Just had my second visit to Horsetooth! The first time following all of the spring rains mid June I…read morewas impressed by how much the landscape resembled part of Oregon I traveled through on a road trip (Lowell) This last time over Labor Day weekend however, with the water levels lower by a hundred feet, for a moment it occurred to me they decided to put a more traditional "beach" area there. The water had been up to the rocks near the parking area at the South Bay swim area. In the late summer, it had more of the expected high desert vibe. It's nice that they have a no-wake area for paddle boarders and swimmers. Although it is a reservoir, the ugly wall is not a prominent visual feature like ie: Cherry Creek reservoir. I enjoy how this one is situated in a valley surrounded by mountains. Next time, I am absolutely bringing a paddle board. This time however, I was amused and inspired by one man who was not immediately deterred by the fact that he fell off his again and again. When he finally gave up, he had the same problem with his inner tube. The bathrooms/showers were not disgusting but I wasn't so sure how sanitary those children's diapers were in the water. .

Tons of options for hiking. My only gripe is the paid parking, but that seems typical for the…read morearea. Trails around the reservoir were fun and varied from rocky beaches, to steep grades, to rocks you could boulder or climb. The trails were well kept and they were not crowded. I'll have to check it out on a warmer day. There were a few people doing photo shoots while we were there also.

Cute little local natural area with nice walking trails. There are many trailheads you can start…read moreat and a weave of directions that you can go. We parked at the trailhead that is on prospect just past the orthopedic center on the left (north) side of the road. There are trash cans at the trail head and also dog poop bags available at the trailhead. This is a leashed dog area. There are all kinds of people and dogs that seem to frequent this area. There is also a bunch of birds and can frequently see people out there bird watching. It is a beautiful little area and a nice local go to when you just want a walk or the hiking trails are closed due to mud.

Took a little walk/jog here during a study break while in Fort Collins for CE. I enjoyed a…read morebeautiful sunset and the sounds of lots of bird species... and sadly also the sound of cars and lots of loud sirens close by as well.... You can walk all the way around the larger lake and it looks like they allow fishing. Parking is free! So glad they have kept this little wetland habitat protected

I spent some time here today walking the pathways. There is a primary pathway that runs parallel…read moreto the river. This is an okay nature trail. I feel that it's too close to an urban area. There is a storage unit facility that sits on the other side of the trail which is strange to look at as you wander down the path. They have a small parking lot which has about eleven spaces, handicapped spot included. New Belgium Brewery is very close by. You may also cross the street and walk more of the trail on the opposite side of the roadway. It was okay here. Not a preferred spot I would want to return to. If the parking happens to be full there is parking on the street. I also noticed that there are no park benches to sit at on the side of the trail I primarily walked on. Average spot. Nothing special.

There are three separate entrances to Reservoir Ridge Natural Area - one off of Overland, one off…read moreof Michaud Lane and one on the western side right next to Horsetooth Reservoir. When I'm looking to add on some extra mileage (6 miles round trip), I start at the entrance off of Overland which has a fairly large parking area. While this trail doesn't have much (or any) shade, the rush of cool breeze you experience at the top is worth a little bit of heat. Start off early in the day to avoid parking crushes and heat exhaustion! You begin the hike walking on a wide, flat path and over a wooden bridge before coming to a fork in the trail. Turning right will get you to the Michaud Lane entrance (and can shave off 2 miles if you're looking for a shorter jaunt). Keep an eye out for snakes - we've seen a few rattlers in the area as of late! After about two miles, the incline begins. While it's more of a moderate climb, it does keep going up with no flat breaks, and you'll definitely break a sweat if you don't take a time to catch your breath! I recommend keeping right on the trail at the second fork so you have a better view once you crest. After a few corners, and a few false summits, you finally reach the top which overlooks the north end of the reservoir, a large valley and the Noosa yoghurt production facility. The descent is a little dusty and rocky, but you get to enjoy the view of the sun shimmering off the water and all the boats dancing around if you're willing to look away from each footstep. This trail also joins with the north end of the Foothills Trail on the descent, which you'll want to avoid unless you'd like to turn this into a double digit mileage hike! Study a map beforehand to plan your turns, then after your hike, head up to the Howling Cow Cafe for a refreshing ice blended coffee, a breakfast bagel and locally-made Noosa yoghurt to refuel and rehydrate after!

Have done this hike many a times and generally do my hiking reviews on all trails not yelp. As a…read morehiker that is where I go for most up to date information. Positives : 1. It's close to town 2. There's not usually a ton of people out at this trail 3. It can give you 6-7 miles depending on which route you opt to take 4. It can give you some incline 5. You can get your hike in and be done in a couple of hours if you are short on time 6. There are bathrooms, dog poop bags, and trashcans at the trailhead 7. Nice view at top Negatives : 1. Zero shade 2. Zero water 3. Snakes. They are out and about now so be on the look out and listening for them. This is their home! They are frequently hiding in the low bushes or tall grass. If you are bringing your dogs or young kids you really need to be aware of this 4. Summer is a rough time to do this one be cause of all of the above. Be sure to pack out what you pack in and pick up your dog poop bags if you bring your dog. Too often just see them left by side of trail First stretch is flat and then you begin your ascent. It's nice to have something so close to town but would save it for spring or fall.

