What is it?
“Deep crimson and tan rocks, rolling grasslands, and sandy washes await you at Red Mountain Open Space,” according to the Larimer County website. The park is comprised of nearly 16,000 acres.
Our Fort-Collins-based hiking meetup group visited Red Mountain Open Space on Saturday. Thirty or so of us hiked eight miles across rolling prairie and beside low red rock cliffs.
Where is it?
Red Mountain Open Space is on the Wyoming border. It is between the Laramie Foothills of the Front Range on the West and Soapstone and I-25 to the east. Basically, its halfway between FoCo and Laramie’s ski resort, Snowy Range, though not on the same road.
Another way to put it, is it’s 30 or so miles north of town. Being north puts it at the opposite site of FoCO from another hike I wrote about here, Coyote Ridge. It is northeast of another local fave, Arthur’s Rock. This area north of Fort Collins is less visited than the region to the west, the mountains.
How to get to Red Mountain Open Space?
Out of FoCo you drive out Taft Hill north of town, past the reservoir until you get to the big rounder at West County Road 70 where you go one exit around the circle and exit due east. Continue east about 2 miles until you get to Terry Lake Road where you turn left and then several miles later go left on W County Road 78, then less than a mile and right on North County Road 17, then a similar distance to go left on W County Road 80 then right on Terry Canyon Road and then left on North County Highway 21 which transitions seamlessly into Antelope Valley Road. From the junction of North County Road 17 and West County Road 78 it’s about ten miles. If that seems like a lot, well, it’s all flat and there are good signs so the journey isn’t too confusing. Also, I will tell you that Google was reliable on this trip for me. You could just turn on the app if you’re not too old-school.
Cost or other restrictions on entry?
There is no charge to enter. The park is open to the public, dawn to dusk, except for during the Winter. from December 1 to March 1 it’s closed whether you’re willing to pay or not. The county has designated this time off limits due to snow and needs of local wildlife. (No one has notified the county, apparently, that Winter in Northern Colorado arguably lasts through April.)
Who Goes To Red Mountain Open Space?
The park is popular with hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. Dogs are not welcome. It’s a nice place for a gentle hike, and it looks to me to be a good choice for mountain biking, since the ground is more flat than most trails in the Front Range. Of course, for some mountain bikers, that could be not a strength but a disappointment.
What Do I Wear and Bring?
Hiking and biking clothes, generally. Water hazards in late April were crossable. Windbreakers would be a good choice, since the wind is often kicking up along the Wyoming border. Good hiking boots, certainly, and sunglasses, as the glare of the treeless plain can be a bit much — Though I admit on Saturday I forgot my sunnies again. I would also mention that you might bring more water than usual … on our eight mile hike I drank about 60 ounces. Which is a lot for me.
What is the History?
Preservation of open space through government purchase goes back in Fort Collins to the 70’s. original The original plan for open spaces, bike paths, and other public works began then.
A 1/4 cent tax instituted in 1996 facilitated Larimer County’s purchase of the park.
Indiginous peoples inhabited this land beginning 12,000 years ago, according to the park’s brochure.
Native groups who once lived here, according to my research, include the Apache and Ute. The County asks that if you discover an artifact, you photograph it and record the location and then call the County’s Department of Natural Resources to let them know of the discovery. History Colorado offers more details on respect for Native Coloradoan history and heritage here.
An Attractive Hike, Ride or Bike
Provided you’re not planning on coming during the winter, bringing a dog, looking for arrowheads, using motorized vehicles, or camping, Red Mountain Open Space provides a welcoming venue for a variety of outdoor enthusiasts. If you go, you might breath a sigh of thanksgiving that our Front Range neighborhood has so many such open spaces. As always, “leave no trace.”