks, with occasional views toward Longs Peak and Mount Meeker.

At about 2.7 miles, the trail reaches Ouzel Falls, a 40-foot cascade visible from the footbridge. Take the time to stop here, but keep the route on the trail rather than following unofficial paths down to the water. Beyond the falls, the climb follows Ouzel Creek. At the next trail junction, stay left for the Ouzel and Bluebird Lake routes. Around 3.5 miles, you begin crossing the area burned in the 1978 Ouzel Fire. Lightning started the fire; strong winds later pushed it toward Allenspark before crews kept it within the park. Young pines are filling back in among the older fire scars.

At roughly 4.6 miles, turn left onto the Ouzel Lake spur rather than continuing toward Bluebird Lake. It drops briefly, then climbs gradually through young pine to the eastern end of the lake. Ouzel Creek spills in there, with Mount Copeland and Mahana Peak rising above the water and Ouzel Peak beyond the western shore. The creek entering the lake makes the clearest on-route photo composition: it gives the foreground a sense of place and leads your eye toward the mountains.

Ouzel is an older name for the American dipper, a gray songbird that bobs at the water's edge and dives underwater for food. The hike follows cold, fast streams for much of the way, so watch the rocky runs around the falls and Ouzel Creek rather than expecting to spot one in the forest. It is a good explanation for why the falls, creek and lake share the name.

The 9.8-mile figure starts at the summer Wild Basin Trailhead and Ranger Station, at the end of Wild Basin Road. In winter, the road may not reach the summer trailhead; the separate winter parking area adds about 3 miles each way, turning this into a substantially longer day. Wild Basin is also covered by the park's seasonal timed-entry system, so check the current reservation rules before you go. Pets are prohibited on park trails; service animals are allowed.