Lakes/places to camp/hike/wheel up north

[subzali]

So it seems as if I will be spending my Friday afternoons and Saturdays more up on the northern side of the Front Range (Fort Collins, Greeley, Loveland etc).

Any suggestions on stuff to do/places to go in the mountains? I've got Browns Lake, Joe Wright Lake and a couple others up Poudre Canyon, should I just explore? Are there good places to drive up in the afternoon, have a picnic, build a quick fire and still make it back down into town at a fairly reasonable time?

 

[Jenny Cruiser]

If you're going to hike Brown's Lake you may as well check out the Crown Point B17 crash site near there. I was thinking of bowhunting elk near there and spent a couple days wandering around last fall. Nice hike.

Just south of Browns is Pinegree Park on the South Fork of the Poudre. You can hike from there or from around there into RMNP. I saw a Cow Moose and her calf last year near the Tom Bennett Camp ground. I could have sworn she had twins, but by the time I ran back with a camera I could only see one.

You might try posting on Horsetooth Cruisers. They're mostly from Ft. Collins.

There's a couple of spots you can stop and have a fire if you go west of Belleview up wrist canyon. I've never stopped there, but have driven on a couple tracks off the road there. If you go all the way over the mountain you come to Old Flowers Road. The 4x4 section is closed, but it's still a nice little drive on the dirt road (mostly all private land).

If you go on Harmony all the way past Horsetooth and Masonville you'll be on Stove Prairie road. The Little Buckhorn dirt road (CR44H I think) will branch off of it about 20 miles or so to the north. There's lots of places you can stop or drive to off of it. Lot's of private land too so watch for signs.

 

[corsair23]

The Red Feather Lakes area, West and North of Ft Collins, is pretty nice. Nice quiet lakes with some camping and I believe some 4-wheeling around there.

Stop by the admissions office at CSM and talk with Bruce Goetz (father in-law). They lived up there for a few years and he knows the area pretty well

 

[Red_Chili]

Brian Ellinger of Front Range Off Road Fab lives/works there! Shoot him a call.