Before You Go: Check Trail & Parking Conditions
- Natural Areas Trail Conditions webpage fcgov.com/naturalareas/status
- COTREX (trails.colorado.gov)
The busiest times at natural areas are weekends, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., so try visiting earlier or later, or on weekday mornings for the best chance at parking. Have an alternate destination in mind. When parking lots are full try another trailhead or come back another time. Avoid a parking ticket! Only park in designated spaces.
Natural Areas' Response
Natural Area sites are open, rangers are on-duty, and the community is encouraged to enjoy and steward these treasured places.
Natural Areas' headquarters, Nix (1745 Hoffman Mill Rd) is closed to the public but staff remains available via phone and email.
Natural Areas picnic shelters that accommodate less than 50 people are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Reservations are no longer accepted for Gateway Natural Area’s picnic shelters.
2021 Natural Areas Explorer
Your resource guide to connecting with the City of Fort Collins Natural Areas Department through free activities and events from June through October 2021. Activities range from stewardship, outdoor recreation activities, night skies, wellness and much, much more.
City of Fort Collins Recommended Plant List
Looking for plants that support local wildlife and pollinators, are waterwise, and regionally appropriate? City of Fort Collins Recommended Plant List is here! This list is unique to Fort Collins and includes hundreds of plants native to Fort Collins and Colorado. This new resource will guide community members in the creation of sustainable and ecologically diverse landscapes and may just help you decide what else to plant in your garden.