Fort Collins Bicycle Trails: Poudre & Powerline

Not all days in Colorado and beautiful and sunny. I have to admit that on those not so beautiful days I usually stay home, catch up on blogging, or do stuff inside the house. But I’ve been trying to get in to riding my bicycle more so I figured today was a good day for that. The temperature was in the low 60’s but since it was cloudy, I couldn’t feel any warmth from above like on those days when it’s bright and sunny.



Cool kitty cat art along the Mason Trail



A duck pond along Spring Creek Trail



Poudre Trail and Cache la Poudre River (looking west)

I had no real plans as I took off from the house and rode down my side street to meet up with the Fossil Creek Trail that would take me to the Mason Trail heading north in to Fort Collins which took me to the Spring Creek Trail.



I took a nice short cut through the Prospect Ponds Natural Area



The dirt trail through Prospect Ponds Natural Area





Above pictures are of Prospect Ponds Natural Area



The water treatment facility across from Prospect Ponds Natural Area

This time I made a right and headed east after a while I arrived at the Poudre Trail. I decided to continue heading east and basically ride to the end of the Poudre Trail which ended on the far northeast side of Fort Collins.



A stop at the Poudre River



The dirt road that goes past the water treatment facility

The Poudre Trail ended at the Fort Collins water treatment facility. I went a bit further thought since there was a dirt road to ride on and I was curious where it went but then the pavement started again so I turned around and headed back taking a break at the Colorado State University Environmental Learning Center. There was a cool hanging bridge here. Since bikes were not allowed at the Environmental Learning Center and the trails I checked out the squeaky bridge and continued back on the Poudre Trail that took me back to Spring Creek Trail.



The Poudre Trail passes by the Colorado State University Environmental Learning Center



No bikes allowed beyond this sign at the Colorado State University Environmental Learning Center



I really like this bridge



This bridge hangs above the Poudre River

When I was heading the other way earlier in the day I saw a curious curvy path leading off to the side going up a slight hill, I decided to investigate this path. It turned out this was a short cut of some sorts to the other bicycle trail called the Power Trail. The Power trail runs along the power lines heading south. This trail was cool, there was a paved trail running adjacent to a dirt trail, being on a mountain bike I chose to ride in the dirt.



Back on the Spring Creek Trail, the short cut to the Power Trail starts here at this rail road underpass



Short cut to the Power Trail



The dirt and paved paths on the Power Trail



Back on the short cut from the Power Trail to the Spring Creek Trail



The short cut again, I really like this short cut

I was getting tired now so I only rode the Power Trail to the next intersection, then turned around and headed back to Spring Creek Trail, back to Mason Trail , back to Fossil Creek Trail and finally home. My legs felt like I worked them out pretty good today so I decided to go to my mapping software and see how far I went - 20 miles. That’s pretty good and I go to see more of Fort Collins too.



Poudre Trail and Power Trail signs