Right now
Right now as of Nov 4, 2026
- Permit No permit needed. Entry fee: $30 per vehicle per day.
Status note (Nov 4, 2026): Open, as far as we can tell: the NPS road status page was last updated Oct 6, 2026. On Nov 4, 2026, it said Wild Basin Road "is open to the summer parking and trailhead." The NPS trail report of Oct 22, 2026 warns of snow or ice above 9,000 ft. What the status labels mean
Ouzel Falls is on Ouzel Creek in the Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park, in the park's southeast corner. You hike in from the Wild Basin Trailhead. An entrance pass is required year-round, even though the 2026 timed entry season ended October 12. Dogs are not allowed on the trail. The National Park Service publishes no official height for the falls.
About Ouzel Falls
Ouzel Falls sits at about 9,498 feet in Boulder County, according to the GNIS figures in Wikipedia's list of Colorado waterfalls. It is in Wild Basin, the southeast corner of Rocky Mountain National Park.
The National Park Service (NPS) gives no official height for the falls. Hiking guides disagree on the figure, so we leave the height blank rather than pick one.
The hike is known for its other water along the way. The Park Service's former Ouzel Falls page, now offline, said hikers are "treated with views of Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades."
A different Ouzel Falls exists in Yellowstone National Park, on its own Ouzel Creek. Make sure trip notes and photos you find online refer to the Rocky Mountain National Park falls.
Getting there and parking
Drive to the Wild Basin Trailhead at the end of Wild Basin Road. On its road status page, last updated October 6, 2026, the NPS said: "Wild Basin Road is open to the summer parking and trailhead for the summer season."
Check the road before you go
The same NPS page warns that conditions change quickly and road status updates are not posted on the park's website. Call the park at 970-586-1222, especially from late fall onward.
The NPS has not posted winter 2026 to 2027 road details for Wild Basin. Ask the park whether the road still reaches the summer lot before you plan a winter hike.
Parking and shuttles
The park's shuttles serve Bear Lake Road, not Wild Basin, so plan to drive. We found no official count of spaces at the Wild Basin lot.
In the timed entry season, the NPS says reservations "Do NOT guarantee parking at any specific trailheads or destinations." Have a backup plan if the lot is full.
The map pin marks the falls, using GNIS coordinates from Wikipedia's Colorado list. The NPS gives no coordinates for the trailhead, so set your navigation to the Wild Basin Trailhead instead.
Other falls in the park
Alberta Falls is a much shorter Rocky Mountain National Park hike, 0.8 mile each way from Glacier Gorge Trailhead off Bear Lake Road. Our Colorado waterfalls guide lists more falls in the state.
Map and nearby falls
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Wild Basin Trail to Ouzel Falls
The Park Service's former Ouzel Falls page, now offline, listed the hike as 5.4 miles round trip with 950 feet of elevation gain. It rated the out-and-back trail as moderate. That works out to 2.7 miles each way.
We found no current NPS page that gives the distance, so treat these figures as the best official numbers available.
Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades
You pass two more water features before Ouzel Falls, the former NPS page said: Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades. Both sit on the same trail, so a shorter turnaround still shows you moving water.
No dogs on the trail
The NPS rule is plain: "Pets are prohibited on ALL Rocky Mountain National Park trails, tundra, and meadows." Leashed pets, on a leash no longer than 6 feet, are allowed only on roads, in parking areas, campgrounds and picnic areas.
Camping
Backcountry camping in the park needs a wilderness overnight permit from the park's Wilderness Office, the NPS timed entry page notes.
When to visit
The NPS pages we read give no best season for the falls' flow. What they do describe is access, which changes a lot through the year.
Late fall and winter
The NPS trail report, updated October 22, 2026, says: "Trail conditions are beginning to shift toward winter conditions. If hiking in areas above 9,000 feet in elevation, be prepared for snow or ice on the trail."
Ouzel Falls sits at about 9,498 feet, above that line. The same report showed 0 inches of snow at the Wild Basin SNOTEL site, at 9,560 feet, in its October 16 update. That can change fast in November.
Trail Ridge Road closed on October 23, 2026, according to an NPS park alert. It is not on the route to Wild Basin, so that closure doesn't affect this hike.
