The Poudre River Trail's trail head starts in west Windsor and goes all the way into Greeley. The…read more21 mile paved trail goes through a combination of urban most rural areas such as along river banks, bluffs, fields and farmland. The trail head as I said starts in West Windsor, just east of the Ptarmigan country Club's Golf Course. The trail is not far from a Fort Collins bike trail also called the Poudre Trail which ends at the Habitat Learning Center. It is planned that the two trails were to connect yet this has not happened either through inept planning on a cities part, uncooperative private land owners, easement issues or a combination of these or other factors. I highly recommend this trail! I have said it is paved all the way to Greeley from west Windsor. It goes through some nice neighborhoods and parks in the southeast part of Windsor then goes to open space, farmland, and river banks. I suggest going here in the spring, summer or fall! Since it is 21 miles one way you may want to spend the night in Greeley or Windsor, depending which way you are going. If you are an avid biker then you could probably go both ways without any problem at all but if you are like me I just had to get a room! When you go to Greeley from Windsor you are mostly going downhill which means it is more of a workout if you have to bike back to Windsor because it is uphill. I was being overzealous and thought I could go back that night but after going one way I was too exhausted to go back and decided against it. That was not the only reason why. I have said this is mostly a rural trail therefore there are considerable factors to consider if you going back on this trail at night. Here are a few things that could be potential "hazards" but really are just things you should be aware of when going on this trail. I'm not trying to dissuade you from biking on this trail by any means at all!! Here are a few things to think about if you do choose to bike at night on this trail. There is a construction zone between Windsor and Greeley where the paved trail ends and there are concrete dividers that you walk in between to get to the other side of the trail. You don't want to hit those at night! Much of this trail goes through private property so that means no trespassing and keep your dog on a leash at all times because as some signs indicate, some property owners may shoot your dogs if they get on their land. There are hunters that hunt through the rural parts of the trail in the Fall so expect to hear gun shots. In fact I would advise wearing bright colored clothing in the Fall so you are not confused with wild game. Most hunters probably know where the bike trail is but don't make that assumption too much! Some areas of the trail, closer to Greeley go through a pasture. I came across some mother cows with their calves. They seemed tame for the most part but one mother got a little snorty and protective but did not charge. Most times they won't. Just stay away from the calves and let them see you and be on your way and you should be free of incident but do you really want to run into them in the dark. Someone might get a little ringy and someone might get ringed! There are also cattle guards that you have to cross. They have screens set up so you can have your bike go over it safely. It is very important if you don't go on the screen to hold onto your handlebars tight! You are in for a real wreck if one of your tires goes through the cattle guard. I have seen this for myself! A friend of mine got her head split open at a birthday party for not hanging onto the handlebars tight enough and so the party had to get canceled so she could get stitches. Also on the path there is an abrupt end and kind of a drop off of the paved trail for a railroad crossing. The trail resumes right after but if you are not paying attention you could be in for a real jolt, especially at night. Something else to be aware of when biking and especially at night. There is a narrowing of the trail in west Greeley for a small section where you go past some small river bluffs. there is also Poison Ivy that grows here as well. There are signs indicating this and they have it cut back so you won't touch it but you could very easily miss the signs at night. Finally the trail is not maintained in the winter so that is something to consider as well. These things are not to be deterrents to going on this trail, just things to be aware of. It is a gorgeous trail and worthy to go on for anyone who wants to take a leisurely bike ride through city and open space! Enjoy!!

This is a nice, scenic area with walking trails. There are also some ruins and a bit of history.read more

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.

Loved this trail! Have lived in colorado for over 40 years now and i did not know this trail…read moreexisted. Crosier mountain trail is around 40 minutes from fort collins. Go up highway 34 and then towards drake. There is a small dirt parking lot with what looks like a locked gate. there are no signs that this is a trail. However if you go through the gate and walk up the hill a bit then you will see the trail sign. The trail round trip is 10.2 miles. We only did 5.5 miles today because of time constraints, but definitely want to go back. The trail starts off in the open and then gets you back into a wooded area. The views are pretty stunning and there were some fall colors popping in various parts of the hike. There is a lot of elevation gain. I believe i saw the trail has over 3000 feet of elevation gain from start to finish. In the first 2.5 miles we did 1500 feet of elevation gain. Parts are fairly rocky. But the trail is clear and well worn. Dogs are allowed but need to be leashed. It says that mountain bikers are also able to use the trail as well. The sign did say that rattle snakes can still be in this area so be on the look out if you go up. I loved that we were out for a couple of hours and didn't run into a soul. that is my kind of hiking experience.

Coyote Ridge Trail is a 4.1 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Fort Collins,…read moreColorado that offers scenic views and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible year-round. 564 feet elevation gain https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/coyote-ridge-trail Coyote Ridge is one of the few fort collins natural areas where dogs are not allowed. That being the case, I dont go here overly often. There is a bathroom about 1 mile in near the cabin. You can check the parking lot camera on the website to see if there is parking available before you come. At certain times, it can be busy. Also as with any hiking trail, NEVER leave any thing of value in your car. end of story. There are thieves running amuck and hitting trailheads all over the state. Dont hide your stuff and think it will be safe. Only bring what you want to carry with you. The trail starts out relatively flat and then after a bit begins to pick up a little bit of incline. In the summer there are rattle snakes so be forewarned. It is open and there is no shade. It connects with other trails so you can make it longer if you like.

Challenging uphill climb on my mountain bike but the downhill ride is wonderful. Recommend for…read morebeginner/intermediate riders.

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.

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.

Fossil Creek Reservoir Area is easy to get to on the South side of Fort Collins off the Windsor…read moreexit and has lots to offer if you don't mind a little patience and lots of watching. This is a sanctuary for many animals so dogs aren't allowed. There are a few trails and an actual bird watching hut by the water. We love packing a picnic and sitting at one of the covered picnic tables listening to the sounds, we also love a quick walk on the looped trail to stretch our legs. If you do t feel like walking, some time at the dock viewing birds can pay off as once we even saw some otters and turtles. You never know what you'll see!

We went here yesterday because we found out about the Natural Areas' cool program where volunteers…read morewith the NA set up viewing scopes trained on the eagles that winter here and also give educational talks on the eagles. It was an amazing time and I highly encourage everyone to make it out before the 15th (the last time for the year is Feb. 14th and 15th 4-5:30pm). They also have skygazing events still happening where they meet at night with volunteers from the local astronomy group who bring telescopes. There's events here year-round and a reasonable portion of the trail is wheelchair accessible.

This is a 10.1 mile out and back trail near Glen Haven. It is considered a moderate route with…read more1889 feet of elevation gain. Dogs are able to use the trail but must be on leash. This trail goes near a river for at least the first 4 miles of the trail. I have not finished the trail. Though this one is absolutely lovely. There is a mix of trees and a burn area and the river. Moose and mountain lions are in the area so you will need to be on the lookout if you are choosing to hike here. This tends to be a quieter trail at least on the weekdays. There is a fairly good sized parking lot. There is a bathroom at the trail head. There are not however poop bags or trash cans. You will need to be prepared to pack out what you pack in. If you are bringing your pups be sure to pack along poop bags and also be ready to take them out with you. Along with any trash you may have brought with you.