The City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department desires to make reasonable accommodations for access to City services, programs, and activities and will make special communication arrangements for persons with disabilities. Call 970-416-2815 for assistance. To learn which natural areas are easily accessible, use the natural areas finder and click on the Accessible tag to sort the list.

What is the Natural Areas Department's policy on "Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices"?
The policy on other power-driven mobility devices is posted here. The Natural Areas Department also performed a  trail and facility assessment and produced a trail accessibility map.

Accessibility Information

Check the natural areas finder to see which areas allow cycling. The Foothills Trail, Coyote Ridge and Bobcat Ridge are the most popular destinations for mountain bikers. 

E-bikes are not permitted on soft/natural surface trails. ADA mobility devices are allowed.

Cyclists can count on sharing the trail with other users in all natural areas. Be aware of trail etiquette yield the right-of-way to other trail users. Please dismount your bike until other trail users have passed. And please remember that during your ride, bikes need to stay on trail.

The International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) has established Rules of the Trail for mountain bikers. The code promotes biking that is environmentally sound and socially responsible. Please help keep trails open to biking by following these simple guidelines. Are you not sure where to ride, or wondering if the Timber Trail at Pineridge Natural Area is closed due to muddy conditions? Trail conditions are posted here..

This webpage highlights the main rules at Natural Areas, read the regulations here.

Boating is allowed on the ponds that are open to fishing. Check the natural areas finder to see which sites allow boating. You can use non-motorized boats, boats with an electric trolling motor, canoes, stand-up paddleboards (SUPs), and kayaks. Please note that all Colorado State and U.S. Coast Guard rules apply.

Swimming or entering the water is not permitted in natural areas.

Ice-skating is only allowed where a sign is posted allowing ice access. Ice is never safe. Ice is not monitored or managed. Enter at your own risk.

This webpage highlights the main rules at Natural Areas, read the regulations here.

Dogs must be on-leash at all times and owners must pick up after their dogs. Pet pickup bags are offered at most trailheads. Natural Areas Rangers patrol often and strictly enforce the City's leash law.

• Why do I have to keep my dog on a leash?
  • Public Safety - Dogs off-leash cause injuries each year. Dogs bite people, fight with other dogs, and run up to people or cross trails causing accidents to bikers, rollerbladers, and pedestrians. The City receives several complaints each year from people, especially children, who are afraid of dogs. Loose dogs ruin the trail experience for many people, even fellow dog walkers.
  • Resource Protection - Dogs off-leash can cause disturbance to wildlife by preventing them from hunting, foraging, resting, traveling, or other activities necessary for their survival. Dogs also disturb sensitive vegetation by trampling plants and spreading weed seeds. Please keep yourself and your dog on designated trails. Playing fetch or allowing dogs to roam can decrease the opportunities to observe wildlife for you and others. It also makes picking up and removing your dog's waste more difficult.
  • Protect Your Dog - Your dog could be in harm's way. The City's natural areas are home to wildlife that could kill or injure your dog, such as black bears, mountain lions, coyotes, and rattlesnakes. Keeping the dog on a leash and on trail will minimize this danger. Never allow dogs to enter prairie dog towns, where fleas that carry plague may be more abundant, or approach dead, injured or sick wildlife.
• Are there natural areas where dogs are not allowed?
  Yes, because of resource sensitivity, dogs are not allowed, including in vehicles, at Coyote Ridge, Running Deer, Bobcat Ridge, Cottonwood Hollow, Fossil Creek Reservoir or Soapstone Prairie natural areas. Use the natural areas finder to check which sites allow dogs.
• In alignment with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service animals that have been trained to assist a person with a disability are always allowed. Animals designated as emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals are not service animals under the ADA.
• Are there places where I can take my dog off leash?
  Yes, learn about the City's dog parks.
• Why do I have to pick up my dog's waste?
  Dog waste in the natural areas and on the trails is objectionable to many natural area visitors and trail users. Waste not removed may spread harmful parasites and bacteria into water sources that feed the city's groundwater and waterways. Preservatives commonly found in dog food, coupled with dry climate, retard decay, which prolongs these problems.
  Remove your dog's waste to minimize the spread of disease and as a courtesy to other visitors. Biodegradable bag for waste pickup are provided at the most popular trailheads. To protect the environment, and avoid a ticket, please carry them back to the trashcan at the trailhead. Please leave no trace.

• What are the BARK Principles? Follow these to make your visit safe and enjoyable.
  • Bag your pet's waste
  • Always wear a leash
  • Respect wildlife
  • Know where you can go
• Why should I visit a natural area with my dog? This short video explains.
• What are the regulations about dogs? This short video shares the key rules.
• How can I teach my dog trail skills? Learn from a professional dog trainer in this short video.
• How do I keep my dog safe in natural areas? Tips are in this short video.
• What other regulations regarding dogs should I be aware of?
  See  Regulations...>>

There are 16 City of Fort Collins Natural Areas that permit fishing. You can learn more about fishing access, species present, and regulations here.

