Horsetooth Mountain Open Space - Country park in Fort Collins - 6550 W County Rd 38 E, USA

I always appreciate the beauty of Northern Colorado and the emphasis these communities put on protecting and keeping wilderness spaces. This one is a favorite near my parents' home. Beautiful views, well marked trails, and easy access.

Love this place. Unbelievable that it's so close to town, yet you can feel like you're deep in the wilderness. Whether it's trail running like me, hiking, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, this place has something for everyone. Take a long trail with alot of elevation gain (Horsetooth Mountain Trail is a 9+ mile loop with over 2500 ft of gain) or a short, mostly flat one like the Shoreline Trail, whatever you like. Keep an eye out for deer and wild turkeys, and listen for mountain bikes roaring down. They're all polite but they can be on you in a hurry.

Very cool space to explore. It's $10 for parking. I wandered over there at 2:30 pm and had no trouble finding parking. Nice place to hike with some tree coverage here and there (depending the route you take). I went left at the trailhead and spent most of my hike going uphill. Got to horsetooth mountain, the falls, and did a large loop coming down the right side in the end. Worth it if you're looking for a challenge. 👍🏽 Bears in the area so be alert and respectful.

Moderate hike to a fantastic local destination. Plenty of switchbacks to guide you to the Falls. Gentle water flowing down into a pool. Family friendly dog friendly as well.

5.5 miles. This is a great hike for all skill levels, with great views all around. Start early in the morning when the weather is warm and bring loads of water. This is a GREAT night hike with fantastic views of Fort Collins. It is also a really nice hike in the winter. The Horsetooth Mountain Park trail system is ideal for trail running as well with trails that link up to adjacent Lory State Park (north) and the Blue Sky trail (south) which eventually links with Coyote Ridge and Devils Backbone! Great for mountain biking endurance junkies and noobs alike!

Lots of trails to explore, the lower part to the falls is pretty busy but the crowds thin out as you get further out. The hike to the top is worth it, 360 degree views into the Rockies and down across Fort Collins.

Amazing park, costs $10 for a day pass or you need an annual Larimer County Park Pass. A Colorado State Park Pass will not work. The hikes are very steep and it gets hot in the summer, make sure to bring lots of water. It is a great place for the family.

I did the Horsetooth Falls Loop, and it was spectacular. People say a lot of varied things about this hike, so I’ll try to provide some clear info for those trying to decide if it’s for them. The drive from Boulder is breathtaking and not white knuckle driving like the drive to other places. I am in excellent physical shape but only 1 week adjusted to altitude, and I found the hike mildly challenging on the way up, only because you are hiking straight up. My dog, however, found it extremely hard. It took us about 2 hours to do the loop, stopping every 10-15 to give her water and let her rest. Like some humans would, at some point she sat down and refused to budge for a while. As a side note, she drank an entire hydro flask full of water and half of mine. The terrain itself is easy for advanced intermediate or advanced hikers (sandy/pebbles/wide paths for a lot of the hike). However, a couple I met at the bottom said they turned around when the path got “narrow.” They had made it at least 45 minutes in. What I think they meant is that at some point, you can no longer hike two abreast. If you go counter-clockwise, you’ll have some tree cover on the way up. I do recommend going this way, because on the descent, the world opens up on your right to a breathtaking mountain view that reminded me a lot of VT. If my black-furred dog wasn’t having such a hard time, I would have stayed longer just to sit. But, if you’re getting there at a late time when it’s hot, you’ll get just a bit more tree cover hiking clockwise. I think the views are best experienced counter-clockwise, though! On the ascent, the most difficult part is an all-rock scramble to the top of Horsetooth Rock. However, you don’t have to do this to experience the majesty of this hike. You just keep on the path and begin the descent shortly after coming to another beautiful vista. If you are not an avid hiker, or not acclimated to altitude, or not in uphill climb fitness, you’re likely to experience the ascent as difficult. If you’re an avid runner/hiker and adjusted to altitude, you’ll find it easy. Without my dog, I probably would have done the loop in 45-60 min, hiking up and running down. If you’re not an avid hiker or not adjusted to altitude, people’s recs of 2-3 hours are probably right, especially if you like to take breaks & sit at the top. It’s one of the best-marked trails I’ve ever been on. Impossible to get lost. And so much beauty! I saw 5 different kinds of butterflies and so many birds! I would definitely tell most people to stick with the hard parts and make it to the top if they can, to experience the amazing views coming down.