Find the top rated walking trails in Fort Collins, whether you're looking for an easy short walking trail or a long walking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a walking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
_0_st.jpg)
_173182_st.jpg)
_104887_st.jpg)
_104887_sc.jpg)
Two unpaved segments of the Great Western Trail are currently open in rural Weld County at the northwestern corner of Colorado's Eastern Plains. Both portions were built on a railbanked Great Western...
The Mason Trail runs northsouth through Fort Collins, paralleling McClellan Drive north of Horsetooth Road (CR 40) and the railroad tracks south of Horsetooth/CR 40. The trail is a nice alternative...
The Allison Draw Greenway extends nearly 4 miles along the Allison Draw flood control channel at Cheyenne's southern border. The trail is especially useful for students as it winds through residential...
Not to be confused with the longer Saint Vrain Greenway of nearby Longmont, the Saint Vrain Avenue Trail is a hard surface, multiuse trail in the Rocky Mountain resort town of Estes Park. While Estes...
The Dry Creek Greenway stretches 7 miles across northern Cheyenne, connecting the city's east- and west-side residences and businesses. It also runs through several community parks and joins the...
The Crow Creek Greenway takes travelers along a tree-lined creek through busy urban areas of Wyoming's capital. The trail begins in Martin Luther King Jr. Park, which offers athletic facilities, a...
The Bear Creek Path begins just south of the University of Colorado Research Park and winds its way southwest to the Martin Acres community. The trail is paved and generally flat, although there is a...
The Goose Creek Greenway offers a major east-west route through Boulder. Note that there is little shade along the way and the pathway runs through busy commercial areas, including the Villa Shopping...
The Loveland Recreation Trail encircles the "Gateway to the Rockies," offering views of the mountains and access to many of Loveland's natural treasures. While the trail is mostly complete, there are...
Closely following its scenic namesake waterway for most of its journey, the popular Boulder Creek Path runs east from Boulder Canyon to the outskirts of the Valmont Reservoir. Its western end is dirt...
True to its name the South Link Greenway connects three of Cheyenne’s prominent shared use pathways. It runs north-south, from the East Cheyenne Greenway, (which stretches west for almost 4 miles...
The Sheep Draw Trail is a 10-foot-wide paved regional trail along the scenic Sheep Draw Creek corridor connecting neighborhoods to shopping, recreation centers and schools. The trail travels through...
Elmer's Two Mile Creek Greenway begins just north of Elmer's Two Mile Park on the north end of Boulder. It's paved and generally flat, traveling through open spaces, parks, neighborhoods and...
The Poudre River Trail tracks a 21-mile, scenic course along Cache la Poudre River between Windsor and Greeley. The paved trail is popular with hikers, runners, cyclists and inline skaters. The path...
The Yellowstone Road Greenway offers a 1-mile connector between two other trails, the Dry Creek Greenway and the Lions Park Greenway. The trail begins between McCormick Junior High School and...
_173182_sc.jpg)
Big Dry Creek Trail follows an east-west course for 12 miles between Interstate 25 and Standley Lake in Westminster, one of Denver's northern suburbs. The trail is generally flat, with short stretches...
The Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail opened its first 7-mile section in 2016, but is one day planned to stretch 25 miles across the northern Denver Metro area, including the suburbs of Westminster,...
The Farmers’ High Line Canal Trail provides an easy, pleasant way to traverse the northern suburbs of Denver. The paved pathway stretches more than a dozen miles, connecting Westminster, Northglenn,...
The Longmont-to-Boulder Regional Trail (nicknamed the LOBO) extends more than 10 miles between these two major cities and taps into the region's vast network of trails. Most of the pathway has a...
In the 1800s, a series of ditches was constructed to manage water and irrigate farmland in the Saint Vrain Valley. The historic Oligarchy Ditch dates back to this period, although today this channel...
The Fowler Trail is an easy hike in scenic Eldorado Canyon State Park that provides a great place to sight wildlife, watch rock climbers, or take in stunning views of the surrounding canyon....