Nice staff They allowed the grass to all die off because…read morethey're going zero scape but they haven't put rock in so now the place is a mud pit

We really enjoyed our stay at the Fort Collins KOA Holiday! The campground was well cared for, and…read morebeautifully laid out. Our site was easy to pull into, level, and had all the hookups we needed. The staff were friendly and welcoming. The park was relaxing with plenty of space to unwind and enjoy the surroundings. A great stop for RV travelers!

Best scenic view. Wandering canyons. Streams. Wildlife. Unbelievable views. Going back in time.read more

Another fantastic hike. Come prepared to work as you will be climbing some of the most gorgeous…read morepeaks Colorado's mountains have to offer. Please keep in mind this is a vast piece of land and you should pack your survival items in the event you should need them. A whisper sounds like a yell that echoes for minutes in this deep canyon with the Poudre River running through it. Great hiking, stunning scenery and you will encounter all kinds of wildlife so be prepared for that as well. There are bears in this area, real bears. Be sure you have done the appropriate amount of research before attempting to hike this area. This is NOT for beginners but is an awesome piece of land! There are random areas with lone trees or scattered brush, there are areas where you can easily become injured so do not attempt to do anything you are not sure you can do. Always play it safe and be prepared. You can hear the river long before you see it and that is one of the most special things about this place. Once you do lay your eyes on it, it is glorious and magnificent and well worth all of the efforts and aches and pains you have made to get there.

If you have dogs....this is your sanctuary!!…read more Forget the dog park and rake a stroll with your furry friends around the venue.....

Beautiful park and well maintained. My husband and I took our son here on a hot day to play at the…read moresplash pad and my son loved it. He barely went on the play structures because he loved the water so much. There is tons of activity for all ages from an open grass lawn, two playgrounds, splash pad, baseball fields., swings, and much more. Spring Canyon Park is definitely one that you have to check out!

We rented a 4-seater ATV from Backbone Adventures and had an incredible day out on the Switzerland…read moreTrail. It was 3 of us, including my 8-year-old son, and the conditions couldn't have been better--just a little snow, some mud, and plenty of opportunities for big splashes (which my son absolutely loved). We did a 5-hour rental, which felt like the perfect amount of time to explore without feeling rushed. The equipment was in great shape, and even the truck used to haul the ATV and trailer to the trailhead was well-maintained--everything felt professional and dialed in. The team really made the experience stand out. Everyone we interacted with was fantastic, and Andrew in particular was a superstar--he handled both checkout and check-in, made everything easy, and clearly cares about making sure customers have a great time. We'll definitely be back, especially to experience the trails in full snow. Highly recommend all around.

My husband really wanted to go side by side riding while on vacation so we chose Backbone…read moreAdventures because it had excellent reviews. The customer service here is excellent. Everyone working here was friendly, informative, knowledgeable, and provided excellent recommendations for what trail to choose. They suggested we log in to CoTrex so we had access to the off road trail, which was very helpful. They also had us scan a QR code with directions to the trail, which made the whole process very seamless. We got a side by side for 3 hours and went to Pole Hill. It was a lot of fun. The trails were great and it also had amazing views! We also saw a fox on the trail. You can tell that everyone working there loves the outdoors and that they all truly care about giving all their customers an amazing experience! Highly recommend this place!

Pineridge is a little natural area for hiking and mountain biking that is close to town, literally…read moreonly a few minutes off the outskirts. It is a great trail for beginner hikers or mountain bikers. It is mostly flat, with just a little bit of incline. You can do the reservoir loop which is just around the lake, or you could opt to do the timber trail as well and get in a couple more miles. The timber trail will get you up into the trees a little bit and make it feel a little more like the mountains. The reservoir trail is mostly open space around the lake. If you go with your dogs, the only poop bags available are at the trailhead. Also the only trash cans available are at the trailhead. So if your dog goes to the bathroom somewhere along the trail unfortunately you will have to carry it with you the whole way. The trailhead does have a bathroom that is open. There is also a covered picnic table there. A lot of folks come out to this area to go fishing as well. I like to come here when i am either with a beginner hiker or only have a small amount of time and want to get my dogs out somewhere they can actually enjoy some smells and go crazy seeing all the prairie dogs. There are usually a fair amount of mountain bikers here especially if you go on a weekend, so if you are a hiker, just be prepared you may have to step off the trail multiple times.

Maxwell natural area is a great hike that is in fort collins…read more To simply go up to A and back to parking lot is roughly around 4 miles round trip. The first 2/3 of a mile or so is relatively flat and then it starts inclining. However it still only has around 600 feet or so of elevation gain so really is not very strenuous. You can see people hiking, trail jogging or mountain biking. The trail is somewhat narrow once you get rolling and get into the switchbacks, so be prepared for that. This is a great go-to trail if you dont have a lot of time but want to get out. In spring/,summer be careful this area frequently does have a lot of rattlesnakes.