Cache La Poudre River – near Fort Collins-Greeley, CO

The Cache La Poudre River runs approximately 126 miles from the northern part of Rocky Mountain National Park through Fort Collins and Greeley, Colorado before emptying into the South Platte River. Even though the course of the river is relatively short it is a beloved river by many Coloradans because of the excellent recreational opportunities along its route.

Cache La Poudre River Route

The main source of the river is Poudre Lake. From there the Cache La Poudre flows through Poudre Canyon and Roosevelt National Forest. It winds down from the Rockies flowing east past Greeley where it joins the South Platte River.

Cache La Poudre River Rapids — Cache la Poudre River rapids. Photo: Oneliketadow

Activities on the Cache La Poudre River

In the Poudre Canyon visitors can enjoy excellent whitewater rafting, kayaking tubing and fishing. The river is also an excellent place to cool off during the hot summer months. Anglers looking for a good place to camp and fish will find many campgrounds off of Highway 14.

Camping – There are both RV and tent sites available along the river and most are on a first come first served basis. For visitors who like to plan, there are four campgrounds on the river that offer reservations. These can be found at the Narrows, Ansel Watrous, Stove Prairie and Mountain Park campgrounds.

Fishing – Fishing the Cache La Poudre can expect to catch brown trout, rainbow trout, cutbow trout and cutthroat trout.

Cache La Poudre River Rope Swing — Rope swing on the Poudre River. Photo: AJ Schroetlin

Whether you’re looking for a whitewater rafting adventure, excellent fishing spot or just a place to get away from it all, the Cache La Poudre offers it all.