Arthur's Rock Hike

Nestled in the foothills of the Front Range, Fort Collins keeps Colorado’s reputation as an outdoor mecca, and nowhere is this demonstrated better than at Horsetooth Reservoir and Horsetooth Mountain. The parks and preserves clustered here are just minutes from Fort Collins, accessible by a short bike ride from town, and showcase the best of the Fort Collins area with thousands of acre-feet of open water, miles of trail into the Rocky Mountain foothills, and dozens of boulders and rock walls to climb.

Arthur’s Rock is one of the easiest and most scenic draws to the mountain landscape just outside of town. The 3.5-mile out-and-back ascends over 1,000 feet to panoramic views of Fort Collins and Horsetooth Reservoir, the Front Range to Pike’s Peak, and the wide expanse of the Great Plains beyond. In the spring, wildflower meadows burst into color, attracting hundreds of butterfly species. At Arthur’s Rock, ascend a short and easy 50-foot scramble to soak in the best views.

The crag at Arthur’s Rock includes almost 70 trad, sport, and bouldering routes on granite for climbers. Arthur’s Rock has been described as a hidden gem largely unknown to the climbing community at-large. Its bouldering routes span in difficulty to V8, and its trad and sport climbs to 5.12c.