Camping Along Colorado's Cache La Poudre River
Northern Colorado Canyon Offers Variety of Outdoor Fun
Nov 20, 2008
Along with its status as a winter playground for skiers and snowboarders, Colorado is, of course, a paradise of outdoor summer recreation. With its more-than-50 "fourteeners" (14,000+ foot mountains), 4 National Parks, 11 National Forests and thousands of miles of hiking trails, few places in the lower 48 see the kind of outdoor activity Colorado does.
Two-thirds of the entire state of Colorado is Rocky Mountain country, and during the summer months --June, July & August-- it can be difficult to find solitude, let alone a campsite. Sites in the popular Rocky Mountain and Mesa Verde National Parks are often booked 6 months or more in advance, and even the hundreds of National Forest campgrounds are filled every weekend and much of the rest of the summer.
Poudre River Canyon Less Crowded
For a less crowded camping option, the Poudre River Canyon in at the northern end of Colorado's front range is an appealing option. Every bit as beautiful as any of the better-known getaways, the Poudre (Poo-der) as locals call it, has 13 National Forest campgrounds along its 60-mile stretch, with more than 250 sites, many of them just feet from the rushing river.
Cache La Poudre History, Statistics
The Cache La Poudre River's source is in the northeastern corner of Rocky Mountain National Park near the Continental Divide. From there it winds E-NE for 126 miles, joining the South Platte River as a tributary near Greeley. Sixty of those miles form the Poudre River Canyon, before the river levels off just west of the college town of Fort Collins. East of Fort Collins the river becomes an important source of irrigation for many crops including the area's signature sugar beets.
French for "Hide the Powder" (or "hiding place of the powder), its name derives from French trappers' need to do just that: bury some of their gunpowder during an 1820's blizzard. Like much of Colorado's Rockies, the canyon is lined Ponderosa and Lodgepole pine and Aspen. Granite cliffs wall the medium sized, often rushing river, and wildlife abounds.
Camping, Hiking, Rafting & Fishing
Everything the outdoor enthusiast desires can be found here: camping, hiking, whitewater rafting, fishing, or simply scenic driving. Campers can choose from the 11 National Forest campgrounds, including the 3 seperate "Ansel Watrous" campgrounds situated right on the river, or the serene Chambers Lake Campground at the West end of the canyon. Campers are not limited to the campgrounds, however, since much of the canyon resides in the Roosevelt National Forest, where camping is unlimited (but where strict rules, including no campfires and no riverside sites, are enforced).
Hikers will find 9 separate trails, including the Greyrock Mountain, Young Gulch, and Stormy Peaks trails. Whitewater rafting trips for all levels of experience can be booked in Fort Collins, Rustic, or Mishawaka along Highway 14 running through the Poudre River Canyon. The river itself is a renowned rainbow and brown trout fly-fisherman's destination.
Historic Mishawaka Amphitheatre
The Poudre River Canyon is sparsely populated, but one big draw is the historic Mishawaka Amphitheatre, which features live current musical acts throughout the summer. "The Mish" is quite popular with local students in particular, from CSU and the University of Colorado, Boulder. The 92 year old venue serves food and drinks as well, and is a must-stop when traveling "up the poudre".
Campers should be aware that this is bear country. As always, please follow all regulations regarding the storage of food. To book a National Park Service campsite, go to Recreation.gov site. For more information on recreational activities in the area, please see the Northern Colorado Outdoor Guide.
