Cache La Poudre River Trail StoryMap

In October of 2024, crews completed the construction of an underpass connecting two separate trail sections on each side of Interstate-25 near the Arapahoe Bend Natural Area in Fort Collins, Colorado. The construction, in part paid for by a $2 million grant provided by the Great Outdoors Colorado, is the latest in a long string of disparate but ultimately connected, construction projects, each adding onto a project ongoing for the past several decades, the Poudre River Trail (PRT). When complete, the PRT will serve as a continuous trail that extends across both Weld and Larimer County, snaking through the towns of Laporte, Fort Collins, Windsor, and Greeley. Yet, the PRT originally began as an idea in 1971; today's version is the culmination of decades of work and sometimes differing philosophies and visions of its construction.

This Story Map serves as a companion piece to A Tale of Two Counties, a monograph produced by CSU History M.A. student George Moncaster, detailing the construction of the Poudre River Trail (PRT) as a transregional project. While Tale of Two Counties offers both a broader and deeper analysis of the history of the PRT’s construction—how Larimer and Weld counties conducted the construction of their respective trail segments and the formation of the organizations that handle much of the trail's upkeep—this project summarizes the broad strokes of the history detailed within, and the historiographical interpretations it offers of the construction of the Poudre River Trail.

As with nearly everything, the Poudre River Trail (PRT) got its start originally as an idea though who could claim to have the idea first, is a bit hazy. In 1975, CSU student, Jacquelyn C. Koirtyohann, as a part of her M.A. thesis, produced the Cache La Poudre Trail Interpretative Plan, the seeming the first of many. In it, Koirtyohann outlined a plan for the possible development of a trail along the banks of the Poudre River in Fort Collins. Later, in 1983 at the behest of Larry Pearsons of the Larimer-Weld Council of Governments (LWCoG), students at CU-Denver—citing Koirtyohan—would develop a sketch of an integrated trail system across Fort Collins and Greeley. A part of this 1983 study was a profile on possible routes such a trail would take while noting the various challenges that may arise over the course of construction, particularly in regard to zoning and property lines. Yet, two additional considerations that were especially pertinent were the possible designation of the upper Cache la Poudre as "wild and scenic" and the formation of a singular entity to manage the construction of would be a transregional trail.

Riding the wave of increased environmental consciousness in the second half of the 20th century, in 1968, Congress passed the Wild and Scenic River Act, that enabled "certain select rivers of the Nation" to be federally protected for their cultural and historical value. The Poudre received the Wild and Scenic designation in a 1986 amendment, though the federal reco that came with only extended to the Poudre River as it flowed through Roosevelt National Forest. In essence, only the upper Poudre was recognized. In 1995, another attempt arose to grant the lower/remaining Poudre federal recognition, when Senator Frank Murkowski submitted to the Senate the Cache La Poudre River National Water Heritage Area Act. Not one for short names, the act called for the creation of a commission to administer the newly designated heritage area. This legislation stalled due to technical errors, however, in 2002 the Poudre Heritage Alliance (PHA) was created in part to amplify efforts to push the creation of a National Heritage area along the Poudre through Congress. The Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area was officially designated in 2009.

The current stewards of the Cache NHA, the PHA to inform the public about the history and the significance of the Poudre while also serving as a neutral entity in the various issues that may arise among stakeholders.

Running parallel to the efforts to have the Poudre receive federal recognition, was the formation of an entity to oversee the construction of the transregional project that would be the Poudre River Trail. Established in 1994 and based in Weld County, the Poudre River Trail Board (PRTB) represented a singular entity that managed the construction and maintenance of the PRT. In June that same year, ground was broken in Windsor and Greeley marking the beginning of the PRT in those two towns. A year later in 1995, the PRTB produced its own master plan laying out its vision of a trail extending across Weld county; though, not quite a transregional trail, at least not yet.

In 1997, PRTB was officially formalized into a non-profit corporation in the form of the Poudre River Trail Corridor Inc. (PRTC), marking the start of its wider mission goals, and an increasing turn to outside funding in order to complete the PRT. While the PRTC was primarily occupied with developing signage and establishing working goals in the late 90's, by the early 2000's the PRTC, with cash in hand from the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), and private & public fundraising, was ready to begin in earnest the construction of a transregional trail.

