Developed and maintained by the City of Fort Collins, the Spring Creek Trail covers nearly seven miles from East to West Fort Collins. Popular for a variety of activities including walking, jogging, dog-walking and cycling, the trail follows Spring Creek through several parks and natural areas all the way from Spring Canyon Park to Pineridge Natural Area. Along the way, it crosses Drake Road, connects to the Mason Trail and College Avenue, travels through Edora Park, and connects to Timberline Road passing by some of the city’s most popular shopping, dining, recreation and entertainment destinations.
In this guide, we’ll cover the essential stops, from community parks and a drive-in movie theater to craft breweries and boutique shopping. Enjoy!
Spring Canyon Park
The largest community park in Fort Collins, Spring Canyon Park encompasses a whopping 100 acres just east of Pineridge Natural Area in West Fort Collins. Lined with walking trails and open lawns, guests will also find Inspiration Playground, Spring Canyon Dog Park and Veterans Plaza, which is the headquarters for Veterans Day services every year.
Holiday Twin Drive-in
Holiday Twin Drive-in was originally built in the late 1960s and is one of Colorado’s last remaining drive-in movie theaters. From mid-spring through the first weekend in September, everyone is invited to watch new movies in old-school style. Their team operates two screens and each one plays two movies; after Memorial Day weekend, you can even catch those movies every night of the week! To see what’s playing, click here.
Intersect Brewing
Photo courtesy of Intersect Brewing
Intersect is a 100% independent and family-owned brewery. What began as a homebrewing hobby blessed Fort Collins with another outstanding craft brewery in 2016, and this little team has been a local favorite ever since. Their sunny tap room also boasts a huge, sunny patio open during the warm months; it’s the perfect place to bike in, grab a beer and relax for an afternoon!
Rolland Moore Park
Spring Creek Trail winds around Rolland Moore Park traveling through Ross Natural Area and Fischer Natural Area. The community park encompasses 68 acres and boasts baseball fields, basketball courts, racquetball courts, tennis courts and a volleyball court.
Raintree Athletic Club
Raintree is a full-service, locally owned and operated health club committed to providing a lifetime of fitness for members regardless of age or fitness level. Their extensive hours allow anyone to fit an exercise regimen into their schedule, and their wide range of classes, equipment and facilities make working out fun! In addition to offering several youth programs for older children, RAC offers Treehouse Child Care, too. The facility is located near the intersection of South Shields Street and Drake Road, so it requires just a quick detour from the trail.
Mama Roni’s Pizza
Mama Roni’s has two locations in Fort Collins, including one right on Spring Creek Lane, which is directly adjacent to the biking trail. Locally owned and operated, this family team makes their signature dough from scratch every day, uses only fresh veggies, makes sauces from tomatoes grown in California’s Stanislaus Valley, and uses real mozzarella with no fillers or additives.
Gardens on Spring Creek
As the community botanic garden for Fort Collins, the Gardens on Spring Creek is one of the most beloved outdoor areas in the city, and it’s located right on the Spring Creek Trail. Originally opened in 2004, the 18-acre site has celebrated many additions and improvements, including five sprawling acres of new gardens completed in April 2019. To find out which gardens are open and how you can visit, click here.
Black Bottle Brewery
Black Bottle has an impressive lineup of 40 rotating taps, which feature their in-house brewed beers alongside other local and global favorites. In addition to the beer, wine and a full bar, you can also order from a huge menu of pub-inspired favorites, tacos, flatbreads and even seafood. With a great outdoor patio, too, Black Bottle is a fun destination for everyone in every season! To get there from the Spring Creek Trail, head just a couple blocks north along the Mason Trail.
Music City Hot Chicken
Photo courtesy of Music City Hot Chicken
The first of its kind to showcase Nashville Style Hot Chicken in Fort Collins, this lunch, dinner and brunch spot was founded by brothers Jordan and Sam who are locals, and Lambkin and CSU grads. Their killer lunch menu features chicken, tempeh, sandwiches, soups, salads and more, and nearly everything is under $10. Head north on the Mason Trail from the Spring Creek Trail, choose your flavor and heat level, and get ready for one of the best meals in the city!
