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    Horsetooth Reservoir

    4.1 (59 reviews)
    Closed 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Heather B.

    It's a gorgeous area with colors ranging from reds to greens to blues and differing browns. The rolling hills make for a beautiful drive around the water. We didn't have a day pass but chose to take a scenic drive around since we had been in the area visiting CSU. We happened to be there on one of the less sunny days but it was still peaceful and a nice way to spend our morning.

    Bobby F.

    Beautiful area with amazing scenery. Virgin River vibes! Highly recommended!!! Did some trail walking and a bit of hiking. Most definitely would do this again.

    Bringing the girls to come play in the water on this hot day
    Ariella W.

    Horsetooth Reservoir is absolutely beautiful and it is great for all kinds of activities. You can paddle board, kayak, boat, swimming, scuba dive, jet ski, and picnic. I am sure there is more you could do if you dream of it. Both swim beaches are rocky and not much sand or place to sit. The swim area on the south side does have some covered picnic tables. You will need to walk over to the swim area. If you are going to hang out over there, you might want to bring a umbrella or some way to get some shade. Over at the picnic area there is a nice ramp to launch your paddleboard or kayak off from. Cost to get in is $9 for the day unless you have a larimer county park pass. Then its included. Depending on what time of day you get there you may not find a spot so would recommend going earlier in day or mid morning. We got there around 10 am and left around 2 pm and the parking lot was full. be sure that you do not leave ANYTHING valuable in your vehicles! There are thieves that have been hitting the natural areas. Do not hide it. Do not store it in there. Just take it with you OR leave it at home. The thieves have some technology where they can detect electronics and also debit and credit cards. They can either break your window or bust your lock on your car. I have had my car hit 5 times now in the last 2 years, one of those times at horsetooth. Save yourself some heartache and leave your important stuff at home where it is safe.

    Been going to this lake since I was a kid. They raise the entry cost every single year they raise the canping and season pass every year. They built a new million dollar ranger station. And keep in mind this lake swarms with them. They will arrest you for having fun w your family. They will not help u if u have boat problems. And to top it off they just added a locking system to empty your campers after u bought a pass and used their parks. Not kool all I see is TAKE TAKE TAKE.

    Lizzy O.

    Beautiful views! Great time hiking down with the family to the reservoir and back up. The fee to park was ten dollars. Lots of rock climbers were bouldering in different spots. One part of the trail was a little precarious, but that was because we lost the trail when we decided to go back up a different way than we went down. Still manageable and a very fun afternoon.

    Alyssa W.

    Beautiful reservoir, enjoyed a nice little hike. Make sure you pay for parking there ($9) as I saw a bunch of cars get ticketed by the ranger!

    Andrea B.

    Huge body of water, good for fishing and camping. The staff here are friendly and helpful as we unloaded our boat and the battery was dead. Thankfully the ranger came and helped us charge it, and we we're on the water in no time. Only a few places (but a positive for sure) with indoor facilities- Attempted to fish for a few hours but no fish were biting. Still to cold for me to be out on the lake but a beautiful view all the way around.

    April L.

    Ok I literally typed "swimming area Horsetooth" in google and it took me to a tiny beach. It's mostly rock and the signage wasn't great so I actually thought the area partitioned off was the do not swim area until the rangers showed up and warned other swimmers. I also didn't realize my kids had to have life jackets on ( they were playing on the "beach") so I guess I didn't do enough research. It does look like a great area for water sports though! Would love to come back for tubing/skiing. My kids still had a blast but I wish I had know more about the swimming area beforehand. I was told by another mom there's a southern area that might be bigger. Still a beautiful place to spend the day!

    gorgeous
    Jack M.

