Cache La Poudre River

The Cache La Poudre River — affectionately called "the Poudre" by locals — is the only Wild and Scenic River in Colorado, a designation that has helped preserve 76 miles of spectacular canyon fishing corridor in the mountains west of Fort Collins. Carving through the Roosevelt National Forest before emerging into the foothills of northern Colorado, the Poudre is the Front Range's most beloved trout stream and the primary fly fishing destination for the Fort Collins and Boulder communities.

The canyon section of the Poudre — accessible via the Poudre Canyon Highway (Highway 14) — offers the river's finest fishing, with clear mountain water tumbling through a mix of pocket water, plunge pools, and long glassy flats that hold a diverse population of wild brown trout, rainbow trout, cutthroat, and even brook trout in the upper reaches. Brown trout are the dominant species throughout most of the river, but cutthroat and cuttbow hybrids appear with increasing frequency above Rustic and toward the headwaters.

The Poudre's hatches are textbook Colorado mountain river, with Blue-winged Olives and midges providing consistent action from early spring through late fall. The Poudre is particularly celebrated for its summer Caddis hatches — green Caddis in May and June and the larger tan and orange varieties through August can produce evening rises that rival the state's best tailwaters. PMDs emerge from late June through July in the smoother runs, while Yellow Sally stoneflies bring fish to the surface in July and August during afternoon hours. Grasshopper patterns fished along the grassy banks from July through September consistently produce the river's largest fish.

A Wild Trout designation on a section upstream of Gateway Mountain Park restricts fishing to artificial flies and lures with catch-and-release, preserving the upper canyon's wild fish population. Multiple campgrounds along Highway 14 make multi-day fishing trips practical, and the road access means anglers can quickly move between sections to find the best conditions. Morning sessions often find uncrowded water even on summer weekends, particularly above the popular lower canyon pull-offs.

The Poudre is accessible year-round for the determined angler — winter midge fishing below the main canyon sections and in the lower foothills can produce surprising numbers of fish on calm sunny days. Runoff typically peaks in late May and June before the river stabilizes into its summer fishing character. Plan visits for late June through October for the Poudre's most consistent and enjoyable conditions, and don't overlook the less-visited upper canyon above Chambers Lake for solitude and wild cutthroat fishing.