The Allison Draw Greenway extends nearly 4 miles along the Allison Draw flood control channel at Cheyenne's southern border. The trail is especially useful for students as it winds through residential...
The Farmers’ High Line Canal Trail provides an easy, pleasant way to traverse the northern suburbs of Denver. The paved pathway stretches more than a dozen miles, connecting Westminster, Northglenn,...
This is a component of Cheyenne’s citywide greenway system. The concrete sidepath parallels Storey Boulevard between Powderhouse Road and N. College Drive in north Cheyenne. The trail runs on the...
_0_sc.jpg)
Big Dry Creek Trail in Arvada (not be confused with similarly named trails in Westminster and Littleton) is a multi-use pathway tucked into the northwest corner of the Denver suburb. The trail...
Closely following its scenic namesake waterway for most of its journey, the popular Boulder Creek Path runs east from Boulder Canyon to the outskirts of the Valmont Reservoir. Its western end is dirt...
The Lee Lateral Ditch Trail is a hike-and-bike running east-west in the Denver suburb of Thornton. The trail connects residents to a number of recreational destinations along its route, from the...
The Poudre River Trail tracks a 21-mile, scenic course along Cache la Poudre River between Windsor and Greeley. The paved trail is popular with hikers, runners, cyclists and inline skaters. The path...
The Greenway actually encompasses 3 distinct segments: the first 0.6 miles is in the southeast, just north of Laramie County Community College. The other two in the southwest side of Wyoming’s...
The Converse Avenue Greenway can be found alongside its namesake roadway in two discrete segments. Together, these segments provide nearly 2 miles of trail in eastern Cheyenne. Both offer wide open...
The Niver Creek Trail winds through Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver, connecting parks, riparian areas and open space inhabited by prairie dogs, coyotes, numerous bird species, and other...
_157072_sc.jpg)
The Poudre Trail in Fort Collins follows the meandering course of the Poudre River from the Bellevue Watson Fish Hatchery to Colorado State University's Environmental Learning Center on East Drake....
The Loveland Recreation Trail encircles the "Gateway to the Rockies," offering views of the mountains and access to many of Loveland's natural treasures. While the trail is mostly complete, there are...
The Crow Creek Greenway takes travelers along a tree-lined creek through busy urban areas of Wyoming's capital. The trail begins in Martin Luther King Jr. Park, which offers athletic facilities, a...
The Broomfield Trail is a developing pathway that forms a winding diagonal route across Broomfield County from the Great Western Reservoir Open Space to Baseline Road. While the trail is currently...
The Laramie River Greenbelt maintains the natural character along the river of the same name. A hike-and-bike trail runs from north to south within the greenbelt, affording great views of the river...
The Firestone Trail mostly parallels Colorado Boulevard between Dacono in the south and north of Firestone, at the northern end of the trail. The trail is paved and provides access to parks,...
The Pointe Greenway winds down from Four Mile Greenway to Gardenia Drive with a spur up to Pointe Park. The trail is a mile-and-a-half and travels through residential neighborhoods and open areas....
For much of its short length, the Lions Park Greenway travels along Sloan Lake, offering pleasant views of the water. In warm weather, trail-goers can enjoy boating and fishing on the lake, or...
The Long View Trail is a north-south trail connecting Loveland to Fort Collins. The trail is a ribbon of pavement winding across Larimer County’s scenic outdoors. In fact, as it parallels 57th Street,...
The Laramie River Greenbelt maintains the natural character along the river of the same name. A hike-and-bike trail runs from north to south within the greenbelt, affording great views of the river...
The Left Hand Greenway is a diagonal path along its namesake creek in southern Longmont. It begins at a juncture with the St. Vrain Greenway, a scenic 8-mile route across the city. From there, you'll...
The Poudre River Trail tracks a 21-mile, scenic course along Cache la Poudre River between Windsor and Greeley. The paved trail is popular with hikers, runners, cyclists and inline skaters. The path...
