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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Decent park. Love fishing here. Dog park has mulch which is way better than the crushed rock at…read moretwin silos. Hockey rink, skate park, basketball, tennis as well.

This is a lovely park with tons of parking and so much to do! Will certainly be utilizing this for…read moreour evening walks from now on. It has a great long path to walk with beautiful scenery, a playground, sports fields, etc. It is clean and well taken care of. The playground itself is great for the kids with options for all ages with slides, swings, things to climb on, and so much more! The Fossil/Prehistoric theme makes it stand out among other parks.

Beautiful area for a hike. I did the trail to snow and than sheep mountain. It was a moderate…read moreascent over 6 miles with stunning views and great rock formations Nice parking lot with pretty good toilet at the trailhead

This area is a lovely spot. it sits right across the road from sheep mountain or round mountain…read morehike. It is a great spot to cool pups off after a hike. I went there with my girl scouts today, not to cool off but for our bridging and end of year party. There is a fair amount of parking. There are bathrooms at the parking lot. There are picnic tables and a nice covered picnic table area. There is a large bridge and also some area to walk around. This is a lovely spot for a picnic or a group gathering.

This is a super lovely and quiet trail. Lion Gulch Trailhead is located on Hwy. 36. Thirteen miles…read morewest of Lyons and 8 miles east of Estes Park. From Estes Park travel to the 8-mile marker on Hwy. 36. It has a smaller parking lot probably could hold 10 cars. It starts off with a pretty steep climb, but there is a fair amount of shade and some water crossings along the way. This is a great trail in my opinion if you have dogs especially on the warmer sunny days. There is a bathroom at the beginning of the trail but there is not however any trash cans, so when you go you need to go with the intention of packing out all the bring you in. Including your dog poop. I can't remember if there were dog poop bags at the trail head so if you have a dog be sure to pack some with you (and then take them out with you) There are lots and lots of ways to go on teh trail and a variety of old homesteads to see. It is really quite cool. There are signs with some of the history along the route as well. Right now about half the trail is covered in ice, so if you dont have yak traks or spikes it would be best to not go until later as there are parts that are a sheet of ice.