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    Maxwell Natural Area

    4.0 (1 review)

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    6 years ago

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    Lory State Park - Nice display in the Visitors Center

    Lory State Park

    4.1(11 reviews)
    3.1 mi

    I visited Lory State Park for the first time today. Daily admission fee is $10.00…read more If you have the annual parks pass from registration renewal, there is no need to get a paper pass or placard from the Visitors Center to put in your car or hang on the rear view mirror. Your car license plates are sufficient. Park Rangers will check your plates to ensure you have the annual pass. The gentleman (volunteer) at the Visitors Center shared this information with me. I loved that he had a good sense of humor and was personable. We shared some good laughs together. I recommend going inside the Visitors Center to check out their wildlife display and to get helpful information for your visit to the park. There is also a small gift shop area to purchase books, maps and souvenirs. Staff will give you a free map of the park. There is also public restrooms at the Visitors Center. There is also a nice telescope inside the Visitors Center and a nice viewing deck with historical signage. I always enjoy reading this information for its historical value. I always learn something new. The roads in the park are all dirt so plan ahead for washing your car later. There are various parking lots to park your car before wandering off on trails. There are a lot of lovely views around. Have your camera or phone ready to take those landscape or perhaps wildlife photos. I didn't see any wildlife in the park today. I would've hiked various trails but I've been recovering from some injuries. Next time! I would love to return here. I very much enjoyed my visit to Lory Park. If you haven't been here, visit before the next snowfall! The weather was nice today so I felt fortunate. So glad I stopped here.

    Lory is a lovely state park that is close to fort collins. If you have a state park pass you can…read morecome and go as often as you would like. I believe the current cost of a pass is $90 for a year or $9 for a day pass. however starting in 2023 from what i have seen, the state plans on tacking on a $29 fee to our license plates and then you will get a state park pass. (before the people come that get upset about this, there is supposed to be an option to opt out. though i think it is amazing deal and we should all want to support our state parks) This park has something for everyone from easy to moderate trails, trails available for use by horses and also mountain bikes. People also come out here to snow shoe or cross country ski when conditions allow. They do actively update closures on both facebook and cotrex. So if there has been rain or snow give those sources a look to see what the scoop is. However, arthurs and mill creek do not tend to close. Do not ever leave valuables in the car. Do not hide them. Bring with you anything you care about. Lory unfortunately falls prey to thieves many times and throughout the year. There are not parking lot cameras. The thieves are pros and know what they are doing. They will frequently bust a lock which is not as noticable as a broken window. Please just dont give them anything to take. Do not leave your stuff in the car. If you need your wallet put it in your pack. Or just put a license and credit card in your pack and leave the rest at home. Dont leave your phone in the car or any electronics. Literally do not leave anything of any sort of value in your car. I had someone break into my car once because i left a phone charging cord in view. There was nothing else in my car just that cord. If you do not want to be on a more crowded trail avoid arthurs and wells. Both of those tend to have a lot of people especially on the weekend. Have seen mostly deer out on the trails in this area. One time i did see a big bear out and about though! so you never know what you might come across.

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    Lory State Park
    Lory State Park
    Lory State Park

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    Horsetooth Mountain Open Space

    Horsetooth Mountain Open Space

    4.5(25 reviews)
    3.0 mi

    What a great place for hiking! I'm from near Boulder, so getting in the car and driving an hour up…read morethe front range just to hike,we'll, we have hiking here too. But I was very impressed with the size and scope of this mountain park! Sitting right next to Lory State Park, you can really get a lot of distance done on these trails. It's a nominal fee to park, and there's maps and bathrooms at the trailhead. I found there to be parking much of the day. However, the waterfall attracts many folks on weekends. I would start with an ascent of Horsetooth Mountain, if you feel able. Even if you can't get all the way up, the views get better and better. There's lots of side trails to customize your adventure. However, don't get lost! The final few steps on the peak are a big rock scramble, so be careful! It's worth it though. I then went down to the cove and had a nice private lunch. Plenty of bikers use the trails on the lower half, so be aware. I found hiking before 10 am was best, and encountered few bikers out that early. This was a fantastic place to hike, and I got nearly 15 miles down. There's a beautiful section on the Stout Trail, and it leads down to a cool waterfall, so I'd definitely at least recommend that section!

    An amazing and challenging outdoors experience not too far from town. A harder hike with a bit of a…read morechallenge to get up to the peak of horsetooth, but definitely doable with amazing views ! Parking: We went on Monday morning and there was plenty of parking. That being said, I can see how the parking lot would be full on a busier day or the weekend. Facilities: There are toilets and water fountains in the parking lot, as well as maps and a covered picnic table. There is a apy station at the entry to the hike as well. There is a bug posted map as well as some paler maps for you to take. Hikes: There seemed to be 2 major hikes according to the posted map. You can hike to the falls but make sure to check if they have water ahead of time. Since there wasn't water when we went, we opted for only doing the hike up to horse tooth itself. The trails are very clearly marked which is really appreciated! Each trail is marked by a color and there are colored arrows showing you which way to go on your chosen path. The hike up to horsetooth itself can be strenuous! Not being used to the elevation should definitely be something taken into consideration if you're new to the area. It's consistently uphill for the first half (and downhill for the 2nd half of course). The views are absolutely amazing the whole way with a great look over the huge reservoir! You may also run into some wildlife - we passed by some very calm deer right on the trail and met some very cute chipmunks who came right to us. There's also some benches along the trail to take a break and take in the views. Once you get to the top of the trail, you can climb to the top of horse tooth - and I mean climb! You definitely don't have to have rock climbing experience but you do need to be ready to use hands and feet to get up there. This trail is dog friendly and you will run into people with dogs. Leashes are required.

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    Horsetooth Mountain Open Space
    Horsetooth Mountain Open Space
    Horsetooth Mountain Open Space

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    Maxwell Natural Area - hiking - Updated May 2026

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