Visiting the Poudre Canyon
- Elisa Wharton
- Jun 6, 2023
- 3 min read
Cache la Poudre Canyon
Cache la Poudre is taken from French meaning the hiding place of powder. In the 1820’s French trappers were caught here during the winter and hid a portion of their gunpowder beside the riverbank giving this area the name. The road through the canyon follows the river for miles through Roosevelt and Arapaho National Forests and all the way to Walden. You will be captivated by this drive. You will see tall craggy mountains, waterfalls, steep canyon walls, grassy meadowlands, thick pine forests and charming small towns. The Poudre Canyon is an excellent place to go if you like to hike, rock climb, bike, raft, camp, or wildlife watching. This glacier cut canyon has it all. There are over 15 campgrounds along the byway of which most are reserved ahead and some first come first serve. This is a great place for a day trip or if like us you want to really explore the area plan a weekend or week long trip and you won’t be sorry.
Where is it
You can access Poudre Canyon from hwy 287. It is only 20 minutes from Fort Collins, Colorado
and an hour from Laramie, Wyoming
Where to stay
Because of its proximity to Fort Collins it would be easy to find a hotel or airbnb in town and take the day to explore the canyon. Another great option and what we did was to camp in one of the many campgrounds along the scenic byway. To reserve the campgrounds you will need to either go to Recreation.gov or use the app and look up the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG to find campsites. Most of the campsites are smaller and fill up early in the season so make sure you plan ahead. You will also need to look closely at the length restrictions for campers per campground as they are all different and some only allow tents.
We stayed at the Ansel Watrous Campground and I cannot say enough good things about it. The campsites are situated right beside the canyon and river with plenty of full grown trees for shade. Each campsite comes with a fire ring and picnic table. Across the road from the campground is a great hiking trail called Young Gulch which will take you 10.4 miles into a beautiful wilderness area. The fee for camping here was $33 a night.
Activities
Hiking Trails
There are many hiking trails throughout the area. Most of them are longer trails which will provide hours of recreation. There are also a lot that allow dogs as long as they are on leash.
GreyRock
Length: 7.2 miles
Type: Loop or Out and Back
Level: Hard
Elevation: 2,417ft
Lower Dadd Gulch
Length: 7 miles
Type: Out and Back
Level:Moderate
Elevation: 1,482ft
Young Gulch
Length:10.4 miles
Type: Out and Back
Level: Moderate
Elevation:1,332 ft
Hewlett Gulch
Length: 8.2 miles
Type: Out and Back
Level:Moderate
Elevation:1,174 ft
Dutch George
Length:4.3 miles
Type: Out and Back
Level:Easy
Elevation: 675ft
Mount McConnel
Length:4.2 miles
Type: Loop
Level: Moderate
Elevation: 1,404 ft
Fishing
There are many options for river access along the miles of the Poudre. The best and most fun way to fish is just to stop whenever you see a pull out or fishing area and cast a line. You will find rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, brown trout, arctic grayling and cut-bow trout in the Poudre. There are rules and regulations that will need to be followed for different sections of the river. To read more about those rules follow this link
Rafting
Rafting on the Poudre usually starts in mid May and continues through September. It is the only designated National wild and scenic river in Colorado. Many Coloradans say it is the best whitewater rafting in Colorado with its high canyon walls, steep drops and abundant wildlife. You may independently raft down the Poudre by putting your craft in any of the many drop off points. You may want to go with a whitewater company which there are plenty in the town of Fort Collins.
When to visit
All seasons are great to visit the Poudre Canyon but it really comes to life in the summer. Late May is when the whitewater rafting starts back up and the campgrounds start to open. In the autumn this canyon lights up with the yellow leaves of the aspens and winter brings a plethora of winter sports.
Final Thoughts
This beautiful canyon is a wonderful place to visit in Northern Colorado. It is close to both Denver and Cheyenne. In summer you will be able to cool down and play in the river and you can cross country ski in winter. We enjoyed the small and clean campgrounds and the beautiful scenic drive. Make sure to be on the lookout for wildlife while driving. The area is known for the bighorn sheep but they do blend in to their surroundings well so keep an eye out.
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