Cache La Poudre Wilderness
Cache La Poudre Wilderness is characterized by steep, rugged terrain along the Cache la Poudre River. Elevation in this area varies from 6,200 to 8,600 feet (2,620 m). Ponderosa and Lodgepole pines dominate the landscape of this wilderness area. Wildlife inhabiting the area include bear, coyote, deer and mountain lions. The name of the river Cache La Poudre means “hiding place of the powder” in French. It refers to an incident in the 1820s when French trappers, caught by a snowstorm, were forced to bury part of their gunpowder along the banks of the river. The river is a popular summer destination for trout fishing, whitewater rafting, tubing, and kayaking in the Poudre Canyon. Red Feather Lakes is in the heart of Roosevelt National Forest. Of the fourteen lakes in the Red Feather Lakes area, six are open to the public for fishing and boating. Some of the lakes are in Roosevelt, and others are on private land. Only one three mile (5 km) long trail exists in this wilderness.
The Cache la Poudre river is the northern border of the wilderness area and is the only Colorado Wild and Scenic river. The corridor created by this river has been used as a travel route throughout history. There is a considerable amount of evidence to show Native Americans occupied and traveled the area along the Poudre river. In the 1800′s gold mining and timber harvesting brought the first permanent residents to Poudre Canyon. Colorado State Highway 14 now travels through the canyon alongside the river.
Access into the Cache la Poudre Wilderness can be made via the only trail into the area, the Mount McConnel National Recreation Trail. The Mount McConnel trail is 4 mile loop trail that is considered an easy to moderate hike. There are some steep sections along the trail. The elevation gain is 1,250 feet, but if you take your time, especially in the steep sections, it’s a wonderful hike. The views of Poudre Canyon and the surrounding mountain peaks will make the exertion worthwhile! Scrambling in stream bottoms, hiking the ridges and game trails are the other options for accessing this wilderness area.
Getting to the Cache La Poudre Wilderness Area
