Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER
To cruise along Hwy 15 - from the mouth of the Cache la Poudre (rhymes with 'neuter')
River Canyon at Laporte to Walden 92 miles west - is a stunning venture. The ribbon of
pavement winds through the foothills along the aspen- and pine-edged river in some of Co-
lorado's most scenic country. For those who want to camp without the intense backcountry
commitment, the sites along the Cache la Poudre are the best highly accessible camping in
the west. It offers stunning wilderness, a place where mule deer, elk and wild trout often
outnumber human visitors. One of Colorado's biggest wildfires ever ran through here in
2012, and much of the area south of the river has been scorched.
The area is largely designated as a National Heritage Area and the Wild & Scenic Rivers
Act protects 75 miles of the Cache la Poudre River from new dams or diversions. Thirty
miles of the river meet the highest standards and are designated as 'wild' for being free of
dams and diversions and having undisturbed shorelines; the remaining 45-mile protected
section is designated 'recreational' - meaning it can be accessed by roads. White-water en-
thusiasts should check with experienced guide services or the USFS before putting into the
river and finding unrunnable rapids, like the frothing Narrows, or a dam looming up ahead.
The tiny burg of Rustic, 32 miles west of the US 287-Hwy 14 junction, offers services
and decent cabin lodging, but the USFS camping along Hwy 14 is the best lodging in the
area by far. You can get information at the
USFS Visitor Center
( 970-881-2152; 34500 Poudre
Canyon Hwy/Hwy 14)
just west of Idylwilde, which occupies the handsome Arrowhead Lodge,
built in 1935 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Of the campgrounds
under its jurisdiction,
Big Bend Campground
( office 970-498-2770; Poudre Canyon Hwy; tent sites $12;
)
is a favorite, with shady sites within earshot of the rushing water.
Another excellent reason to head this way is the
Mishawaka Amphitheatre
( 970-316-2001;
www.mishawakaconcerts.com
; 13714 Poudre Canyon Hwy/Hwy 14; summer only)
, a cozy 900-seat venue
in the heart of the canyon. It's way out there, but the acts that are drawn to the place -
everything from hip-hop acts such as Blackalicious to barefoot jam bands - are usually top
notch. The food is pretty damn good too.
Stop at the self-service
Cache la Poudre Visitors Information Center
, 3 miles west of US 287 on
Hwy 14, for information on wildlife viewing and fishing regulations. Watch for bighorn
sheep on the steep slopes along a 35-mile section of the north bank from Mishawaka to
Poudre Falls, a series of picturesque roaring cascades. The USFS recently developed a par-
