Cottonwood Hollow Natural Area
Description
This ecologically diverse site sits amid a complex of natural areas. Nearby you’ll find Prospect Ponds Natural Area, CSU’s Environmental Learning Center, Running Deer Natural Area and Riverbend Ponds Natural Area. Cottonwood Hollow is a great place to get away from the urban environment, not far from home.
Cottonwood Hollow provides wet meadow habitat which is lacking within the urban stretch of the Poudre River. Open water ponds are common at Poudre River corridor natural areas; 39 ponds totaling 278 acres of open water but wet meadow habitat is uncommon. Cottonwood Hollow was restored to a wet meadow in the 1990’s with the intent of not providing any surface water. Over the years, an outlet structure failed and water began to fill the site. Not only did this drown out a rare habitat type, it also is not allowed within the water rights held by the City. The Natural Areas Department is restoring Cottonwood Hollow to a wet meadow habitat. Vegetation should start to reestablish naturally in the spring of 2012. Open water will be reduced by this effort; however, it will restore a habitat type that is uncommon in this area.
Visitors to Cottonwood Hollow find it ideal for wildlife watching – and listening. Red-winged blackbirds, egrets, herons, sandpipers, pelicans, killdeer, warblers, kingbirds, and song sparrows are some of the over 60 avian species that inhabit this area; some of them nest here. Painted turtles, foxes, muskrats and deer also might be seen.
The boundaries of Cottonwood Hollow have changed as directed in the 2011 update to the Cache la Poudre River Natural Areas Management Plan. The portion of Cottonwood Hollow west of the west side channel of the river is now part of Prospect Ponds Natural Area.
Note: This is one of the few Fort Collins natural areas on which dogs are not allowed and one of only two on which bikes are not permitted (bike parking at the parking lot for those who ride to the site).
Trails
There are 0.4 miles of natural surface trail within Cottonwood Hollow Natural Area boundary. Access to this trail segment is from Running Deer Natural Area.
Hours
5:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
Directions
Nearest parking is at the Running Deer Natural Area parking lot on Prospect (west of Summitview Drive). Cottonwood Hollow also can be reached via connecting trail from Riverbend Ponds Natural Area through the underpass at Prospect or from the Running Deer Natural Area (Colorado Welcome Center) trailhead.
Events & Activities
- Would you like monthly event and activity updates, trail recommendations and more? Sign up for the Natural Areas electronic newsletter in the upper right corner of this page.
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- Customized free educational programs at Cottonwood Hollow Natural Area are available for groups, call the Master Naturalist Program at 970-416-2480 or email .
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