The Longmont-to-Boulder Regional Trail (nicknamed the LOBO) extends more than 10 miles between these two major cities and taps into the region's vast network of trails. Most of the pathway has a...
The Niver Creek Trail winds through Thornton, a northern suburb of Denver, connecting parks, riparian areas and open space inhabited by prairie dogs, coyotes, numerous bird species, and other...
The St. Vrain Greenway begins in Golden Ponds Park and travels east along the creek for more than half its distance. At the park, watch for the bald eagles, wood ducks, great blue herons and Canada...
As its name implies, the Lake Link Trail connects many of the region's lakes, offering picturesque views of the water and surrounding mountains. The trail begins in Hunter Douglas Business Park and...
The Converse Avenue Greenway can be found alongside its namesake roadway in two discrete segments. Together, these segments provide nearly 2 miles of trail in eastern Cheyenne. Both offer wide open...
The Bear Creek Path begins just south of the University of Colorado Research Park and winds its way southwest to the Martin Acres community. The trail is paved and generally flat, although there is a...
The Crow Creek Greenway takes travelers along a tree-lined creek through busy urban areas of Wyoming's capital. The trail begins in Martin Luther King Jr. Park, which offers athletic facilities, a...
The Independence Trail sits right at the northern edge of the Denver suburb of Arvada. The trail pushes right up against the southern border of the Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. It travels...
At the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the Coal Creek Regional Trail offers spectacular views of the front range. You can even identify surrounding peaks with the "peak finder" signage provided at the...
Note: Like most of Lyons' parks system, the Corridor Trail has been closed since a devastating flood in September 2013. Work is currently underway to reopen the closed parks and trails. See the city's...
_162277_sc.jpg)
The Platte River Trail is just one of many of Denver's superb multi-use trails, this one stretching from just north and west of Englewood and heading north toward Henderson. The 28.5-mile trail...
The Farmers’ High Line Canal Trail provides an easy, pleasant way to traverse the northern suburbs of Denver. The paved pathway stretches more than a dozen miles, connecting Westminster, Northglenn,...
True to its name the South Link Greenway connects three of Cheyenne’s prominent shared use pathways. It runs north-south, from the East Cheyenne Greenway, (which stretches west for almost 4 miles...
Elmer's Two Mile Creek Greenway begins just north of Elmer's Two Mile Park on the north end of Boulder. It's paved and generally flat, traveling through open spaces, parks, neighborhoods and...
The Greenway actually encompasses 3 distinct segments: the first 0.6 miles is in the southeast, just north of Laramie County Community College. The other two in the southwest side of Wyoming’s...
The Rocky Mountain Greenway Trail opened its first 7-mile section in 2016, but is one day planned to stretch 25 miles across the northern Denver Metro area, including the suburbs of Westminster,...
The Goose Creek Greenway offers a major east-west route through Boulder. Note that there is little shade along the way and the pathway runs through busy commercial areas, including the Villa Shopping...
We visited the western tip of this trail—from Lake Village Park to Eagleview Elementary School—a distance of about 1.5 miles one way. It made for a pleasant October weekend ride with large old cottonwoods and other trees offering shade and hints of fall color. The trail begins with a nice parking area, a large picnic pavilion, porta potty, and exercise stations. At many points as we rode along, the trail split, offering a paralleling finely crushed stone surface for runners. Much of the way, the trail also followed a narrow shallow ditch. You could tell how popular this trail was as many adjacent homeowners had built their own small footbridges across the ditch to reach the trail. A fun surprise for my 10-year-old was a small trailside playground with two climbable life-size horses made of concrete and a large pig sculpture. For my husband, another fun unexpected find was a dirt mountain biking trail that paralleled the main trail for a short distance.
Other highlights included two heritage areas with railroad artifacts and informational signage about the history of the area. The signs also marked the route as part of the Eastlake Heritage Trail. According to the signage, a Union Pacific Railroad spur once ran through the corridor. Built in the early 1900s, the trains ran to Denver carrying passengers, farm products, and business freight.
