Osprey Falls Trail

Before I get into details or pictures I want to make sure I set the backstory.

While continuing to click off the miles for my required 100 miles over the summer Janet and I were looking for a hike that would be long but not too bad. Looking at the trail guides Osprey Falls Trail was marked as moderate.

At this point I must take a pause and help you contemplate the definition of moderate, which is “average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree.” Now let that sit a little bit. Think of some tasks or work that you would consider moderate.

Once you have let those thoughts and feelings of moderate bath over you please join me in the hike of Osprey Falls Trail.

The trail started off like this.

At this point I am thinking moderate, ha this is easy to me. Long and flat is still easy.

This was clue number one that something was off.

At this point was thinking we should be seeing the waterfall, but that was not the case.


The second clue was seeing how far down the water was and the guide said that the trail ended at the base of the waterfall.

We did find some huckleberries.

Well after a long walk down including a moment where I went from being upright to being on my fanny one second later, we arrived at the waterfall.

The water was really flowing.

If you look closely at this picture you can see that Janet looks like she just stepped out of a spa and my eyes are starting to separate and not act in unison. I think it took all my mental capacity to work my phone to take the picture.

Just look at that smile! Janet is the best partner for any adventure.

Now to make the walk back up the hill.

Now I can hear you thinking, “that didn’t look so bad”. Well maybe the pictures didn’t give the correct context. Let me share it another way with just the facts.

This is an 8-mile (12.8-kilometer) there-and-back trail that begins and ends at the same trail head.
Follow Old Bunsen Peak Road through grassland and burned forest 3 miles (4.9 km) to Osprey Falls Trail. Descend 700 feet (213 m) into Sheepeater Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in Yellowstone National Park. Osprey Falls, on the Gardner River, plunges 150 feet (46 m) over the edge of a lava flow. Return by the same route.

 

Now that ladies and gentlemen is NOT the definition of moderate.

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