The Poudre Trail’s numbers are straightforward – 10 feet wide and 12 miles long. This is not to be confused with the Poudre River Trail, which is almost 22 miles long and is in Greeley, CO. Fort Collins’ city fathers (and mothers) broke ground on the trail in 1994 and completed it in 2008. There are few bells and whistles to the trail, though it is a bit tricky finding the trailhead. It’s about a ½ mile down a dirt road off a paved cul-de-sac at the end of a road-to-nowhere, about five miles east of downtown. Once the trail is located, it starts off in what looks like a light industrial setting, but instead is an “environmental facility.”
The early stretch is mostly concrete, perhaps not environmentally friendly, but biker friendly to those who are just getting their morning bike legs. Early on, the Poudre does not appear to be a powerful river, presenting itself more like a shallow stream. Soon, the trail approaches downtown Fort Collins, much quieter during the daytime than it is at night. Later, the trail heads around a large pond. It turns out that is the town reservoir, and the reason why the Poudre River flow is so gentle. From the reservoir west, the view is outstanding, much more dramatic than the prairies east of town. And just beyond the edge of the official trail, the road starts its climb toward the Rockies.
A nationally known brewery is right off the bike trail in downtown Ft. Collins.

Good connecting trail in the southern suburbs of Denver. Some little gems along the way (Holly Dam/Open Space and a beautifully paved path along a creek). Have to cross some semi-major roads but not too difficult to do. For a neighborhood walk/run, definitely check it out.

This is simply a great trail with lots of scenic variety. Fun to do all at once or in segments.

This is a very nice, well-maintained trail that runs from Quincy Ave to the Great Plains Park at Jewell. There is a signal crossing at Hampden or an underpass that is a bit out of the way. You pass some ball fields and a few parks then a climb to about Wesley Dr where it flattens out and continues to Great Plains Park. Using this as the eastern leg, Quincy on the south, and the Powerline Trail on the north I have many different loops changing the west leg. With the Toll Gate Creek Trail, it is about an 11-mile loop. If, at Horseshoe Park, you use the West Toll Gate Creek Trail it's about 12 miles. Again, at Horseshoe Park, if you go to the Cherry Creek Spillway Trail it's about 16 miles. If you want a longer ride you can take the TGCT to the Highline Canal Trail, you can ride around the reservoir at Cherry Creek, or use the Piney Creek trail out of the reservoir instead of Quincy.

A friend and I biked this trail on a Sunday afternoon. It was magical. A slight incline from East to West but so much fun on the way back! Plenty of overlooks to view the stream that runs along side the trail. And plenty of parking. I can't wait to be back.

From Quincy north this is a nice wide cement trail that is in great condition. Only a gentle climb here and there, great views, and no traffic issues make this trail a pleasure to ride. However there are no connections until the end at Stephen D Hogan Pkwy. Hampden is an overpass to the trail and 470 with no connection, and Hampden is not bike friendly at all at this location. Jewell is a tunnel underpass. On both sides there are dirt construction roads that are no longer being used and are quickly becoming overgrown with weeds. You can still access Jewell but beware the goat head stickers and be warned that Jewell is only semi bike friendly. There is a shoulder but traffic flies by at highway speed. The trail ends at SDH Pkwy. Here there is a soft trail on the south side of the Pkwy and at highway 30 (where SDH becomes 6th Ave) you are fenced in and forced to take the underpass. After the underpass you can continue on the Sand Creek soft trail or ride up a dirt path to 6th Ave. On the north side of SDH you can ride the shoulder but after highway 30, while on 6th, the shoulder disappears for about a half mile and again it is a scary ride.

From Quincy south you start on an asphalt road then back on cement. It is a climb to Smoky Hill Rd. The crossing is on grade and there is a lot of traffic. Right after the crossing is a steep decent, then a climb again as the trail and 470 are on an overpass of Arapahoe Rd. (You can access Arapahoe by taking a descending trail to Ponderosa and that to Arapahoe) Another climb to Gartrell Rd. where you have to ride the sidewalk to the light at Dry Creek to cross, then back up to the trail. And finally another climb past Liberty Middle School to Ireland Way where the trail is closed behind a locked gate. You can see the trail continue but there is no safe way to cross Parker Rd at Cottonwood so the trail is closed here. You can read more here:

http://parkerrec.com/1995/High-Plains-Trail

The trail work on the Northern gap is completed! It was done sometime before October 4th, 2021. Instead of riding on a scary West 57th Street there is a safe concrete multi-use path. My wife and I love this 18 mile loop trail in Loveland even if we do live on Boulder.

When I first got my bike I had no idea all these trails existed. A friend came over to show me a few things and we discovered the Toll Gate Trail by accident. Later, while riding the Toll Gate, I saw a trail map by Hutchinson Pond and discovered the sidewalk that led to the Central Rec Center was actually the start of the Unnamed Creek Trail. The trail has a signaled crossing at Tower, follows the creek, loops through Flanders Park, and runs along the creek again to the soccer fields near Hampden and Himalaya. Technically the trail ends here but there is an underpass at Hampden and you can hook up with the Conservatory Trail south to Quincy. There is a climb to Reservoir Rd then a descent back to the Toll Gate for a short loop. You can also go north on Conservatory to Power Line to Toll Gate for a longer loop.

It got a little bit confusing in a few areas for those of us who are directionally challenged. But it was a fine fall flat ride. ¿