Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways - 2024/2025

This byway travels along one of America’s few federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers — the Cache la Poudre. Tumbling through a wild granite canyon, “the Poudre” has long been utilized by farmers in and around Fort Collins and has been loved by whitewater thrill-seekers for decades. As the byway crosses between the Never Summer and Medicine Bow Mountains, it descends through the piney hills and willow-covered riparian habitat of Colorado State Forest State Park, the most reliable place in Colorado to see a moose. While this 101-mile-long route is rich with natural beauty, it is also bookended by two communities with fascinating local history. Fort Collins — Colorado’s fourth-largest city and home to Colorado State University — has a rich agrarian heritage, which is detailed at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery and the Cache la Poudre National Heritage Area. At the opposite end of the byway in North Park lies Walden, a town so remote it is the only incorporated community in Jackson County. Here, travelers can stop at the North Park Pioneer Museum in summer and learn about the Ute Indians, ranchers and loggers who decorate the area’s past.

Distance: 101 miles • Allow 3 hours

Total elevation gain: 4,984–10,276 feet