Prior not only to the formation PRTC but also the lower Poudre's designation as a National Heritage Area, pieces of what would eventually become part of the PRT were being constructed in Larimer County. What could perhaps be considered the first section and the start of the PRT came with the construction of a section of trail in Laporte in 1986, to the chagrin of locals. Another foundational moment came a decade prior in 1973 where, under the direction of H.R. Philips—the city's recreation director and with funding from the Department of the Interior— the City of Fort Collins purchased land that parks such as Troutman, City Park, and Lee Martinez Park were later built upon.

Still, the transregional trail remained elusive. Similar to the construction seen in Weld county in the 1990s, initial construction, of what would become the PRT, was intend to connect two neighboring towns together; Laporte and Fort Collins, rather than as a part of a broader transregional project. Moreover, trail construction in Larimer County, differed in practice and in philosophy from Weld County. What could be considered PRT segments in Larimer county often went through sites already constructed or owned by the city of Fort Collins, such as park and natural areas. Funding also differed, and PRT construction in Larimer frequently drew on funding from the City of Fort Collins or other governmental bodies.

This isn't to say there wasn't an effort by Larimer official to realize the dream of the PRT, as masterplans frequently alluded to connections beyond the county boundaries. City of Fort Collins officials signed inter-governmental agreements with Weld officials over the management of the trail, and recognized the authority of the PRTB in matters of signage and trail maintenance. By 2008, the PRT extended across nearly the length of Larimer county, and by 2013 there were only a few gaps remaining, with the I-25 corridor remaining both a physical and mental border separating Larimer and Weld portions of the PRT.

Contrasting the centralized construction of the PRT in Larimer County, the development of the PRT in Weld was one that lacked government involvement comparable to the role of the City of Fort Collins. Rather, the construction of the PRT was driven by the combined efforts of the PRTC, PHA, and local community members, each recognizing the benefit of a recreational trail to the area. They did this through grassroots methods, appeals for private funding, and various land donations and easements. Naturally, construction of the trail in Weld was more complex in terms of legal and logistically maneuvering, and often saw the trail completed in a piecemeal fashion.

Ostensibly, the first (and second) official segment of the PRT came in 1994, with a twin groundbreaking ceremony that took place in Greeley and Windsor. These first two sections came in the form of Island Grove and the Great Western Farm. From that point forward the effort of the PRTC and involved community members was to have the two opposing sections meet. In short order, in 1994, the Spanish Colony section was completed while later in 1998, the Kodak section was finalized. Yet, from there the specifics get fuzzy. By 2006, after beginning construction in 2002, both Cottonwood Bend and Sheep Draw Junction were completed. Two years later in 2008, east and west sections of the Poudre River Trail in Weld County were connected.

Throughout the construction process the PRTC frequently turned to community and outside funding as a means to finance the development of the trail. Events such as softball tournaments, brick buying, and triathlons served as ways in which the communities of Greeley and Windsor were able to contribute to the trail. Time, was another massive contribution made, especially towards the maintenance of the PRT. Corporate sponsorships and land donations from wealthy individuals similarly played a role in the trail's development. The Kodak segment as one might suspect, is built on land donated by the Kodak corporation in Windsor.

Outside of these sources, the PRTC often applied for grants through GOCO, who have played an especially important role in financing the construction of segments intended to fill the remaining gaps in the PRT.

 _{Note on Map: The data used for the creation of the following maps, was drawn from Colorado's CoTrex and spatial data provided by the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization. Section's are divided by where they fall within county jurisdiction.}  

Despite the Poudre's beauty, its compatibility as a greenway, and its immense environmental and agricultural value, it is still a river; one that has historically been prone to flooding.

In 1864, three years after Weld and Larimer Counties were established, a flood destroyed much of the nascent Camp Collins (the percussor to Fort Collins). Overflowing, the Cache la Poudre, wiped out tents and ammunition of the soldiers encamped along its banks, though no lives were lost.

