Cycling & running events in Fort Collins, 2026

Fort Collins-Loveland Training Notes

Running: Locals run Fort Collins-Loveland from river path to foothill dirt. The Poudre River Trail gives runners 21 miles of paved path, and it often carries crushed gravel alongside it. 7 paved miles and meets the Poudre when base miles need to stay smooth. Spring Canyon Park has it all, with lines toward Pineridge natural area, Maxwell Natural Area, and Horsetooth. The route to Horsetooth covers 8 miles with a 656-foot incline. Fort Collins Running Club has kept the scene moving since 1971. Choice City Running Festival and Blue Sky Trail Marathon & Half Marathon sit on the local calendar.

Cycling: Locals ride from Old Town Fort Collins toward foothills, prairie, gravel, and brewery laps. Fort Collins Cycling Club keeps the group-ride rhythm with A, B, C, and D pace categories plus Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday rides. The route covers 6 km and 457 m of climbing as it swings around the southern end of Horsetooth Reservoir Overlook, rolls on to Masonville, descends into Loveland, and comes back by Cathy Fromme Prairie Natural Area. Fort Collins Northern Expanse Loop mixes 55% gravel with 45% pavement and dirt roads. Blue Sky Trail connects west of Horsetooth Reservoir toward Devil’s Backbone. Spring Dirt Pile Short Track at New Belgium Brewing brings the crit energy on dirt.

Season: Spring and fall give runners and cyclists the cleanest training window here. The scorching heat of summer has given way in fall, and the chill of winter has yet to arrive. Fort Collins Cycling Club makes summer social with dinner rides in May, June, July, and August, while runners keep to shaded Poudre River Trail miles or move workouts earlier. Northern Colorado can feel windy and bright in exposed areas, so Z2 days need a little patience. Winter changes the rhythm more than the identity. The foothills near Fort Collins stay rideable much of the winter, and runners still have paved paths when singletrack needs time.