Nature & Outdoors

Fort Collins nature and outdoors define the city — it’s shaped by its natural surroundings. Sitting where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, it offers a remarkable diversity of landscapes — prairie, foothills, river canyons, reservoirs, and mountain wilderness — all within easy reach of downtown. The natural setting is central to moving to Fort Collins, Colorado.

Exploring Fort Collins Nature and Outdoors

The crown jewel of the region’s natural assets is the Cache la Poudre River, Colorado’s only Wild and Scenic River. The Poudre flows out of the Rocky Mountains and through the heart of Fort Collins, offering riverside trails, fishing, kayaking, and tranquil spots to simply sit and watch the water move.

To the west, the foothills and open spaces beckon. Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Lory State Park, and Bobcat Ridge Natural Area offer hundreds of acres of hiking, wildlife viewing, and breathtaking views. Horsetooth Reservoir, a 6.5-mile body of water nestled against the foothills, is a summer playground for boating, swimming, and paddleboarding.

The city of Fort Collins maintains an extensive natural areas program, more than 50 natural areas covering over 36,000 acres. These protected spaces preserve native habitat for wildlife and provide residents with accessible escapes into nature, often just minutes from home.

Rivers, Foothills, and Open Space

Whether you’re watching for great blue herons along the river, spotting mule deer in the foothills, or simply soaking in a Front Range sunset, Fort Collins makes connecting with nature an everyday possibility rather than a rare escape. The natural setting is central to what makes Fort Collins such a desirable place to live.

Fort Collins at a Glance

• The City of Fort Collins maintains more than 50 natural areas covering over 36,000 acres of protected open space.
• The Cache la Poudre River is Colorado’s only federally designated Wild and Scenic River and runs directly through Fort Collins.
• Lory State Park, located near Fort Collins, offers over 2,500 acres of foothills terrain with 30 miles of trails.
• Common wildlife in the Fort Collins area includes mule deer, red foxes, great blue herons, bald eagles, and over 200 bird species.