How difficult is Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway?

Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway is rated easy. The route runs 101 miles.

When is the best time to visit Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway?

The best months are May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.

Guides/Overland routes/Colorado

Overland route101 midifficulty: easy

Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway

RegionColoradoAgencyU.S. Forest Service, Colorado Department of TransportationLast verified—

Photo by Jeffrey Beall via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0

Trail vitals6 facts

Length

101mi

Technical difficulty

Easy

Direction

Point to point

Vehicle

Any street-legal vehicle. Paved its full length and plowed year-round.

Best months

May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct

Cell coverage

Drops out in the upper Poudre Canyon; service near Fort Collins, Walden, and at lodges along the corridor.

Take action

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The Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway is a 101-mile paved highway running from Ted's Place (north of Fort Collins on US-287) west through the Poudre Canyon, over Cameron Pass at 10,276 feet, and into Walden in North Park. The route follows Colorado's only nationally Wild & Scenic river, the Cache la Poudre, for the canyon stretch. Roosevelt and Routt National Forests cover most of the surrounding land.

The road is paved its full length and plowed year-round. Most drivers run the byway in two to three hours, longer with stops at the Poudre Canyon overlooks or for fishing. There are no technical obstacles. The interest is the river canyon, the Wilderness boundaries on either side of Cameron Pass (Rawah Wilderness south, Never Summer Wilderness north), and the cattle country of North Park.

Hazards

Read before you go

Wildlife. Moose, elk, deer, and bighorn sheep cross routinely.
Winter closures during storms. CDOT closes during heavy winter weather.
Falling rock. Limestone walls in the Poudre Canyon drop rock occasionally.
Crosswinds at Cameron Pass. Particularly hazardous for high-profile vehicles.
Limited services on the canyon stretch. Top off before driving.

Location

101 mi · Overland route

Approx. location 40.517, -105.889

Trail facts

4 fields

Agency	U.S. Forest Service, Colorado Department of Transportation
Nearest town	Walden, Colorado
Website	www.fs.usda.gov/r02/arapaho-roosevelt
Approx. location	40.517, -105.889

Getting there

Directions

From Fort Collins. Take US-287 north to Ted's Place, then turn west on CO-14.

From Walden. Take CO-14 east from Walden through North Park.

Photos

1 photo

Photos · 1

Field notes

Getting Oriented

The byway runs east-west on CO-14 between Ted's Place (the US-287/CO-14 junction north of Fort Collins) and Walden in North Park. Roosevelt National Forest's Canyon Lakes Ranger District covers the eastern side; Routt National Forest covers the western side. The Cache la Poudre River parallels the road for the canyon stretch up to Joe Wright Reservoir.

Trail Overview

One hundred one miles, point-to-point, paved. The road follows the Poudre Canyon for the first sixty miles, climbing gradually through limestone walls and pine-fir forest. The climb to Cameron Pass takes the road over 10,000 feet; the descent into North Park drops to about 8,100 feet. There are no off-road sections.

Points of Interest

Poudre Canyon. Roughly fifty miles of canyon along the Wild & Scenic river. Multiple overlooks and fishing accesses.
Cameron Pass (10,276 ft). Continental Divide crossing. Pullout and Wilderness trailheads on both sides.
State Forest State Park. Just over the pass on the western side; moose-watching country.
Walden. Cattle-and-sheep ranching town in North Park, the western terminus.
North Park. Vast high valley with the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, the Illinois River Moose Viewing Area, and multiple fishing destinations.
Cache la Poudre Wild & Scenic River. The byway's defining feature. Catch-and-release and special-regulation waters along stretches.

Where to Camp

Multiple FS campgrounds along the Poudre Canyon: Mountain Park, Stove Prairie, Aspen Glen, Big South, Chambers Lake, and Tunnel. State Forest State Park has additional sites. Dispersed camping is allowed on FS land off side roads with the standard 16-day stay limit. Walden has private campgrounds.

Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip

The Poudre Canyon section is one of the better roadside trout-fishing corridors in Colorado. Special regulations apply to multiple stretches.
State Forest State Park west of Cameron Pass is among the best moose-viewing locations in Colorado.
The road closes during heavy winter storms. Check CDOT 511.
Top off in Fort Collins / Ted's Place or in Walden. Smaller lodges along the corridor have limited supplies.
Combine with the Buffalo Pass route from Steamboat Springs for a longer Park Range tour via Walden.

Frequently asked

Common questions

How difficult is Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway?: Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway is rated easy. The route runs 101 miles.
What kind of vehicle do you need for Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway?: Any street-legal vehicle. Paved its full length and plowed year-round.
When is the best time to visit Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway?: The best months are May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
Is there cell service at Cache la Poudre / North Park Scenic Byway?: Drops out in the upper Poudre Canyon; service near Fort Collins, Walden, and at lodges along the corridor.