    Joe and I had bought this great frozen mushroom pizza in Medford, and we were determined to enjoy it while camping some place where the enjoyment of a mushroom pizza would be enhanced by a natural landscape of extraordinary beauty Though we had planned to spend the night at the Vedauwoo Rocks State Park east of Laramie, Wyoming, we were forced by the weather to come down into Colorado instead. We spent most of the day crossing the Rocky Mountains on Intersate 80 between Rock Springs and Cheyenne. At a maximum elevation of nearly 9,000 feet, we suffered snow, wind and difficult road conditions. By Laramie we could see that there was blue sky ahead in the distance, but it was still just too damned cold and miserable there to think about adhering to our original plan. Once we crossed the state line into Colorado, everything changed. The sky opened up above our heads, the sun melted what snow and ice still clung to the wiper blades and the air was dry and crisp. We still wanted to camp some place beautiful, so at the suggestion of some locals we made our way to the Horsetooth Reservoir State Park. About 10 miles outside Fort Collins and up a little ways into the Rocky Mountain foothills, the RV park sits in a wide basin at the southern end of the reservoir. It was plenty cold over night, and it even sprinkled on us a bit. But we geared up for a hike and dragged our pampered city asses out onto the lake bed. Joe had a miner's type halogen light strapped to his forehead and I carried a 6-volt lantern in my hand. It was nearly as dark as it was cold, and we set ourselves the simple goal of finding water's edge. We had a rough memory of where the lake was from the day-time, but we couldn't see shit. At one point the ground under foot became oddly soft and training my lantern beam on it I saw a mat of short weeds and a texture of dirt that reminded me we were walking in a lake bed. This is about when I began to feel like an idiot. A few steps later we could feel big, fat drops of lake water carried up by the gusting wind against our faces. We must be getting close! Did I mention it was very cold? Well, we never made it to the water's edge. But on the walk back to to the rig we understood something about playing in the cold and how a lot of the fun you have when you're "out there" depends on having a warm place to return to when you're done.

    Devorah R.

    This Reservoir brings back a lot of good memories. Great hike for the whole family, easy trails and amazing view. The lake also has a lot of rock climbing spots and "beach" area to layout. This lake is very relaxing and beautiful! I come here when I am feeling home sick and missing the beach.

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    We camp here during the summer and have the best time. Campgrounds are kept clean and everyone is super friendly.

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    Ask the Community - Horsetooth Reservoir

    Review Highlights - Horsetooth Reservoir

    don't go cliff jumping here or decide to use alcohol while boating as I've heard of a few accidents that have occurred here.

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    Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

    Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

    4.3(4 reviews)
    7.0 mi

    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.

    Photos
    Reservoir Ridge Natural Area
    Reservoir Ridge Natural Area
    Reservoir Ridge Natural Area

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    Backbone Adventures - Winter Razor rental ride

    Backbone Adventures

    4.8(168 reviews)
    19.9 mi

    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!

    Photos
    Backbone Adventures - Family checking out the view on an atv adventure in Estes Park with Backbone Adventures

    Family checking out the view on an atv adventure in Estes Park with Backbone Adventures

    Backbone Adventures - Couple riding atv 4 wheelers on Johnny Park in Estes Park with Backbone Adventures

    Couple riding atv 4 wheelers on Johnny Park in Estes Park with Backbone Adventures

    Backbone Adventures - Girls day out razor ride

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    Girls day out razor ride

    City of Fort Collins Parks Shelter Reservations

    City of Fort Collins Parks Shelter Reservations

    4.8(12 reviews)
    5.8 mi

    Some of the best bike paths I've seen. We started across from the Crossroads Church at the bike…read morepath parking. Headed towards ft Collins. The really have an excellent place for family or individuals to walk, cycle, skate, mountain bike what ever you want as long as you are being courteous to others on the path. Just super nice and very beautiful scenery. Great job!!! Ft Collins and Loveland

    The bike trails that interweave themselves around Fort Collins is one of the things that makes this…read morelittle city so great! There are over 29 miles of paved bike trails, along with countless other dirt trails and designated bike lanes. These paved trails are great for running and a wonderful way to get around Fort Collins by bike without having to worry about getting run over by a car. They are also snow plowed during the winter so you never have to give up your favorite running or bike route. My personal favorite is the Spring Creek Trail and I run on it nearly every day. It is nice not having to worry about cars and to enjoy looking at the beautiful scenery around town. You actually feel like you are getting away from the city because the trail weaves through several different parks while following Spring Creek. Another plus for runners is that there is usually a dirt trail next to the pavement so you can run on a soft surface. I highly encourage everyone to check out these trails as a great way to exercise, get around town, and to explore Fort Collins!

    Photos
    City of Fort Collins Parks Shelter Reservations - Courtesy of fcgov.com

    Courtesy of fcgov.com

    City of Fort Collins Parks Shelter Reservations
    City of Fort Collins Parks Shelter Reservations

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    Horsetooth Reservoir - parks - Updated May 2026

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