Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
FORT COLLINS
POP 138,736 / ELEV 5003FT
Sixty-five miles northwest of Denver, Fort Collins straddles Colorado's topographical di-
vide. Look east and the plains stretch endlessly; turn around and the foothills of the Rock-
ies begin their rise.
Though Fort Collins serves as the foil to Colorado's other Front Range college town,
Boulder, the town's status as the underdog is a bit unjust. Sure, the landscape isn't as dra-
matic, the university isn't quite as prestigious and it doesn't have the granola-crunching so-
cialist cultural cache, but the bicycle-packed streets of Fort Collins exude an unpretentious
magnetism. This former farming community has developed into a city with lovely little
pockets, especially near the Colorado State University (CSU) campus and the refurbished
historical buildings of Old Town.
While the rivalry between the towns continues, there's one indisputable fact: the beer
here is
way
better. People who love hoppy, handcrafted microbrews might need to pinch
themselves to make sure they're not dreaming.
