Future Trails
The Fort Collins trails system is extremely popular with the people of the "Choice City." According to one study, 78 percent of Fort Collins residents reported using the trails. Park Planning & Development continually strives to expand the trail system to reach and better serve the growing boundaries of the city. Current expansions include: FOSSIL CREEK TRAILFossil Creek Trail segments, starting at the west end near the Spring Canyon Community Park: Section from County Road #38E north to Spring Canyon Park: This section of about ½ mile in length will start in the area of the Fox Hills Development and travel almost straight north to the park site. Construction is planned for Spring 2008. Section from where the trail ends at Luther Lane (on the west side of the Taft Canyon Development) will travel north and east to County Road #38E for a future trail underpass and then along the north side of the road to the proposed Section “A”. The section will be about 1/3 mile in length. The underpass is into the preliminary design phase with construction planned for 2010 and later. Section from Shields Street to Highway #287 is planned but requires one right-of-way segment before construction can occur. The BNSF railroad has granted permission for an underpass just south of where Fossil Creek flows under the tracks. The railroad line is located about ¼ mile west of Highway #287. This trail segment will connect to the west side of the recently completed trail underpass of the highway. The segment length is about 1.25 miles in length. This segment is planned for construction in 2008/2009. Section from Lemay Avenue, at the Fossil Creek Community Park, to Trilby Road will connect to the Power Trail at Trilby Road. The two trails will join at an underpass planned in the area where Fossil Creek goes under Trilby Road. This segment is about ½ mile in length. This segment is not planned for construction until 2010 and later. Section from Carpenter Road east along the south side of Fossil Creek Reservoir and north to Harmony Road and is called the “South Branch” of the Fossil Creek Trail. The segment of about 5.5 miles in length is not planned for construction until 2010 and later Section from the Power Trail near Southridge Golf Course east toward Bacon School and on to Zach School is called the “North Branch” of the Fossil Creek Trail. This trail will connect in to the South Branch of the Fossil Creek Trail near I-25 east of Zach School near Strauss Cabin Road. The segment is about 3 miles in length. A small section is in place near Zach School. Construction is not planned until 2010 and later. POWER TRAILPower Trail segments starting at the north end near Edora Park: Section from where the trail connects to the south side of EPIC north to the Spring Creek Trail is about ¼ mile in length. A new easement from the Union Pacific Railroad was obtained in 2006 that will allow for this connection. Construction is planned for 2008/2009. Section from Harmony Road south to Trilby Road requires an underpass at Keenland Road. Fencing the trail from the tracks will block east/west access between neighborhoods and prevent any access to the trail from east of the tracks. The underpass at Keenland Road is in the design stage with construction planned for 2009. The fencing and construction of the gravel walking path could occur in 2008 with the concrete trail to follow when funds are available. The segment will be about 2 miles in length. Section from Trilby Road south will follow Stanton Creek to Carpenter Road. The plan is to establish the gravel path in 2009 with the concrete to follow when funds are available. The section is about 1 mile in length. Section from Carpenter Road south to Loveland’s trail system requires Larimer County to complete. The section is planned to be completed in the next few years. POUDRE RIVER TRAILThe remaining section of the trail from the Environmental Learning Center to Timnath is planned for construction in two phases. Timnath will have the trail constructed east of I-25 were the Poudre River crosses under the road in 2009. We will complete the trail from the historical Strauss Cabin area to the east side of I-25 in 2009/10. This will involve an underpass of I-25 along the south bank of the Poudre River. The length of this section is about ¾ of a mile. The section from the ELC to Strauss Cabin requires trail right-of-way along the east side of Ziegler Road where the present concrete plant is located. It is hoped the land will re-develop and right-of-way obtained by 2010. This section would be about 1 ¾ miles in length. SPRING CREEK TRAILThe trail is nearly complete with only a few asphalt sections yet to be replaced. These sections will be removed in the next few years. NORTHEAST TRAILSThe trail system in the northeast portion of Fort Collins is developing as growth occurs. The total completion of the system will be beyond 2010. BOXELDER TRAILThe Boxelder Trail would start at historical Strauss Cabin and travel north to Prospect Road. The trail is not planned to be constructed until beyond 2010. CANAL TRAILThe Canal Trail is located along the Pleasant Valley and Lake Canal will start near Harmony Road and will connect with the Spring Creek Trail near Taft Hill Road. Trail right-of-way is needed in the area of Taft Hill Road. The 2.25 mile long segment has a section completed just south of Horsetooth Road. The construction of the trail is not planned until beyond 2010. NORTHWEST AREA TRAILSThe Northwest Sub-area Plan completed in 2006 identified trails for this portion of the community. Construction of the trails is planned for beyond 2010 and beyond due to the need for right-of-way. MASON TRAILDevelopment of the trail north to CSU is not expected until beyond 2010.
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