Ouzel Falls is a 55-foot waterfall on Ouzel Creek in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park, Boulder County, Colorado. It is the turnaround for a moderate trail that also passes Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades.
The falls
Lidar data estimates the drop at about 55 feet; earlier surveys listed 40 feet. The falls are classed as a plunge, though the uppermost section is hard to see as the creek drops into an alcove flanked by huge boulders.
Getting there
From Estes Park, drive 12.6 miles south on Colorado Highway 7 to the Wild Basin Road turnoff, then about 2.2 miles on a narrow gravel road, fine for two-wheel-drive cars, to the Wild Basin Trailhead at 8,500 feet. The hike to the falls is 2.7 miles one way with 960 feet of gain; it is rated moderate and the 5.4-mile round trip tops out at 9,370 feet.
Admission to Rocky Mountain National Park is $30 per vehicle for one day or $35 for seven days, card only, plus $100 per person for non-US residents aged 16 and older unless they hold an eligible annual pass. Wild Basin is covered by the park's standard timed entry: from May 22 to October 12, 2026, a reservation is needed to enter between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., and the only cost is a $2 Recreation.gov processing fee. No separate Wild Basin permit is required.
When to go
Snowmelt drives the strongest flows in this part of the Southern Rockies. Snow can linger on the trail into early summer, and winter trips call for winter travel skills.
On site
The standard view is from the footbridge where the trail crosses Ouzel Creek. Before the 2013 flood destroyed the earlier bridge, an unmarked side path led to a closer viewpoint; a better angle now means bushwhacking through rough ground. Pets are prohibited on all park trails.
History and name
The falls, creek and lake take their name from the water ouzel, better known as the American dipper, a small gray bird that dives underwater to feed in fast streams.
Nearby
Calypso Cascades on the same trail is about 0.6 mile away, Copeland Falls near the trailhead about 1.6 miles and Lyric Falls about 1.8 miles.
Distances are straight-line.