We visited the accessible Homestead trail at Lory state park and it was lovely! There are a couple…read moreof accessible parking spots with access lanes right in front, and an accessible outhouse near the parking lot. The trail is wide enough for a wheelchair and is packed gravel/pea sized pebbles. My travel power chair did great on it, a manual chair might have trouble getting traction. It's about a half mile loop, there are informational signs throughout and benches scattered along the way if you need a place to sit. There are audio description devices available at the visitor center. There are also grills and picnic areas that are available when there is not a fire ban. Beautiful views!

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.

Hewlett gulch is a 8.2 mile heavily trafficked trail near bellvue. It features a river and is…read morerated as moderate. Hewlett gulch is up the poudre canyon, a little further than grey rock. The parking lot is not overly big. This trail allows for off leash dogs. There is a bathroom at the trail head. There is not however any trash cans or dog poop bags. If you are coming to this trail with dogs please be sure to bring your own poop bags! Also be sure to pack out what you pack in, this includes your dog poop bags! Just pop them in your car on your way out and you could drop them at the gas station at the bottom of the canyon if you dont want to haul them all the way home. The first 2 miles are relatively flat and have multiple stream crossings. There are narrow bridges to cross on though. The first 2 miles are the prettiest in my opinion with all the water. once you get to the fork if you go left you will get the hardest over with first. The loop has no trees and no water, so on a hot day you will want to make sure that you get there before the heat. This trail does get busy on the weekends so would have a potential back up plan just in case there is no parking in the lot here.

During this time of worry and fear, the best thing we can do (besides order takeout and delivery…read morefrom our favorite restaurants) is get outside and just breathe! It was a somber, foggy day in Fort Collins and the mountains were calling. As soon as we parked at the trailhead, the fog cleared and the sun came out. This trail has quickly become one of my favorites - a nice 8.2 mile out and back, with a large loop halfway through to liven things up. The first 3 miles are full of wildly changing landscapes. You begin walking through a grassy meadow, passing the remains of the homes the Huleatt family built in the 1920s, and have lots of stream crossings. When the waters are high, you just need to accept that it's likely you'll end up with a soggy shoe here and there. The incline is gentle and steady up until the start of the loop. I recommend going left at the fork to get the hard stuff over with faster - you gain a lot of altitude quite quickly, and it makes for a much easier-on-your-knees and relaxing slope around once you crest the top of the hike. After what feels like a bit of rock scrambling, you're rewarded with a view of the canyon that leads up to Red Feather Lakes out west, and a few magnificent homes that seem to pop up out of nowhere. Don't forget to enjoy your summit beer! The decline back to the trailhead is a complete 180 from the climb up, weaving through steep canyons with plenty of shade and plenty of spots for wild animals to hide in. I always recommend carrying bear spray and keeping an eye on your surroundings here! We came across of a pack of bighorn sheep on the way back to the car and paused to watch them traverse the sheer cliffs. The flowers during spring are some of the most beautiful I've seen, making certain spots appear as if they were out of a fairytale. This is NOT an easy hike, but that's what makes it all the more fun!

Well laid our natural area. Bathrooms, trash cans, dog poop bags, picnic tables, grassy areas…read more There are several hiking trails but they are all pretty short. If you do them all though you can get 6.5-7 miles. Fall colors are popping there right now and quite lovely. Looks like its a popular spot for fishing. Saw several fishermen out and about today. Cost is $7 for a day entry pass. And they do have a annual pass.

Gateway is hidden away on the outskirts of Fort Collins. Great area for hiking or taking a stroll…read more You control the type of hike you want to do. Very beautiful area and it's tucked away. Great picnic area too.

Very busy which is just the way it is because this spot is a gem. Will return and get there much…read moreearlier. :)

Picnic Rock Natural Area is a short jaunt up the Poudre River right outside of Bellvue. Very…read morepopular for (you guessed it) picnics, it's also a fantastic spot to go fishing, or take a relaxing float when the river isn't raging. We headed up on a Monday afternoon, right before they closed the area due to Coronavirus, to enjoy a long afternoon of slapping the water. It was a little chilly, and for the first time in my history of heading up to that area, we were the only ones around. During summer, the parking lot fills up and overflows, and there are families everywhere, so the edge of winter is a good time to get some peace and quiet. There are plenty of open and deep spots to throw in your line, as well as some nice currents where the trout hang out waiting for the bugs to sweep over the rocks - we had success with the dry flies, even though it was the middle of the day. My favorite part is hanging up the hammock and relaxing in the sun, enjoying the sound of the burbling water with a craft brew in hand. After catching at least one fish, of course.

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.

