Move on to Trail Finder: Roosevelt National Forest

Explore Cache la Poudre
Seldom traveled, the wilderness is named for the river that rips through here and features deep canyons and waterfalls. There is only one maintained trail, the Mt. McConnell National Recreation Trail — the rest is left utterly wild. How do you get around? Intrepid explorers of this wilderness take trails blazed by wild game, follow the banks of streams, and scramble along mountain ridges. Other wilderness areas in the forest to explore include Comanche, Neota, Rawah, and Indian Peaks.

Cruise the Views
Get on Highway 14, north of Fort Collins, and prepare yourself for a 101-mile asphalt adventure that snakes its way along the Cache la Poudre — Colorado's only designated Wild and Scenic River. Watch for bighorn sheep in the Poudre Canyon as well as kayakers and rafters floating down the river. At North Park, the valley opens up, giving you an opportunity to spot antelope, deer, and moose. At Cameron Pass, elevation 10,276 feet, you can ponder the austere beauty of snowy peaks.

Listen to Whistle Pigs
The yellow-bellied marmot, or whistle pig, lets out an alarming shrill when threatened; the whistle is also used to keep track of fellow marmots. Also called rockchucks, these cute critters feed on alpine grass and build dens in rocky outcrops or scree slopes. Yellow-bellied marmots are related to ground squirrels. Tassel-eared and pine squirrels, pocket gophers, and pine martins also make their home in the forest.

Wander through Wildflowers
In the montane zone, between 6,000 and 9,500 feet, you'll find sulphur flower, wild rose, penstemon, and wild geranium. Higher up, in the sub-alpine zone between 9,500 and 11,200 feet, expect kinnikinnik, huckleberry, blue gentian, columbine, and bluebells. Above 11,200 feet, in the alpine and tundra zones, you should come across alpine avens, forget-me-not, king's crown, and moss campion.

Move on to Roosevelt National Forest Index

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