Ousel Falls Trail was a nice morning hike to see the falls. The trails were a little slippery on the packed snow, so be sure to wear your Yak Tracks if you have them!
Not far from Big Sky mountain village; great option for a day off from skiing/riding. Bring a camera for some great photos.
On our last day at Big Sky, MT, my husband and I decided not to fight the crowds at Yellowstone; instead, we went on a hike to see the Ousel Falls. We were pleasantly surprised! The trail was kept up very nicely. There were several benches along the way. At the falls themselves were tables to have a picnic. You could walk all the way down to the base of the falls or all the way up to the top with relative ease. At a little over 1 1/2 miles, it very easy and scenic.
What was once an excellent hike/walk from town center has since been ruined by constant construction traffic going to the Yellowstone Club. I am not talking about a few trucks, it is a solid flow of dump trucks, semi’s , cement -trucks, etc… They never enforce the speed limit on this road & they all drive at a high rate of speed. The noise & traffic has completely ruined this trail!
We always hike the Ousel Falls trail while in Big Sky over the Xmas/New Years holiday and it consistently delights. Its an easy trail to do in hiking boots, it's well maintained with stunning views. Fun little snow slides if you're up for a little tumble down the hill! Dogs love meeting on the trail as well. Highly recommend!
We hiked her in the summer a few times but never in the winter so wanted to see the difference. It is still just beautiful but somewhat of a challenge - a hiking stick might make it easier as the trail was icy in spots. Disappointed in the number of people who go off-trail and make "slides" or take short cuts down the sides of the slopes - apparently unable to read signs about harming the landscape. But it was a very quiet walk and we were so glad we did it - a person should see Ousel Falls in every season - it will refresh your soul.
We needed something to do in the morning before our dog sledding trip in the afternoon, and this good short hike fit the bill. Glad we had trackers (ice grips) on our boots because there was a lot of ice, especially on the steps down to the base of the waterfall.
My 5 kids & husband & I loved the hike. There multiple great photo opps and enough people on the trails that kept it nice and hikable. We loved seeing the frozen falls
The hike is .8 miles each way. The day we went it was in the negative temperatures but it was worth the cold. The hike was a nice little jaunt into nature and the scenery is incredible. It was a little icy in a few spots but my snow boots did the trick as long as I was paying attention to where I was walking. Would recommend for a little getaway from the slopes!
We took the free shuttle from Big Sky resort to Town Center. Our kind bus driver told us about a connecting bus which took us to firelight, and shaved off about a mile walk from town to the trail head.It was about a mile walk along Ousel Rd to the trail head with 2 nice lookout spots on the way.Once on the trail, the sights were beautiful. Frozen waterfalls, a snowy creek bed, and some fun snowy sliding spots for the kids. It's a nicely groomed trail, but there are a few places where it climbs.Restrooms were locked, so be prepared. And again, it's a bit of a long walk to reach from town center, but worth it to see. Lots of friendly dogs on the trail, too!