Cache La Poudre Wilderness
Nine miles of the Little South Fork of the Cache la Poudre River, a part of Colorado's only designated Wild and Scenic River drainage, flow through Cache la Poudre Wilderness. The water has cut a deep and tortured canyon into granitic bedrock, typical of the Front Range of Colorado, to join the Main Fork of the Cache la Poudre River, which forms the northern boundary of the Wilderness. Elevations range from about 6,100 to 8,700 feet, and a dry climate keeps this area snow-free for much of the year, especially on south-facing slopes. Douglas fir and ponderosa and lodgepole pine dominate the forest.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Colorado |
| Size | 9,482 acres |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 40.66° N, 105.45° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 13) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 11 federal campgrounds within ten miles sit inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 1 recreation site inside this wilderness, among them 1 campground. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 3 miStove Prairie Campground ↗Campground
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
3 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 5 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Mt. McConnel | 2.6 | |
| Kreutzer Nature | 2 | |
| Mt. McConnel Summit ↗ | 0.1 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedSalt Cabin Broadcast Rx
5 mi from the center point
- PrescribedMagic Feather Broadcast Rx
8 mi from the center point
- PrescribedFront Country Broadcast Rx
21 mi from the center point
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge, and is measured from the center of a boundary that may be many miles across. Check the agency page for closures.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 6.9 miArrowhead Lodge ↗Bellvue, CO
- 10.3 miPleasant Valley School ↗Bellvue, CO
- 11.1 miFlowers, Jacob and Elizabeth, House ↗Bellvue, CO
- 13.2 miMaxwell, R. G., House ↗Fort Collins, CO
- 14.9 miFort Collins Municipal Railway Birnery Safety Streetcar No. 21 ↗Fort Collins, CO
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Colorado
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Cache La Poudre Wilderness?
9,482 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Cache La Poudre Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Cache La Poudre Wilderness in?
Colorado.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Cache La Poudre Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Cache La Poudre Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Cache La Poudre Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 40.661° N, 105.449° W. Rocky Mountain National Park is 21 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Is there a fire near Cache La Poudre Wilderness right now?
3 active incidents within 50 miles as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Salt Cabin Broadcast Rx at 5 miles. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge.
Source: Fire nearby
Which national parks are near Cache La Poudre Wilderness?
Rocky Mountain National Park (21 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Cache La Poudre Wilderness?
The National Register has 5 listings within 15 miles, including Arrowhead Lodge and Pleasant Valley School.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.