This trail is a hard/difficult rated hike up the poudre canyon…read more "The trail gently rises for ¾ mile then divides. The left branch, Meadows Trail (#947), is the slightly less strenuous but longer, and rejoins the main trail about 2.6 miles later. The right main branch turns uphill for 1.7 miles where it meets the upper end of the Meadows Trail. From the upper junction an additional ¾ mile climb leads to the summit. Trailhead signs warn of Giardia in the water and poison ivy growing along the trails of Greyrock. Greyrock trailhead accommodates approximately 39 vehicles." Parking lot is on the left of the road. There is a pit toilet available. There are not however any trash cans or dog poop bags. You will need to pack out what you pack in, including dog poop bags. The trail is pretty rocky and if you are going to opt to go all the way up to the summit, it is some scrambling. There are a few options of routes to go -Summit trail out and back -meadow trail to the summit and down the summit trail -summit trail to summit - down the meadow trail This area was unfortunately impacted by the High park fire around 11-12 years ago and sadly the trees are mostly dead and burned for most of the hike. In the spring i am sure that you would be able to see green grasses and flowers growing underneath though.

Nice hike near the town. Moderate in difficulty and shaded in some areas. Not much parking so get…read morethere early. Beautiful view of the falls at the top.

This is a great trail but the location shown here for it is wrong. The trail is in Rocky Mountain…read moreNational Park on the edge of Estes Park. This map is a small community 12 miles east of Estes Park. Please use google to find the real location of this trail!

I don't know what it is about Southeast (Alaska), but their trail maintenance is impeccable!…read more My partner took me to Ketch for the weekend to celebrate my 40th, so we only had time for one hike, and we chose this one. The trail is steep but very well-graded, with lots of switchbacks. The first, maybe 1.75 miles are in a lush temperate rainforest: big trees, dripping rocks, creeks flowing in/out/on/around the trail. In late March, we hit snow at about 2,100 ft. If you do this trail before June, you will have to navigate snow. Depending on conditions, you could need snowshoes/skis, microspikes, or both. We only had microspikes, but definitely needed snowshoes/skis. The final quarter mile to the summit was grueling snow-wallowing through knee-to-chest deep snow. There were lots of sketch cornices near the summit area. If you don't have experience with snow travel, I'd recommend NOT going to the true summit if you see conditions like this. (the two of us do quite a bit of mountaineering, even in the winter so....while it was unpleasant, we knew how to navigate it relatively safely) Views from the summit were amazing...for a few seconds, then the clouds rolled in. Such is life hiking in a rainforest! It took us about 4 hours to reach the summit. This was largely because of the snow though. It took us only 1 hr to get from the summit to the brewery, which is the place you need to go to treat yourself post-summit!

Sweet fun trail hike it run it , great views up top . Tons of options of going furtherread more

This trail is found off the road that would take you up to red feather lakes. Just past the Forks…read moregas station on the left hand side. After you turn left you will drive down a winding dirt road for a bit to get there. Thankfully the times i have visited it has not been overly busy. Which is nice. You dont find that on a lot of the trails in northern colorado. Everything around here always seems to have a lot of people, dogs, mountain bikes. sometimes you just want some solitude. Dogs and horses are allowed here. Bikes are not. There are bathrooms and trash cans at the parking lot and dog poop bags at teh trail head. For half the year, this trail is 5.3 miles long. It makes a figure 8. For the other half of the year, they close about half the trail for nesting eagles so the trail will only be around 2.5 miles long. So be sure to check the season if you are wanting a long hike. Of course any time of year, nothing says you can not just do the first loop of 2.5 miles and call it a day. There is 1 tree along this entire trail. It is very open. With gorgeous views. But this is not a trail you want to do in 100 degree weather. As with any trail it is a good idea to bring water with you. Even more so if you have dogs. This trail is home to rattle snakes so be sure to be snake aware if you go during snake season. I would personally call this trail moderate skill level. I believe i have clocked around 900 feet of elevation gain when i have done this one the last couple of times. At one point you do cross a river. You actually go over it on a bridge, but if your dogs need to get down there to cool off that is a good place to do it. it is right before you start the 2nd loop. On the 2nd loop depending on the time of year you may find yourself around a lot of cows who are out grazing. This is a lovely local hike in our area. If you have not checked it out it is worth trying at least once.

This is one of those reviews I am torn about...I love to share travel tips but I also love the…read moresolitude this space provides and don't want it to get too popular! But it really is too beautiful not to share. I would disagree with the previous reviewer about its difficulty. I should disclose, I have only ever hiked the loop but would rate it as moderate if you are a fairly active person. If you start down the right side, you will be hiking on a cow path for half the distance. However, there is zero shade on that side. In the heat of the summer, you should remember to bring plenty of water and perhaps avoid midday. The scenery here is just gorgeous though and you are unlikely to encounter crowds like at Grey Rock or Horsetooth. On a weekday, you may have the place all to yourself! Dogs and horses are allowed on this trail but mountain bikes are not. Parking is free and there are vault toilets at the trailhead. Enjoy!!

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.