We like a good hike, and every once in a while we have the chance to hike slow, take pictures, and share the adventure with you. You can check out some of our previous Colorado hikes here.
Come along for a view of the Ouzel Falls trail in Rocky Mountain National Park. As in the tradition of our previous hike posts, I wanted to share some photos and a brief overview of the trail.
Trail Details
This hike is in the Wild Basin region of Rocky Mountain National Park. You have to pay the park fee to enter the area.
The hike is 2.7 miles from the trailhead to Ouzel falls. For most of that distance, you’re hiking along water with a few other falls before you reach Ouzel. For this area of the state, the hike is relatively low elevation with a moderate clime: about 900 feet over the 2.7 miles. You can read more about the trail here.
{Watching the chipmunk eat the seeds from a pinecone.}
Hiking with Kids
I thought that this was a great trail to hike with kids. We did it with our 6 and 4 yos.
The water is a great attraction for kids. They loved hiking along the creek, and they were completely enamored by the falls. I’m sure this hike is even more fun with kids when the water flow slows and they have the chance to do some playing in/near the water.
The trail’s elevation gain was mild enough that it didn’t overwhelm the kids, but our 4 yo did need a break for about 1.5 miles as we approached Ouzel falls.
Trail Conditions
We hiked the trail in early June in a year with high spring snowpack. With all of that snow melting, the water was rushing over the falls and along the creeks. It was a spectacular view, but I’m assuming that this trail is even nicer to hike in the late summer/early fall when the water flow slows a bit.
We also came across patches of snow on the trail, particularly past Calypso Cascades. The boys were in sneakers, but they were totally unfazed by the snow.
{Lunch at Calypso Cascades}
{Luc in awe of the falls.}
And then… WE SAW A MOOSE! This was relatively close to the trailhead, creating the perfect exciting end to a hike just as we were all pooped and ready to sit down. Calder and the boys saw the moose from afar, and knowing that moose can be aggressive, they continued on to the trailhead. I stayed behind to watch the moose and capture a few photos.
The perfect end to a perfect hike.