There is just so much of this park, it is hard to know where to start! We stayed overnight in Loveland with our good friend Kevin Ames! Once again, we were so thankful for the hot shower and laundry situation! And especially for the good company! We set out bright and early at 9:30 in the morning for the park. Instead of going to one of the popular areas we decided to head to a less well known and traveled location, because, lets be honest, we are going to come back when we have more time and see all the famous awesomeness!
We arrived at the Wild Basin Trailhead in the Southeast corner of the park, and immediately put on more clothes. Turns out it is cold in the Colorado Mountains in November! Our goal was Ouzel Fall by way of Calypso Cascades, a little of 2.5 miles away! Lets just get this out of the way right now, the scenery on this trail was phenomenal! The mountains towered around us as we followed the trail along the river and through the woods. Aspen trees covered in white bark stood out straight and proud adding diversity and beauty to the forest. The clear blue sky set off the mountain peaks with an occasional cloud sweeping by. We even got a few flakes of snow!!! We were definitely excited to see the onset of winter right before our eyes!
We arrived at Calypso Cascades, and soaked in the beauty of the ice covered falls. We did not, however soak in the falls themselves as that seemed unreasonably cold. The cascades were beautiful, but we didn’t spend too long there, and continued on to the final destination. We reached Ouzel falls and found a place where we could sit and enjoy the nature we were surrounded in. The water cascaded off the rocks into the river below was so inviting, not in a “I want to jump in” sense, but in a way that drew our eyes and our hearts. Staying there for hours was not out of the question, but unfortunately, we have a few more parks to see before the tofurky arrives, so we had to tear ourselves away. The walk back was just as beautiful as the walk in. We will be returning.
Personnel:
This late in the season there wasn’t anyone manning the entrance booth at this location (the main entrance is probably still active.) so we didn’t see anyone with a badge.
Climate/weather:
It was cold, but so beautiful! The cold definitely added to the feeling of being in the mountains, and we were glad for it (sometimes). We made sure to bring appropriate laters to keep warm because the weather in the Rockies can change very quickly, and we didn’t want to get caught unprepared.
Facilities/signage:
The pit toilets at the trailhead were the deluxe variety, with nicely finished walls, hand sanitizer, and well stocked TP. The signs leading into the park were good, and once you are in this part of the park the need for signs is low since there are not turnoffs! The NP sign was small, but good for a less used side entrance. The signs on the trail were well placed and informative with both names and distances.
Hiking experience:
Beautiful. The trail itself is quite interesting, not just a flat dirt path, with lots of rock stairs, awesome bridges, and twists and turns. Not only that, but the combination of surrounding trees and mountians invites you in, the sounds of flowing water and the views of the river are gorgeous, and then you reach the waterfall, and it is the perfect resolution to the hiking experience. This trail is recommended by P and J. (Like the sandwich.)
Driving experience:
Driving in the Rockies is sublime. We didn’t actually drive too much in the park, most of our driving was outside the park boundary, but it was so amazing! The road wound along a river lined with mountains, cliffs, trees, boulders, and beauty! From the park entrance into the trailhead the road was gravel, but well maintained. Any car or truck could easily make the drive (parking a long rig would be tough though.)
Camping options:
There are over 500 campsites spread across 5 campgrounds within the park (Moraine Park Campground remains partially open all winter) as well as backcountry camping options (fee required in peak season).
Hammockability:
Very high. Hammocks should live here with their people. Hammocks were pretty much made for the Rockies. It might get cold, so bring a warm sleeping bag and an underquilt!
Scenery:
It's just amazing, you should come check it out and see for yourself.
Nearby food:
As far as we know there are no food options within the park except what you bring with you. Nearby towns (Estes Park, Grand Lake) do have food options and are located just outside the park boundary.
We are coming back. There is just so much goodness in this park that even if we had spent a week exploring we would be coming back! The mountains, the forests, the rivers, the combination is beyond what we can put in a blog, you just need to see it for yourself.
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