Fort Collins: Old Town, New Belgium & Rocky Mountains

Fort Collins is a mid-sized university city (Colorado State University, approximately 35,000 students) at the northern end of Colorado’s Front Range, with a walkable historic downtown, an outsized craft beer scene, and direct access to Rocky Mountain National Park and the Cache la Poudre River canyon. New Belgium Brewing started here; Odell Brewing was founded here in 1989; the city now claims approximately 20 functioning breweries across a metro of 350,000.

Old Town is the core and is genuinely pleasant - preserved 19th-century commercial brick buildings on College and Mountain Avenues, with a human-scale streetscape that university downtowns often fail to achieve. Horsetooth Reservoir (4 miles west) and Lory State Park provide the immediate outdoor access; Rocky Mountain National Park is 57 miles southwest via the Estes Park corridor.

Getting to Fort Collins

By air: Denver International Airport (DEN) is approximately 70 miles south via I-25, about 75 minutes by car - the practical primary airport. Fort Collins-Loveland Airport (FNL, 15 miles south in Loveland) has very limited commercial service. Shuttle services and car rentals from DEN to Fort Collins are widely available.

By bus: Greyhound and FlixBus serve the Fort Collins corridor with connections to Denver. The FLEX regional bus (Transfort) connects Fort Collins to Loveland and Longmont, though a car is more practical for most visitors.

By car: Denver is 65 miles south via I-25, about 60–75 minutes. Boulder is 45 miles south via US-36 and I-25, approximately 50 minutes. Estes Park (Rocky Mountain National Park gateway) is 43 miles southwest via US-287, approximately 50 minutes.

Within Fort Collins: The city’s MAX Bus Rapid Transit runs on College Avenue from the south edge of campus through downtown to the train station area. Old Town is compact and walkable. A car is practical for Horsetooth Reservoir and Poudre Canyon.

Neighborhoods

Old Town: The 15-block historic district centered on College Avenue and Mountain Avenue - the main visitor zone. The Linden Street area (New Belgium’s neighborhood) and the Old Town Square plaza are the primary concentrations.

University Hill / CSU Campus: The Colorado State University campus east of College Avenue, with the associated student commercial strip along Laurel Street (local bars, affordable restaurants, coffee shops).

Midtown: The commercial corridor on College Avenue between Old Town and the CSU campus - a mix of chain restaurants, retail, and mid-range hotels.

West Side / Foothills: The residential neighborhoods west of College Avenue, backing up to the Dakota Hogback and the first ridgeline of the Rockies. Horsetooth Reservoir and Lory State Park are in this area.

Things to Do

New Belgium Brewing (free tours, taproom open daily) and Odell Brewing are the craft beer circuit anchors. Old Town is walkable and worth an afternoon on its own. Horsetooth Reservoir (4 miles west) has swimming, paddleboarding, and the Horsetooth Rock trail (3.4 miles round trip, 1,300 feet gain). Lory State Park adjacent has 26 miles of mountain bike and hiking trails.

The Cache la Poudre Canyon (CO-14, northwest of the city) has whitewater rafting (Class III–V), the Greyrock Trail, and excellent fall color. Rocky Mountain National Park is 57 miles southwest - doable as a day trip with a timed entry reservation booked at recreation.gov.

Full guide: Things to do in Fort Collins

Where to Stay

Old Town: The Edwards House Bed & Breakfast (402 W Mountain Ave) is the closest boutique property to Old Town - approximately $150–$230/night; historic Victorian building on the west side of the downtown core. The Armstrong Hotel (259 S College Ave) is Fort Collins’s primary downtown boutique hotel at approximately $160–$260/night; renovated 1923 building directly on College Avenue.

Mid-range chains: Marriott Fort Collins (350 E Horsetooth Rd), Hilton Fort Collins (425 W Prospect Rd near CSU), and several Hampton Inn and Courtyard properties along the Midtown corridor - approximately $120–$200/night.

Budget: Extended Stay America and La Quinta properties along I-25 and in south Fort Collins run approximately $80–$130/night. Less convenient but connected by city bus.

Search all hotels in Fort Collins

Practical Information

Best season: May–October for outdoor activities. Poudre Canyon rafting is best May–June at peak snowmelt. Fall color in the canyon peaks late September through mid-October.

RMNP permits: Timed entry required May–October; book at recreation.gov. Allocations go quickly, especially for weekends.

Altitude: Fort Collins sits at 4,984 feet - acclimatization is mild here, but Rocky Mountain National Park trails reach 12,000+ feet, which is significant for strenuous hiking from sea level.

Craft beer scene: Most breweries cluster within walking distance of Old Town or a short Lyft. New Belgium’s tours book out quickly on summer weekends - secure advance booking at newbelgium.com at least a few days ahead.