Summer
Summer is the timed entry season. In 2026, Wild Basin visitors needed a reservation only to enter between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., from May 22 to October 12. Arriving before 9 a.m. avoided the reservation.
| Trail | 5.4 mi round trip with 950 ft of gain, out and back from the Wild Basin Trailhead. Rated moderate on the Park Service's former Ouzel Falls page (now offline). Passes Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Rated moderate on the Park Service's former Ouzel Falls page, with 950 ft of gain |
| Entry fee | Rocky Mountain National Park entrance pass required year-round (NPS). Private vehicle: $30 for 1 day or $35 for 7 days; on foot or bike: $15 per person for 1 day. Debit or credit card only |
| Permit / reservation | No timed entry in November 2026; in the 2026 season it was needed 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 22 to October 12. An entrance pass is always required |
| Parking | Wild Basin Trailhead lot |
| Hours / season | No park hours are listed on the NPS pages we read; the fees page says a pass is required 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
| Dogs | Not allowed: the NPS says pets are prohibited on all Rocky Mountain National Park trails. Leashed pets (6 ft max) only on roads, in parking areas, campgrounds and picnic areas |
| Swimming | No Ouzel-specific rule was found. The park's swift water guidance says: "Don't try to wade, swim, or dip your feet into moving water." |
| Wheelchair / stroller | No accessible route is listed by the NPS |
| Walk behind the falls | No |
| Best time to visit | No official best month; from late October the NPS warns of snow or ice above 9,000 ft |
| Managed by | National Park Service, Rocky Mountain National Park |
Safety and swimming
Stay out of the creek. The park's swift water guidance says: "Don't try to wade, swim, or dip your feet into moving water."
Keep back from the edge. The NPS says to "Stay at least one body length back from the edge of riverbanks and waterfalls." It warns that rocks and plants along the banks "can be deceptively slippery."
If someone falls in, the NPS says: "Do not enter the water and try to rescue them yourself." Call for help instead.
Expect ice in the shoulder seasons. The NPS suggests carrying traction devices, and it warns that "falling trees and tree branches are an ever-present hazard year-round in RMNP."
Our waterfall safety guide has more on slick rock and cold water near falls.
Conditions change: confirm with the official source before you go.
Where to stay near Ouzel Falls
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Photos
Ouzel Falls FAQ
Do you need a reservation for Ouzel Falls?
Not in November 2026. In the 2026 season, the NPS required a Timed Entry reservation to enter between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., from May 22 to October 12. The plain Timed Entry option covers Wild Basin. 2027 dates were not yet published when we checked.
Is there a fee to hike to Ouzel Falls?
Yes. The NPS says an entrance fee or park pass is always required, and it names Wild Basin. A private vehicle pass is $30 for 1 day or $35 for 7 days, by card only. Non-US residents 16 and over pay an extra $100 unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass.
How long is the hike to Ouzel Falls?
5.4 miles round trip with 950 feet of gain, rated moderate, per the Park Service's former Ouzel Falls page, now offline. That is 2.7 miles each way from the Wild Basin Trailhead, passing Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades.
How tall is Ouzel Falls?
There is no official height. The NPS doesn't publish one, and hiking guides give different figures.
Can you bring a dog to Ouzel Falls?
No. The NPS says pets are prohibited on all Rocky Mountain National Park trails. Leashed pets are allowed only on roads, in parking areas, campgrounds and picnic areas.
Can you swim at Ouzel Falls?
It isn't advised. We found no Ouzel-specific rule, but the park's swift water guidance says not to wade, swim or dip your feet into moving water.
Is Ouzel Falls open now?
Yes, as far as we can tell. The NPS road status page, last updated October 6, 2026, said Wild Basin Road was open to the summer parking and trailhead. Its October 22 trail report warns of snow or ice above 9,000 feet, and the falls sit at about 9,498 feet.
Where do you park for Ouzel Falls?
At the Wild Basin Trailhead lot. The park's shuttles don't serve Wild Basin. The NPS says timed entry reservations do not guarantee parking at any trailhead, and we found no official space count.
Nearby waterfalls
Alberta Falls7 mi straight-lineOpen
Boulder Falls17 mi straight-lineClosed70FT APPROX.
Maxwell Falls45 mi straight-lineOpen
Fish Creek Falls65 mi straight-lineOpen300FT APPROX.
City guides: Waterfalls near Denver, CO
Sources
The trail length, elevation gain, difficulty rating and the Copeland Falls and Calypso Cascades note come from the Park Service's former Ouzel Falls page, which is now offline. Fees, timed entry, pets, safety and road status were read on current NPS pages.
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Road Status (updated Oct 6, 2026; read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Trail Conditions Report (updated Oct 22, 2026; read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Fees & Passes (read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Timed Entry Permit System (updated May 14, 2026; read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Pets (read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS Rocky Mountain National Park: Swift Water Safety (updated Jul 14, 2025; read Nov 4, 2026)
- NPS: Ouzel Falls (former page, last updated July 7, 2022; now offline)
- Wikipedia: List of waterfalls in Colorado (GNIS coordinates and elevation for Ouzel Falls) (read Nov 4, 2026)
- Wikimedia Commons: Ouzel Falls on Ouzel Creek in Yellowstone Park (NPS, 1965)
Last verified Nov 4, 2026 by The Waterfall Guide editorial team. Conditions change: confirm with National Park Service, Rocky Mountain National Park before you go. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.