Poudre Canyon is Northern Colorado’s backyard adventure, a twisting granite canyon carved by the Cache la Poudre River just minutes from Fort Collins. It follows Colorado’s only nationally designated Wild and Scenic River, with whitewater, waterfalls, rock tunnels and trailheads around every bend.

The Cache la Poudre starts high in Rocky Mountain National Park along the Continental Divide and drops about 7,000 feet as it races through the Roosevelt National Forest. Its name goes back to French trappers who cached gunpowder along its banks, and today Highway 14 follows the river as the Cache la Poudre–North Park Scenic Byway, a 101-mile, roughly three-hour drive from Fort Collins over 10,276-foot Cameron Pass to Walden in North Park. Expect bighorn sheep on the cliffs, anglers in the riffles and, in summer, a steady parade of rafts and kayaks.

Watch for the highlights as you drive. In the lower canyon, the short Baldwin Tunnel, blasted through solid rock and finished in 1916, is a favorite photo stop. A few miles past it, the community of Poudre Park and the famous Mishawaka Amphitheatre sit right on the riverbank. Hikers love Greyrock Trail, 8.4 miles up from Ted’s Place at the canyon mouth, which climbs about 2,000 feet in 3.1 miles to a granite dome with views across the foothills. Higher up, Poudre Falls tumbles through a narrow rock chute right beside the highway, and the Big South Trail follows the wildest stretch of river into the Comanche Peak Wilderness.

Insider tip: Start early on summer weekends, because the Byway warns of heavy summer traffic, and watch for livestock and trucks on the curves. Leash dogs on hand-held leashes at Greyrock, which the Forest Service requires. Many Forest Service campgrounds and picnic areas line the river, and some charge fees. Back in town, celebrate with a pint at New Belgium Brewing or a stroll through Old Town Fort Collins.

Late fall and winter are the quiet season in Poudre Canyon. Rafting outfitters run in the warmer months, and snow and ice can make the upper canyon and Cameron Pass slick, so check COtrip.org for Highway 14 road conditions before you go. Trail and closure updates for the river corridor are posted by the Canyon Lakes Ranger District at fs.usda.gov.