Learn More

The most popular recreation activities in natural areas are hiking or walking, wildlife watching and relaxing. A great benefit of being in a natural area is the stress relief one experiences, which is brought on by the warmth of the sun, fresh air, birds, grass blowing in the wind, and the sights, sounds and smells of nature.

• When trails are muddy, hike through the mud, not around it. This reduces trail widening that results from hiking around muddy sections of the trail.
• For trail safety and etiquette, hikers yield to equestrians.
• Please keep an appropriate distance from wildlife to avoid causing undue stress on them. If wildlife changes its behavior, you are too close.

Check the natural areas finder to see which natural areas have horse trailer parking and allow horses. Equestrians are required to stay on (or within 10 feet of) designated trails. Equestrians are discouraged from riding on paved trails and crusher fines (compacted gravel) trails.

Where to Go

• Coyote Ridge Natural Area, has designated trailer parking and a seven mile round trip ride on soft-surface trails with stunning views and varied terrain. The Coyote Ridge trail connects to Larimer County's Blue Sky Trail, which runs between Devils Backbone Open Space on the south to Horsetooth Mountain Park and Lory State Park to the north going through the Rimrock Open Space.
• Pineridge Natural Area, also a foothills property, is a popular equestrian destination with trailer parking available. Riders can make a 4-mile loop at Pineridge as well as accessing the spring creek trail system to the east. Riders can connect to the foothills trail system through Maxwell Natural Area to the north.
• Bobcat Ridge Natural Area is an excellent equestrian destination! Check out the Valley Loop (4 miles) or the DR trail (horses and hikers only, no bikers) which was specially designed with equestrians in mind. Note: Bobcat Ridge often fills to capacity, please have an alternate destination in mind in case the parking lot is full.
• Soapstone Prairie Natural Area is a terrific place for a long trail Ride. There are 14 horse trailer parking spots at the south trailhead. No horses or trailers are allowed at the north trailhead.

Sharing the trail
Equestrians using natural areas must share the trails with other visitors. True, equestrians have the right-of-way on trails, which means bikers, hikers, etc. must yield. But don't forget that equestrians have important safety responsibilities.

Hunting is only allowed at Soapstone Prairie Natural Area where permitted hunters participate in a limited pronghorn doe hunt in December. The hunt is in cooperation with Larimer County and Red Mountain Open Space. Learn more here >>>

Access across natural areas for hunting on adjacent public lands only applies to spring season turkey hunting access at Bobcat Ridge Natural Area when the Bar D road/FS Rd 153 is closed and all hunting seasons at Gateway Natural Area. A special use permit is required for access.  

• Can I carry a gun in a natural area?
  No, unless you have a valid conceal carry permit. If you do have a valid permit, it must remain unloaded and concealed at all times during your visit. A hunting license is not a valid permit. EXCEPTION: see Hunting Access Permits 
• Can I bow fish in a natural area?
  No, bows are considered a weapon. City of Fort Collins municipal code prohibits the possession or discharge in a natural area any gun, pistol, crossbow, bow and arrow, slingshot or other firearm or weapon whatsoever, including BB guns, pellet or paintball guns, except as permitted by a City-issued or other lawfully issued permit.
• Are weapons allowed in natural areas?
  No. City of Fort Collins municipal code prohibits the possession or discharge in a natural area any gun, pistol, crossbow, bow and arrow, slingshot or other firearm or weapon whatsoever, including BB guns, pellet or paintball guns, except as permitted by a City-issued or other lawfully issued permit.

This webpage highlights the main rules at Natural Areas, read the regulations here.

Nature photography and painting in natural areas is popular. Artists and photographers must stay on the designated trails when visiting on-trail-only sites. To find sites where off-trail use is allowed, use the natural areas finder.

This webpage highlights the main rules at Natural Areas, read the regulations here.

Where can I ski or snowshoe?
On rare occasions when there is enough snow, visitors are welcome to cross-country ski or snowshoe on any trails open for hiking. No natural area trails are groomed and motorized use is not permitted. Regulations regarding on-trail/off-trail use apply. At natural areas with paved trails that are plowed, visitors on skis/snowshoes must stay within 10 feet of the paved trail. Sites at higher elevations such as Bobcat Ridge may hold snow longer than lower elevation areas.

Sledding is not allowed in any natural area.

If I see a rattlesnake at a natural area, what should I do?
Remain calm. Rattlesnakes are not aggressive. Step away from the snake, keeping children and pets close to you, and wait for the snake to move away. Be patient. It doesn't know that you want to pass, and it may be unable to move quickly if it is cold. Learn more from the Be Snake Awake! bookmark.

Does the City remove rattlesnakes from natural areas?
No, rattlesnakes and other snakes are important and valuable wildlife in natural ecosystems. It is your responsibility to avoid encounters with snakes and other wildlife.

What if I see a mountain lion, a coyote or a bear at a natural area?
First, follow the wildlife encounter tips from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. When you are safe, contact a ranger and let them know where and when you saw the animal.