Nestled in the foothills west of Fort Collins is Horsetooth Mountain Park. Horsetooth Rock, a famous landmark visible from I-25, is the high point of this park. According to Native American legend, this rock is what remains of the heart of the Great Red Warrior slain by the Great Black Warrior in a ferocious battle. Within Horsetooth Mountain Park, there are 29 miles of trails that connect with many more trails in Lory State Park and with the trails in the Soderberg Open Space Park.
The main trail coming from the Soderberg Open Space Park is the Blue Sky Trail, a new trail that connects Fort Collins to Loveland. This trail traverses through 4,000 acres of protected foothills open space and may be one of the nicest trails in all of Fort Collins. The land acquisitions that allowed this trail to become a reality took over seven years. The park is named after the Soderberg family who homesteaded in the area in the early 1900s.
Starting from the Soderberg trailhead, the Inlet Bay trail skirts through a campground on the edge of Horsetooth Reservoir. After a mile, this trail turns into the Blue Sky Trail. This single track trail meanders up a valley through scrub oak and rock out croppings. After two miles of gradual climbing, the trail crests and the valley opens up below. Due to the non-technical nature of the trail, this is the best section to really let loose.
Four miles from the start, there is a turn off at the Rim Rock Trail. This trail climbs up over the ridge and then drops down into the Coyote Ridge Natural Area. For a good medium long run of 16 miles, run down to the trailhead and then head back to the Soderberg Open Space. If you are interested in a longer run, continue straight on the Blue Sky Trail into the Devil’s Backbone Open Space Park. After, traveling through the Laughing Horse Loop, the Hunter Loop and the Wild Iris Loop, the Devil’s Backbone trailhead will soon come into site. Grab some fresh water at the fountain and then head back to your car at the Soderberg trailhead. This run will total about 20 miles. For those looking for a great ultramarathon training run, park at the Devil’s Backbone trailhead and run north through the Soderberg Open Space to the Lory State Park Visitor’s Center and back for a 30 mile run.
The Blue Sky trail is closed sunset to sunrise. Dogs are not allowed in the Rimrock or Coyote Ridge Natural Area. There is a $6 day use fee at all the trailheads.
Getting There:
There are three main trailhead parking areas that can be used to reach this fabulous open space trail. In Fort Collins, travel west on Harmony for 13 miles. After seven miles, the road will change names to County Road 38E. Turn right onto Shoreline Drive and follow this to the Soderberg trailhead on the left. In Loveland, take Highway 34 to mile marker #88. Turn north onto Hidden Valley Drive. The Devil’s Backbone trailhead will be on the left. The Coyote Ridge trailhead is located halfway between Loveland and Fort Collins. In Fort Collins, travel south on Taft Hill from Harmony for four miles and from Loveland, travel north on Wilson for five miles. The trailhead is on the west side of the road.