August 18, 2024
Arrival
On my bucket list of “Colorado things” the line item “Check out Fort Collins” seemed to languish near the bottom of the list. And I knew that wasn’t really fair because I’d only ever heard wonderful things about “FoCo”. I’m neither a college student, nor particularly into beer. But it still seemed worth checking out. Plus it was an excuse to stop at the new Colorado Buc-ee’s.
Researching popular hikes, Horsetooth Rock emerged as a local favorite. The prominent rock formation sits right above town in the foothills. It serves as a bit of a local landmark.
And so I made the drive north early on a summer Saturday, arriving at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space around sunrise. Annoyingly it was $10 to park. And as a county park, my state and national park passes were useless. So many layers of government!
Tall grass and Longhorns
My plan was a moderate loop hike, ascending to the peak via the Horsetooth Rock Trail, before coming back via an alternate route past Horsetooth Falls. The route started ascending at a gentle pace. Soon after, I came across a small herd of longhorns lounging in a grassy field.
The park would be humming by the time I finished my hike. But early in the day, I encountered only the occasional trail runner. You could tell this was a well-loved local resource (despite the entrance fee).
The route came in and out of loose stands of evergreens. I followed well-marked signage for Horsetooth Rock. But there were plenty of alternate routes in the park. The mountain rises over Horsetooth Reservoir, a large artificial lake just above town. Soon I had views of both the reservoir and Fort Collins.
Approaching the high ridge, views opened up to the West and South. Many miles away in Rocky Mountain National Park, I could see Longs Peak and Mt Meeker.
Horsetooth Rock
Soon enough, the summit rock formation came into view. It seemed to be cracked into about three rounded, flat-topped features—horse teeth?
The trail crossed beneath the formation, to its far side. There it ascended to the spine on a gentle slope. From this tiny col, there was a very short, rather fun “scramble” onto the rock. I thought this was definitely a nice little payoff for the adventure.
By now there were a handful of folks atop the summit. Most were trail runners or folks out for a morning workout. I sat and soaked in the views. Aside from Longs and Meeker, there were very limited views towards the crest of the Front Range, which mellows out the further north you go. But it was still very beautiful.
The Return Journey
To make the hike a loop, I descended from the top along the “West Ridge Trail” and connected onto the “Watham Trail”. This park has a lot of options, it seems.
The trail descended in gentle switchbacks into a grassy ravine. From their, I turned right onto the “Spring Creek Trail.” This route would take me towards Horsetooth Falls, a popular destination for hikers seeking something with a bit less vertical. In total, my loop to the summit and back would involve 1700 vertical feet over 7.25 miles. Not crazy but certainly an effort.
Even before arriving at the falls, I had a hunch it was gonna be dry. Sure enough, hikers warned me of this just before I arrived. Note to waterfall fans: come here in Spring!
It was still a beautiful hike. I rose out of the ravine on a grassy hill, and then headed back to the trailhead. It was time for lunch in Fort Collins.
