Hiking Eagle’s Nest Open Space near Fort Collins, Colorado

Fort Collins, Colorado was Editor’s Choice of Outside Magazine for Outside’s Best Towns 2013.

outside-magazine-fort-collins — The Front Range is full of small towns with great outdoor access. But Fort Collins stands above the rest thanks to its backcountry terrain (like 10,276-foot Cameron Pass), its prime location on the brown-trout-filled Cache La Poudre River, the great biking scene, and, of course, the microbrew-dominated economy.

“The biking is largely supported by the beer culture,” says Adam Irrer, who helps run Michigan’s Coppercraft Distillery and lives full-time in Fort Collins. “New Belgium started it by funding things like a bike library, so that people can get a bike when they come into town.”

Active, educated young people are flocking here—the population has grown more than 10 percent in the past five years—but the ample breweries and yoga studios have helped it maintain a laid-back vibe.

I have been living and enjoying outdoor activities in Fort Collins for 24 years – kayak, canoe, SUP paddling, biking, hiking, inline skating. Somehow, I don’t participate in “beer culture”, although, I have one beer picture (Blue Paddle) in this blog.

The picture used by Outside Magazine comes from my spring hiking in Eagle’s Nest Open Space northwest of Fort Collins. It is one of my solitude in mountains self portraits. You can find more pictures from that area in my portfolio. I visit Eagle Nest Rock mostly in winter when Soapstone and Red Mountain areas, my recent favorite destinations for hiking and mountain biking, are closed.

Eagle’s Nest Open Space in Larimer County Parks website:

Eagle’s Nest Open Space’s 755 acres offer river access for anglers and almost 5 miles of trails for hikers and equestrians. The local landmark Eagle’s Nest Rock has been home to nesting golden eagles for over a hundred years!

Along the North Fork of the Cache La Poudre River, this open space has breathtaking views of the Laramie Foothills. Mountain mahogany foothills interspersed with rabbitbrush and ponderosa pine provide diverse habitat for deer, elk, coyote, mountain lion, black bear, and small mammals.

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