10 Reasons to Plan a Winter Vacation to Fort Collins

 1. Local Shopping

Old Town Fort Collins has some of the best local boutique shopping in all of Colorado. Enjoy a stroll under the shimmering holiday-lit trees while going from store to store. Each one offers unique Fort Collins-centric products that appeal to a wide range of interests. Fort Collins is a great place to experience the winter season's magic. This shopping destination offers quaint, local shopping for those one-of-a-kind gifts as well as modern shopping centers, like Front Range Village and the Foothills Mall, for those gifts that a special person on your list has always wanted.

2. Winter Recreation: Snowshoeing

Fort Collins offers great snowshoeing in and around town. This is an amazing way to enjoy some of the best hiking areas during the winter around Horsetooth Reservoir and in the Poudre Canyon. Snowshoes can be rented at Rocky Mountain Adventures, conveniently located on the way to the Cache la Poudre River Canyon.

• Lory State Park: Located just west of Fort Collins, Lory State Park offers tons of trails with beautiful views and ranging difficulty levels. The best time to snowshoe or cross country ski here is immediately after a snowstorm. Trails are open year-round and are open to Hiking, Snowshoeing, and Cross Country Skiing. Directions: 708 Lodgepole Dr., Bellvue, CO ‎

• Horsetooth Mountain Open Space: Located west of Fort Collins, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space is one of Fort Collin’s greatest outdoor playgrounds and it is open year-round. Choose from multiple different trails ranging in difficulty level and enjoy the snowy vistas.

• Cache la Poudre River Canyon: The Poudre Canyon offers excellent winter recreation even when there is no snow on the ground in Fort Collins. Enjoy beautiful views of the backcountry blanketed by snow. Following is a list of favorite snowshoeing trails in the canyon. Little Beaver Creek Trail: This trail is great for early season snow and is moderate in skill level. It is 2 miles long, out-and-back, and gains 1,500 ft. in elevation.

  • Address: 7311 North County Road 63E, Roosevelt National Forest, Bellvue, CO 80512, USA
  • Big South Trail: This 6-mile-trail is located within the upper reaches of the Poudre Canyon and offers stunning views of frozen waterfalls. It is an out-and-back trail with moderate difficulty and gains 560ft in elevation.
    Directions: 48924 Poudre Canyon Highway, Roosevelt National Forest, Bellvue, CO 80512, USA
  • Directions: 51561 Poudre Canyon Highway, Roosevelt National Forest, Bellvue, CO 80512, USA
  • Blue Lake: As one of the most popular snowshoeing spots in the upper reaches of Poudre Canyon, this trail offers easier short, round-trip excursions or a more challenging, all-day adventure. This trail is 4.75 miles one-way and offers beautiful views of Blue Lake surrounded by towering mountains.
    Directions: 51561 Poudre Canyon Highway, Roosevelt National Forest, Bellvue, CO 80512, USA
  • Trap Park: Located in the upper reaches of the Poudre Canyon this moderately difficult trail follows a small canyon for 11.5 miles and offers beautiful views of the Neota Wilderness and beautiful riparian area.
    Directions: 51561 Poudre Canyon Highway, Roosevelt National Forest, Bellvue, CO 80512, USA

3. Winter Recreation: Cross Country Skiing

Cross Country Skiing in Fort Collins is a popular activity thanks in part to multiple trail options ranging in difficulty. It is easy to plan a whole vacation around experiencing all of them. Cross Country Skis can be rented at Rocky Mountain Adventures.

• City Park Nine Golf Course: Located in the center of Fort Collins, City Park Nine Golf Course offers beginner cross-country skiing. Directions: 411 S Bryan Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80521
• Lory State Park: Located just west of Fort Collins, Lory State Park offers an abundant amount of trails with beautiful views and ranging difficulty levels. Trails are open year-round and are open to Hiking, Snowshoeing, and Cross Country Skiing. Directions: 708 Lodgepole Dr., Bellvue, CO ‎
• Horsetooth Mountain Open Space: Located west of Fort Collins, Horsetooth Mountain Open Space is one of Fort Collin’s greatest outdoor playgrounds and it is open year-round. Choose from multiple different trails ranging in difficulty level and enjoy the snowy vistas.

