Granite Ridge Trail

Stretching 126 miles from its source in the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Cache La Poudre (pronounced: Poo-ter) river provides host to an entire treasure trove of outdoor recreational activities. From Fly Fishing and rafting to camping and photography. Carved away by thousands of years of flowing water, Poudre Canyon itself spans 40 miles from end to end (Fort Collins to North Park) and is ...

I need to start by saying I stayed here on Memorial Day weekend, a very busy camping weekend in Colorado. Online searches for a suitable campsite were useless, everything was booked. It is hard to drive 2 plus hours to an area and hope you find a place for dispersed camping. Thankfully a friend told me about this area. There are lots of dispersed campsites here. You have your pick of camping ne...

This 4.3-mile round trip hike gains 1300 feet of elevation before reaching the Mt. McConnel summit. The primitive trail is rated as difficult and has an ascent of many switchbacks, leading up to a wild flower-covered summit. The trail winds along the ridge line around 8,000 feet, offering panoramic views of the entire canyon. The route down from the summit is where things get a bit more intense...

To get to Poudre Falls, simply drive up Poudre Canyon on Highway 14, just north-west of Fort Collins.  The drive all of the way up to the falls is a little bit of a jaunt and will take about an hour or so. There are plenty of cool things to see on the way, so have the camera in the passenger seat!  As you head up the canyon you will pass the Sportsman's Lodge Cabins and Campground (on the right...

You start out hiking through the average Colorado forest for the first 4 miles of the 7-8 mile trip at about 6,500 feet. The trail is largely downhill for the first couple miles until it levels out and you are headed North. A little more than halfway, you come to Comanche Reservoir and hike up along it's east side. there are a couple nice big rocks at the highest point where you can stop for a ...

Hewlett Gulch Trailhead is located about 20 minutes from Fort Collins and offers easy hiking in the Poudre Canyon.From Fort Collins, take 287 to Ted's Place. Take a left onto CO 14 and follow 14 through the canyon just past Poudre Park where you see the trailhead sign. Turn left onto the road that leads to the parking lot. This trail is fairly popular, but is far enough into the canyon that it ...