Another disastrous flood occurred in 1904, but this time would have a great financial and human cost. Recalling George Strauss, of Strauss Cabin fame, he was killed as a consequence of the flood, one of the two casualties.

In more recent memory, the 1997 Spring Creek Flood, was an event that still lives in the conscious and memories of many who were in Fort Collins at the time. In addition to commemorative plaques in places like CSU and the Spring Creek Trail, numerous photographs and oral stories are housed at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery (FCMoD), some of which can be found  here .

There were numerous other minor floods throughout the centuries that, while less notable, contributed to the continual consideration of the risk of flooding, both by government officials, and groups involved in the construction of the Poudre River Trail. In addition to the PHA producing several articles on historical floods, the PRTC maintains a section of its website devoted to monitoring trail conditions, particularly any closures due to flooding.

Likewise, even minor floods can erode the trail and its concrete pavement, necessitating continual maintenance by the PRTC and city governments. Just recently in July 2024, the City of Greeley had to repair a segment of trail that had been continually eroded due to its close proximity to the Poudre River. Indeed, a construction project to both restore the segment and shore up its resistance to flooding, cost the city an estimated $650,000.

As of this project, two major gaps remain, the first being the Environmental Learning Center, and the other, the gap between River Bluffs and the Arapahoe Bend Natural Area. There are other projects as well such as a section connecting to the Great Western Crossing in Fort Collins. Yet, each of these projects are intended ultimately to be completed or started, in 2025, with Fort Collins recently receiving a GOCO grant to continue.

This is not to say that this is the end of trail ambitions in Northern Colorado, far from it. Recently, there has been movement towards the development of a Front Range Trail, which like the PRT, follows a river, namely the Platte. Both Greeley and Fort Collins have recently begun looking at ways to incorporate the development of the trail with both new construction and as links to the already developed Poudre River Trail. An article about the FRT's development in Larimer county can be found here, and below is an ARCGiS map of the trail from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

 Link to A Tale of Two Counties by George Moncaster 

The project team extends its deepest gratitude to the many individuals and organizations whose support made this project possible. Foremost, we thank Senior Trails Planner Dave “DK” Kemp of the City of Fort Collins Park Planning and Development and Alternative Transportation Director Aaron Fodge of Colorado State University (CSU) Parking and Transportation Services. As the visionaries behind this project, Kemp and Fodge collaborated with CSU History and Geospatial Centroid faculty to conceive and bring the initiative to fruition. Their tireless efforts in securing funding, providing project management assistance, and reviewing content were instrumental in the project's success.

Critical financial support for this work was provided through a Community Grant from the Poudre Heritage Alliance, the managing entity of the Cache la Poudre National Heritage Area. Additional funding came generously from the City of Fort Collins, City of Greeley, Town of Timnath, Larimer County, and Colorado State University research funds.

Barry Wilson offered invaluable assistance by granting access to the extensive archival collection housed at the office of Poudre River Trail Corridor Inc. This rare opportunity to consult previously unanalyzed documents significantly enriched the historical depth of the project. Similarly, Wade Willis of the Town of Windsor provided critical support and contributed documentation that substantiated key conclusions of this research.

Insights from Northern Colorado residents were essential to understanding the region's culture and history. The project team extends special thanks to Fred Otis, Karen Scopel, and Craig Foreman, who generously participated in oral history interviews. Informal conversations with community members across both Larimer and Weld Counties also provided invaluable perspectives. Martin Lind shared his time and expertise regarding local developments, while municipal employees from Fort Collins, Windsor, Timnath, Greeley, and the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization offered critical information and guidance.

The creators of this project, Devon and Rio, express their appreciation for the author of the monograph this StoryMap is a companion piece to, George Moncaster, for his hundreds of hours of research and study. Similarly, they would also like to thank Sophia Linn of the Geospatial Centroid and Dr. Payne of CSU's History Department, for their guidance and assistance throughout the project. Devon also thanks Avery Cole for her expertise and assistance throughout the project and Sam Hanek for her work securing permissions for the images used in both projects.