Poudre Canyon: If you love your cross country skiing, definitely head up to the Poudre Canyon to get your blood pumping in our Rocky Mountain winter wonderland. These cross-country trails will offer top-line recreation and a thrilling experience at the same time. Following are some of our favorites:

• Meadows Trail to Zimmerman Lake: Offering two cross-country skiing trails to Zimmerman Lake, this excursion is considered difficult. Choose from a 1.5-mile steep trail or a 9 mile more demanding trail. The trail goes through the Neota Wilderness area and gains an elevation of 1,970 ft.
  Directions: 56663 Poudre Canyon Highway, Roosevelt National Forest, Bellvue, CO 80512, USA
• Zimmerman Lake Loop Trail: This 3.1-mile trail in the Upper Poudre Canyon is a more difficult cross-country skiing trail but one of the most popular because it tends to have great late-season snow and offers some good downhill areas. Choose from multiple different trailheads and runs along the Never Summer Mountain Range.
  Directions: 56663 Poudre Canyon Highway, Roosevelt National Forest, Bellvue, CO 80512, USA

4. Top Notch Live Music

Fort Collins is a must-visit destination for live music lovers. Whenever you visit, you will always find live music to enjoy. Below is a list of venues offering live music to check out on your travels:

• Washington's: Washington’s is a 900-person capacity music venue located in historic Old Town, Fort Collins with state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems. The venue offers two full-service bars as well as a tiered balcony level that allows for excellent viewing throughout the room. Check out Washington's calendar for upcoming events and concerts.
• Magic Rat Live Music: Found inside of the Elizabeth Hotel, Magic Rat Live Music offers swinging sounds on tap weekly, from big-name artists to local late-night jam sessions. Check out their full schedule for upcoming events and concerts.
• The Aggie: A quaint and intimate live music venue attracting a variety of musicians, The Aggie is a Fort Collins classic venue that has been entertaining our city for over 100 years! Find their calendar of concerts here. 
• 830 North:  Live on the Lanes is a live music concert series offered at 830 North that is paired with bowling, great food and drinks, and laser tag. Check out their list of current concerts here. 

5. Dining that makes you warm and fuzzy inside

When you’re in Fort Collins, winter doesn’t mean you have to leave dinner feeling like you’re 10 pounds heavier. Fort Collins takes pride in its fresh dining scene and local sourcing, which means meals that make you feel good, and not only because they remind you of Mom’s back-home cooking. Some of the local favorites during the winter are Austin's American Grill, RARE Italian, Jax Fish House, and Jay’s Bistro due to their fresh and seasonal menu items. 

6. Unique Coffee Shops to warm the soul

Fort Collins is known for its local coffee shops and each one offers a unique drink that is sure to warm you from the inside out. Find our list of the coziest coffee shops in Fort Collins here. Check out one of the craft coffee brewers like the Bean Cycle, Harbinger, Lima Coffee Roasters, or Mugs. Little Bird Bakery is perfect for a hand-crafted hot beverage and a tasty bakery treat, or check out Happy Lucky’s Tea House or Ku Cha House of Tea for that perfect tea to match your craving.

7. Winter Farmers Market

Fort Collins offers the only Winter Farmers Market in northern Colorado, featuring rows of beautiful winter produce like fresh greens, root vegetables, local mushrooms, and soft cheeses from the Fort Collins-based MouCo Cheese Co. among other things. This winter market truly brings to light the craft culture in Fort Collins with tables of local homemade artisan crafts. The market is open every other Saturday throughout the winter into April and is located inside the Foothills Shopping Mall: 215 E. Foothills Pkwy from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M.

Downtown Fort Collins hosts the First Friday Art Walk^TM the first Friday of each month, and there’s no better time to explore the art museums and local galleries than during the winter under the holiday lights. Walk from venue to venue and enjoy the local art scene that illuminates with life under the soft-lit glow of the Old Town storefronts.

9. Museums Galore

What better way to spend a chilly day in Fort Collins than staying warm while exploring our numerous museums around town? Start the day off at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery where you can enjoy hands-on exhibits exploring science and the history of Fort Collins. Next, you can check out the Center for Fine Art Photography across the street where you can indulge in local and national photography set in different exhibition themes. If you haven’t got your fill after that, head down the street to the Fort Collins Museum of Art featuring national exhibitions of beautiful artwork.

10. Theatre, Theatre, Theatre

During the winter months in Fort Collins, theatre is booming throughout the community. Enjoy live shows from our multiple theatre venues including Bas Bleu Theatre Co., The Lincoln Center, and the University Center for the Arts.