Totally 80’s Pizza & Museum
One of the many attractions located along College Avenue, Totally 80’s Pizza & Museum is home to a pizzeria and restaurant as well as the world’s only 1980s museum. The retro, counter-serve restaurant is adorned with wall-to-wall toys, autographs, vintage cereal boxes and one-of-a-kind pop culture icons, which you can enjoy while you eat fresh, made-from-scratch pizza.
The Human Bean
The Human Bean began as a drive-thru espresso stand in Ashland, Oregon in 1998. Today, it has expanded to more than 80 locations across the country, including Colorado’s only locations: ten shops in Loveland, Fort Collins, Windsor, La Salle, Greeley and Evans. The College Avenue location is located right where the Spring Creek Trail picks up again on the east side of Fort Collins. There, you can get specialty beverages, frozen drinks, real fruit smoothies, espresso and more.
Spring Park
One of the largest open spaces in Midtown, Spring Park offers nearly 17 beautiful acres of open lawn, playgrounds, baseball fields and accessible walking trails.
Dungeons & Drafts
Directly south of the shopping center that houses Dungeons & Drafts, Rally King Brewing and East Moon Asian Bistro, The Spring Creek Trail meanders past some of the city’s favorite local businesses. At the top of that list, you’ll find Dungeons & Drafts, a tavern and gaming headquarters where you can enjoy local microbrews, a variety of geek-themed drinks, appetizers, sandwiches, regular events, and a library of games ranging from the traditional to the modern.
Rally King Brewing
Photo courtesy of Rally King Brewing
Rally King Brewing began as a homebrewing hobby of Fort Collins residents Matt and Michelle Kriewall and quickly grew into one of the city’s favorite hangouts. Officially opened in 2015, this taproom serves up their own beers on 18 taps alongside locally made snacks and non-alcoholic drinks like the root beer float made with Walrus Ice Cream! Complete with an outdoor patio, too, Rally King may just become your favorite stop along the Spring Creek Trail.
East Moon Asian Bistro
Located in the same shopping center as Rally King Brewing and Dungeons & Drafts, East Moon Asian Bistro is a full-service hibachi grill, Thai, Chinese and Japanese restaurant serving up a variety of housemade rolls, fresh sushi and traditional Japanese cuisine made with only the freshest ingredients.
Fort Collins Club
Now managed by Genesis Health Clubs, Fort Collins Club has been a staple in our community since 1984. Inside the 55,000-square-facility, members can swim indoors and out, exercise on the cardio deck, lift in the weight room, participate in an exercise class, relax in the spa, climb the indoor climbing wall, and play on basketball courts, indoor racquetball and handball courts, pickleball courts, and squash courts.
Edora Park
Encompassing more than 65 acres in the heart of Fort Collins, Edora Park is one of the city’s most popular. It’s home to the Edora Pool Ice Center, a community garden, a skate park, playgrounds, a disc golf course, baseball fields, basketball courts and tennis courts. Inside the Edora Pool Ice Center (affectionately nicknamed EPIC), you’ll find the region’s premier ice and aquatics facility where you can swim and ice skate year-round.
Bath Garden Center and Nursery
Photo courtesy of Sophia Maes via Bath Garden Center and Nursery
One of the region’s most popular garden centers, Bath offers the largest selection of organic and natural gardening products in the region. At their year-round facility located just across Prospect Road from the trail, you’ll find indoor and outdoor plants, seeds, trees and shrubs, flowers and vegetables, decor, classes, workshops and kid-friendly events. You can even get clothing, lotions and gifts in the boutique!
Jessup Farm Artisan Village
After a quick trip down Timberline Road from the Spring Creek Trail, you’ll arrive at Jessup Farm Artisan Village, a quaint little community of businesses directly adjacent Fort Collins’ Bucking Horse neighborhood. If you want to continue your cycling adventures or upgrade your ride, head to Peloton Cycles. Then, head to Bindle Coffee for a beverage, sit down for a meal at The Farmhouse at Jessup Farm or at Cacciatore at Heller’s Kitchen, shop at KNAPSACK and HEYDAY, then grab a craft beer at Jessup Farm Barrel House.
Where are you headed?
If you have a favorite stop along the Spring Creek Trail, tell us about it in the comments below!
Comments