Ousel Falls is a splendid day hike in Big Sky, Montana. The trail takes hikers through forest along the Gallatin River, over wooden bridges, all the way to the base of Ousel Waterfall.
Getting to Ousel Falls
The waterfall is located very near the town center of Big Sky, we navigated to the falls using Google Maps. There is a large parking lot directly adjacent to the hike entrance for easy parking. The trailhead begins next to the parking lot. There are also public restrooms part of the year.
On The Trail
The total round trip hike is 1.6 miles, out and back. In January the trail was covered in snow and absolutely breathtaking. Although we intended to snowshoe the trail, we were pleasantly surprised to find the snow was packed down and walkable. There were some stairs that were frozen and slippery, so our snow-shoes actually came in handy for those who did not have hiking boots (me!). We also met other visitors along the trail of all ages.
Highlights
The whole walk was gorgeous. The trail winds through forest and follows the Gallatin River, with several spots to stop and admire the scenery. There are pretty wooden bridges and the hike ends at the waterfall overlook, with the option to walk down to the base of Ousel falls. Overall, the journey was just as enjoyable as the destination, and both were well worth braving the January cold!
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