Pineridge Natural Area
Nature preserve
606 acres6.7 mi of trail
Foothills TrailTimber TrailValley TrailSouth Loop Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Citycommunications at English Wikipedia · CC BY 3.0A+Outdoors
Outdoors in Fort Collins
27% of Fort Collins’ land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. 117 miles of mapped trail cross Fort Collins, 2.0 per square mile of land. 27% of Fort Collins’ land is conserved, about 9,931 acres.
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns · #19 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Conserved land
27%
9,931 acres · of 57.2 sq mi of land
Trails
117 mi
2.0 per sq mi of land
Park land
5,482 ac
32 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
313 mi
216 mi lanes · 82 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
29
1 beach
What kind of outdoors town is Fort Collins?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Fort Collins have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Fort Collins is ahead of 98% of U.S. towns, #19 of 159 in Colorado. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A+
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Fort Collins’ overall grade.
Conserved land27% of the land · typical CO town 7% · U.S. 4%ATrails2.0 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (117 mi) · CO 1.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land32 acres of park per 1,000 residents (5,482 acres) · CO 14 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · CO 97% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 98%
LessMore
Colorado towns of 2,500+ (159)Ahead of 89%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Fort Collins ranks #12 on Outdoors.
Colorado towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 7%; the U.S., 4%), so Fort Collins’ 27% is ahead of 92% of Colorado towns, while its trails per square mile lead 70% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Pineridge Natural Area, with 6.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Riverbend Ponds
Nature preserve
213 acres4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Coyote Ridge Natural Area
Nature preserve
1,100 acres3 mi of trail
Coyote Ridge TrailRidge to Ridge TrailCoyote Ridge Nature Trail
No dogs
Directionsto the parking lot
Running Deer Natural Area
Nature preserve
276 acres3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Arapaho Bend Natural Area
Nature preserve
239 acres2.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Maxwell Natural Area
Nature preserve
294 acres2.3 mi of trail
Foothills TrailFoothills Trail (Maxwell Loop)Overlook Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Rotary Park
All 89 parks & preserves
Pineridge Natural Area606 acres · 6.7 mi of trail
DirectionsRiverbend Ponds213 acres · 4 mi of trail
DirectionsCoyote Ridge Natural Area1,100 acres · 3 mi of trail
DirectionsRunning Deer Natural Area276 acres · 3 mi of trail
DirectionsArapaho Bend Natural Area239 acres · 2.7 mi of trail
DirectionsMaxwell Natural Area294 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSpring Canyon Park113 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsTwin Silo Park46 acres · 2.3 mi of trail
DirectionsFossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area405 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRed Fox Meadows Natural Area49 acres · 2.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMcMurry Natural Area43 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsLee Martinez Park81 acres · 1.5 mi of trail
DirectionsFossil Creek Park96 acres · 1.1 mi of trail · City of Fort Collins
DirectionsHomestead Natural Area41 acres · 0.9 mi of trail
DirectionsRoss Natural Area25 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsProspect Ponds Natural Area47 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsPelican Marsh Natural Area168 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
Fischer Natural Area10 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsColina Mariposa Natural Area213 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Kingfisher Point Natural Area143 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsUdall Natural Area27 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsRegistry Ridge Park6 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
Cottonwood Hollow Natural Area87 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsEdora Park71 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRolland Moore Park70 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRendezvous Park30 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsRadiant Park13 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
Cattail Chorus91 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsGustav Swanson Natural Area35 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSugar Beet Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Fort Collins
DirectionsEastside Park4 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsCity Park78 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsTwo Creeks Natural Area54 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Fort Collins
DirectionsSalyer Natural Area22 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsSoft Gold Park17 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsOld Fort Collins Heritage Park16 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsWestfield Park12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
English Ranch Park12 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · CIty of Fort Collins
Landings Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsGoose Hollow Natural Area5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Fort Collins
DirectionsSaddle Ridge Natural Area3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsCathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area1,062 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFossil Creek Wetlands Natural Area219 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Redtail Grove Natural Area49 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Warren Park22 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Fort Collins
DirectionsOverland Park16 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Fort Collins
DirectionsSpring Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsCottonwood Glen Park13 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsAvery Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsGolden Meadows Park11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsRiver's Edge11 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMagpie Meander Natural Area8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLegacy Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Fort Colins
DirectionsDovetail Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Fort Collins
CSU Trial Gardens3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsObservatory Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHazaleus Natural Area161 acres
Eagle View Natural Area87 acres
Prairie Dog Meadow Natural Area86 acres
DirectionsGreenbriar Park20 acres
DirectionsTroutman Park20 acres
DirectionsRossborough Park16 acres
Harmony Park16 acres
Stewart Case Park15 acres
Ridgeview Park12 acres
Springer Natural Area11 acres
DirectionsMiramont Park10 acres
DirectionsRogers Park8 acres · City of Fort Collins
DirectionsRedwing Marsh Natural Area7 acres
DirectionsBlevins Park6 acres
DirectionsHomestead Park6 acres
Traverse Park5 acres
Buckingham Park5 acres
DirectionsFossil Creek Meadows Park4 acres