Towards the end of our journey, we reached Colorado Boulevard; the crosswalk was well-marked. On the other side of the street the houses got closer to the trail, but it was still a lot of fun as the trail winds through a nice neighborhood.
Got off track several times. Poorly marked in areas. Well maintained
We’re parked up at the top of the hill on Highway 42, and rode into Louisville along Coal Creek all the way to the golf course and almost all the way up to McCaslin.. The trail offer is a lot of enjoyable winding and a lot of shaded area which was very welcoming on a hot day like today.
Very enjoyable ride. Easy ride with a lot of shade.
The trail between Mississippi and Alameda has wood retaining walls that are leaning into the trail and are a hazard to all.
Who is responsible for the upkeep and how can I donate to help get this repaired quickly?
We explored a short 2-mile section near the middle of the Farmers' High Line Canal Trail. We began at Margaret's Pond in Westminster, where there is a small parking area, and then biked to the Northwest Open Space in Northglenn. This segment was all concrete. At first, we just traveled along the trail paralleling Legacy Ridge Parkway through a pleasant neighborhood, but the trail really got fun when it turned off the roadway to parallel Niver Canal. We enjoyed having the babbling canal by our side and saw redwing blackbirds and many other birds swooping through this area. At Federal Boulevard, take a moment to look down the roadway to the "Savery Savory Mushrooms" water tower, which is styled to look like a giant can of mushrooms and dates back to 1925. At the underpass for the boulevard, you'll see the trail's name posted, but there was no other trail signage along the route. Just past this point, we took a little detour around a pond and saw a pelican, cormorants, and ducks. We continued down the trail a short distance farther, still closely following the canal, to the Northwest Open Space, where we turned around and headed back.
I rode the entire loop today and it is now virtually all completed. There are only one or two very short pieces to ride on a road. I went counterclockwise. Be careful eat County Road 11C. I turned north and ended up on the Front Range Trail and ended up in Ft Collins. Jog left and you will catch the trail that continues west. It is a nice ride and keeps you out of traffic.
The trial from the Westminster City Park to the east end is all nice pavement, in mostly open fields. There the very nice Big Dry Creek Park at about 5 miles from the start. The trail ends just east of I-25. The tunnel under I-25 can flood, and the path there can be covered in debris. This is hard to see coming from brilliant sunshine in to the tunnel. I took a nasty spill there.
My wife and I started from Standley lake and rode down to Westminster City park and bit beyond to make a 15 mile RT, and then back. Surface for the ~1.25 miles from Standley lake is crushed gravel -- the rest was mostly well maintained concrete., with a short stretch on 99th, a quiet street. Note that the South-side paths after Standley are paved, north-side is not, but that's where the Trail.link map will take you. South-side looks very new.
This was a very pleasant ride. The surface is smooth, and new. The Greenway was destroyed in Sept. 2013 floods. Construction is continuing west of S. Pratt Pkwy. The traillink map needs updating as the new constructed path is not quite the same as before -- on the other side of the creek in places. Go and enjoy.
We rode the southwestern tip of Big Dry Creek Trail on a lovely May day, beginning near Westminster City Park and traveling past Highway 36 to Standley Lake. We greatly enjoyed the experience. Although you are never far from residential homes and a few retail hubs, the trail is nicely tucked into nature and closely follows the creek. There were outstanding views of the ravine, stretches of open space, and the mountains with lots of benches and picnic areas along the way. We saw many types of birds—including pelicans, red-winged blackbirds, swallows, and some type of hawk—as well as prairie dogs. The trail was paved until we approached the lake and then it was hard-packed crushed stone, which our hybrids handled well. It was roughly 10 miles roundtrip, which was easily doable for our 10-year-old daughter; no steep inclines, no street crossings (there were several underpasses to bypass traffic), and only one small stretch of on-road riding for a couple of blocks on a quiet rural road (not a single car even passed us). A pleasant surprise was all the beautiful artwork along the trail; every street underpass had painted murals.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_162277_st.jpg)
_157072_st.jpg)
_175471_st.jpg)
_16126_st.jpg)
