Fort Collins Things to Do

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The trail to Horsetooth Falls is within the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, a regional park near Ft. Collins. From the trailhead, head up the right fork and keep heading northeast. It is rocky at points, narrow, as you climb into the canyon. Watch for a spur of the trail, which leads off to the falls. Return on the spur, and continue to the northeast to complete the loop. The beginning of the hike can be a bit rocky, but the end is flat and easy hiking. The trail is open all-year; be wary in winter of ice and snow on the trail. But the falls freeze over, and it is worth the trek.

Total length: 3.5 miles round-trip (1.5-3 hours)
Trail difficulty: moderate

You can find more detailed information (and map) at everytrail.com HERE

This small installation, found in an old bank building downtown, houses the Fort Collins Museum of Art. As the town is a little small to support a permanent collection of art, instead the museum is dedicated to one or two temporary exhibits at a time. They are usually interesting exhibits (when I went I saw the glasswork of William Morris, who created beautiful pieces that hardly looked like glass, drawing on a lot of folklore and mythology to create his images). Overall, they have created a great atmosphere to come visit the arts in this town.

Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday noon - 5:00pm

Admission: $8 adults
$6 senior (65+) or students
$5 youth (7-18); children 6 and under free

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To the east side of Horsetooth Mountain Park lies the reservoir. A nice flat body of water, it is perfect for boating, kayaking, and exploring by foot. Trails run all along the reservoir, which you can pick up at any of the numerous parking lots near the reservoir. The landscape can be a bit bleak, but the hiking is fresh, away from the city, with views of the plateaus rimming the area at the Front Range foothills.

Total length: varies
Trail difficulty: easy-moderate

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The New Belgium Brewery is a model for many aspects of business. Sustainable, employee-owned, top-rated employer, energy efficient, and (perhaps most importantly) dedicated to the science and art of making terrific beer. Even the building is beautiful, with fully modern equipment. They offer tours multiple times everyday. The tour is free, and is led by a worker who has a lot of knowledge of the brewery, its history and culture of beer. Bernie was my tourguide, and he's the best! You sample beers along the way (those under 21 can go on the tour, just no tasting for them), small samples.

It is a good day out, to wander through the brewery, take in the sights and smells. Definitely a top thing to do if you're a visitor to Fort Collins.

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The Center for Fine Art Photography is part gallery, part coffee shop, and part workshop. The gallery displays photography prints from local and regional photographers; they also hold competitions. When I was last there, it was housing a competition and silent auction. There's a café within the building, giving you a chance to sit and enjoy a coffee/tea and then observe the gallery. It is a small gallery overall, but a nice place to stop in and absorb local art. Enjoy!

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Fort Collins is very friendly towards cyclists. There are numerous bike paths that run through the town, and into the foothills beyond. Along the Poudre River, there's a path that runs straight through, back and forth over the river, and onto other towns just to the northwest. You can also access the local fish hatchery for an interesting diversion. Most of the land is flat, until reaching the western hills. Many places rent bikes, it's a great day outdoors.

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Old Town is a great collection of early 20th Century architecture. Now it is an interesting shopping experience, with pubs and restaurants along the way. This is the place that inspired Walt Disney to create "Main Street" in Disneyland.

One of the attached photos shows a 3rd floor bay window. It is attached to the Linden Hotel. After World War II ended, my parents brought me back to their home town, Ft. Collins. I was about 18 months old. My fathers parents owned the Linden Hotel, and so we stayed there for a year or two until we found a house.

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VISIT "DEEP SEIZE", the best tropical fish store I have ever found. When you go in the front door, it doesn't look all that special. But wait until you venture back into the aquarium area...its huge, and they have an incredible selection of fresh-water and salt-water fish, not to mention live plants, all well organized and labeled. And the fish always look healthy! PLEASE NOTE: The store used to be called "Denizens of the Deep" but has recently changed its name.

Mon-Sat 10 - 7

Sunday 12 - 5

PLEASE CLICK THE PHOTO TO SEE MORE PHOTOS OF THE STORE INSIDE AND OUT