DirectionsThe Coterie4 acres
DirectionsLibrary Park3 acres
DirectionsBeattie Park3 acres
Creekside Park3 acres
DirectionsWoodwest Park3 acres
DirectionsMallard's Nest Natural Area3 acres
DirectionsIndian Hills Park3 acres
Civic Center Park3 acres
DirectionsRim Rock Open Space1 acres
Rabbit Brush Park1 acres
Washington Park1 acres
DirectionsLeisure Park1 acres
Alta Vista Park1 acres
Spencer Park1 acres
DirectionsRomero Park1 acres · City of Fort Collins
DirectionsWho protects it
9,931 conserved acres
27% of Fort Collins’ land. Who manages Fort Collins’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city8,625 ac
Other state land920 ac
Regional agency679 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits402 ac
County143 ac
Private owners72 ac
State land board14 ac
Local Conservation Area · 5,822 acLocal Other or Unknown · 1,511 acLocal Park · 1,194 acConservation Easement · 890 acState Other or Unknown · 867 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 181 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 20 of 212 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coyote Ridge Natural Area Private Conservation | Town or city | 1,141 | Open |
| Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 877 | Open |
| Poudre R-1 School District School District Land - General Local Other or Unknown | Regional agency | 664 | Unknown |
| City of Fort Collins City Land - Unknown Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 651 | Open |
| Pineridge Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 606 | Open |
| Fossil Creek Reservoir Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 405 | Open |
| Colorado State University State University - General State Other or Unknown | Other state land | 370 | Unknown |
| Maxwell Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 293 | Restricted |
| Arapaho Bend Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 236 | Open |
| Riverbend Ponds Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 232 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
162 places to go in Fort Collins
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Fort Collins
1 beach without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Public pools in Fort Collins
City Park PoolIn City Park
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Fort Collins
English Ranch PlaygroundIn English Ranch Park
DirectionsLopez Elementary Playground
Directions127 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Fort Collins
Pet Spa / Bark Park
DirectionsSoft Gold Dog ParkIn Soft Gold Park
DirectionsTwin Silo Dog ParkIn Twin Silo Park
DirectionsPlus 14 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Fort Collins
3 scenic views without a name on the map.
Peaks in Fort Collins
1 peak without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Fort Collins
6 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Fort Collins
FoCo Cafe Community Garden
DirectionsMurphy Center Community Garden
DirectionsRolland Moore Community GardenIn Rolland Moore Park
DirectionsPlus 3 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
21 named trails and 29 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 42.8 miHorses · 16.8 miUnpaved · 69.6 mi
Foothills Trail2.9 mi
Coyote Ridge Trail1.8 mi
Wilcox Trail1.2 mi
Cattail Flats Trail1.1 mi
Timber Trail1.0 mi
Ridge to Ridge Trail0.9 mi
Valley Trail0.7 mi
Foothills Trail (Maxwell Loop)0.7 mi
South Loop Trail0.5 mi
Ridge Trail0.5 mi
11 more trails
Overlook Trail
0.4 miReservoir Loop Trail
0.4 miSandpiper Trail
0.4 miHomestead Trail
0.4 miCoyote Ridge Nature Trail
0.3 miLookout Trail
0.3 miAlden Trail
0.2 miFoothills Trail (Dixon Reservoir)
0.2 miTime Walk
0.2 miNeighborhood Access Trail
0.1 miChicka-dee-dee-dee Trail
0.1 miLakes & rivers tap for directions
Beaver PondpondBig Bass PondpondCanvasback PondCormorant PondreservoirFairway PondpondFossil Creek ReservoirreservoirGadwall PondGoose PondHarmony ReservoirreservoirHill PondpondLagoonLake SherwoodreservoirLincoln School PondpondLittle Bass PondMoose PondNeighborhood PondpondOverflow reservoirParkwood LakePortner ReservoirreservoirPrivy PondpondRobert Benson LakereservoirSheldon LakeSnapper PondreservoirSpring Creek Fishing PondpondSpruce PondTroutman PondWarren LakereservoirWood Duck PondCache la Poudre River
Biking & sports
313 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
216 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
82 mi
off-road bike paths
15 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Foothills TrailBike route
3.4 miReservoir LoopBike route
1.2 miCourts & fields
134Tennis
105Basketball
61Baseball
41Pickleball
33Soccer
26Beach volleyball
20Football
13Tracks
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →28 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 19 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Avery HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itSpruce HallBuilding · listed 1977
About itFort Collins Post OfficeBuilding · listed 1978
About itAmmons HallBuilding · listed 1978
About itBaker HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itOld Town Fort CollinsDistrict · listed 1978
About itBotanical and Horticultural LaboratoryBuilding · listed 1978
About itMontezuma Fuller HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itMosman HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itJay H. Bouton HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itMcHugh-Andrews HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itPeter Anderson HouseBuilding · listed 1979
About it16 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Fort Collins: April to June
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.6 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.9 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 44 | 46 | 56 | 63 | 72 | 83 | 89 | 87 | 79 | 65 | 52 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 1.8 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.4 |
January is the driest month (0.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 89 °F). 2.5 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 89 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Fort Collins →
Next door
Fort Collins and its neighbors
Fort Collins has the most mapped trails of the 3 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
Questions about parks and trails in Fort Collins
Where can I hike in Fort Collins?
The longest trail networks: Pineridge Natural Area, 6.7 miles; Riverbend Ponds, 4 miles; Coyote Ridge Natural Area, 3 miles; Running Deer Natural Area, 3 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Fort Collins is conserved land?
27% of its land, against a typical 7% for a Colorado town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Fort Collins’ trails?
Pineridge Natural Area and Riverbend Ponds don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Fort Collins?
313 miles of bike routes are on the map: 216 of painted or protected lanes, 82 of off-road paths and 15 of shoulders and shared lanes. Named routes: Foothills Trail and Reservoir Loop.
Is there public land near Fort Collins?
43,775 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Fort Collins or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 5,677 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Fort Collins have?
Ahead of 98% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #19 of 159 in Colorado. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Fort Collins neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →