Fort Collins Colorado - Hiking nearby?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>I will be attending a school reunion in Fort Collins this summer, and I am trying to convince my daughter to come along and bring a friend.</p>

<p>She (and some of her friends) like to hike and be outdoors, and I have this sort of vague picture of my going off to my programs for the day and leaving the girls to go on an outing.</p>

<p>My daughter and her friend are currently high school seniors, very responsible and do have outdoor experience under their belts.</p>

<p>We will stay in a rental near CSU.</p>

<p>Can anyone give me some suggestions?</p>

<p>All that I am tied to at this point is three nights in Fort Collins over a weekend.</p>

2

<p>There are so many places to go hiking around Ft. Collins! We were there last summer visiting relatives that live in nearby Loveland and we did several hikes. Here’s a website that may help - [Best</a> Day Hikes in the Fort Collins, Colorado Area! - Associated Content from Yahoo! - associatedcontent.com](<a href=“http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1988342/best_day_hikes_in_the_fort_collins.html]Best”>http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1988342/best_day_hikes_in_the_fort_collins.html) A day trip to Estes Park is fun too. The only thing I would caution is that unless they are used to driving on roads with switchbacks, you steer them to the foothill hikes.</p>

3

<p>Thanks kathiep!</p>

<p>Do you know if any of these in particular would lend themselves to me dropping the girls off in the morning and picking them up later (in other words, less than a 30 minute drive from CSU)</p>

4

<p>We did this one - [LocalHikes</a> - Devils Backbone - North Loop](<a href=“http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/Buck_Hills_2670.asp]LocalHikes”>http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/Buck_Hills_2670.asp) I like loop hikes, and this one was that for the most part. It might not be challenging enough for your girls but I went with my son, my daughter and my nephew and we all enjoyed it. The “kids” were all in their early twenties.</p>

<p>This site [url=&lt;a href=“http://www.localhikes.com/MSA/MSA_2670.asp]LocalHikes”&gt;http://www.localhikes.com/MSA/MSA_2670.asp]LocalHikes</a> - Hikes and trails near Fort Collins-Loveland, Colorado<a href=“same%20as%20the%20above%20link”>/url</a> shows gives you a good idea of the rigor and time.</p>

5

<p>Ft. Collins is a lot of fun. The girls will find plenty to do.</p>

6

<p>Check out the Horsetooth reservoir area. It’s just beyond the CSU football stadium and it’s easy access from the university. Weather permitting, they could easily spend a half day there with a picnic.</p>

7

<p>It is a longer drive from Ft. Collins, but I’d think the trip highlight might be a day in Rocky Mountain National Park. There are dayhikes galore, and is a spectacular place, if even for a few hours. I spend an afternoon there with Ft. Collins area family a few years ago. A one day extension?</p>

8

<p>Lots of great hiking – but are you coming from sea level to Ft. Collins? If so, you might want to have them pick a slightly less ambitious hike to start with; altitude has widely varying effects on people.</p>