Quick Tips
- Heavy recreational use
- Visit Rocky Mountain National Park
- Be aware of bears
- Trout fishing in many lakes and streams
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 160"+ |
| Elk | 260"-300" | 300"+ |
| Antelope | 60"-65" | 65"+ |
On The Ground
Stretching east about 45 miles from inside Fort Collins all the way to Cameron Pass, this narrow unit borders Rocky Mountain National Park and includes three wilderness areas in the Roosevelt National Forest. Hunters take many mule deer and elk, while antelope are scarce or nonexistent.
This unit was largely burned during the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire. Hunters should be aware that the landscape will be vastly different in areas and animal movements and habits may have changed.The 87,284-acre High Park fire in 2012 was the third largest in state history. Be aware that the wilderness areas receive heavy use.
Terrain
This unit includes the extremes of subdivisions in Fort Collins to peaks and barren ridges well above timberline on the northern border of Rocky Mountain National Park. Three wilderness areas occupy about 80,000 acres in the western half of the unit. The largest, 66,791-acre Comanche Peak Wilderness, borders the park and consists mostly of dense conifer forests that blanket miles of ridges, canyons and mountains. Prairie grasslands comprise most of the low terrain in the eastern part of the unit, which extend from Fort Collins to the foothills of the Front Range west of town. The foothills rise dramatically behind Horsetooth Reservoir up to the rugged mountain peaks of the Mummy Range. There are many deep canyons carved by the branches of Cache la Poudre River. Numerous steep gulches intersect the Cache la Poudre River as it parallels Colorado Route 14.
Roughly 423 square miles
67.3% public land
Elevations from 4,850-12,702 feet
Vegetation
Prairie grass grows below 6,000 feet. Juniper/pinyon woodlands, oak brush, sagebrush, ponderosa pines and aspens cover foothills before giving way to thick forests of lodgepole pines. Douglas firs and spruces dominate high mountain slopes and ridges. Creek bottoms are lined with willows and cottonwoods. Grasses, wildflowers and low bushes grow in alpine basins, meadows and parks.
Access
Access to the Roosevelt National Forest is good with primitive roads leading to many canyons. The eastern half of the unit is mostly private. Access to much public land is blocked by private land. The High Park fire in 2012 and extreme floods in 2013 have kept some hunters from visiting this area. Some roads are still closed. Check with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and National Forest Service offices for updates. No vehicles are allowed in three designated wilderness areas that lie entirely inside the unit:
9,657-acre Neota
66,791-acre Comanche Peak
9,258-acre Cache la Poudre (95% burned in 2012)
Hunters can drive to three state recreation areas:
2,591-acre Lory State Park
5,762-acre Poudre River State Park
351-acre Bliss State Wildlife Area
Camping and Lodging
Lory State Park and twenty-one campgrounds in the Roosevelt National Forest offer camping during early seasons. Campsites along the Cache la Poudre River, mountain lakes and near Rocky Mountain National Park are heavily used in summer. Officials open and close campgrounds according to weather.
Fort Collins has restaurants, hotels and motels, hospitals and stores.
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