Buckhorn Canyon - Cancelled by Wild Fire
Thu, Aug 01
|Johnson's Corner
We've done it before, and we're doing it again. Our favorite NoCo mountain drive. Host: Gary Halcomb Please RSVP so we can get an accurate headcount for lunch.
Time & Location
Aug 01, 2024, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Johnson's Corner, I-25 North, Exit 254, Johnstown, CO
About the Event
Join Gary & Mary for our favorite Northern Colorado drive up Buckhorn Canyon to the Mishawaka Inn, then to Old Town Fort Collins via Horsetooth Reservoir. This is a very scenic twisty-turny drive of ~75 miles that takes 3-4 hours, including lunch at Mishawaka Inn. Here's a detailed map with directions.
From Denver, take I-25 N to Johnson's Corner at exit 254 (CO-52). If your interested, JC is famous for their (overrated) cinnamon rolls and breakfasts. Be sure to use restrooms here, it will be about 1 hour before the next facilities. Try to park in the parking spaces just north of the restaurant building, meeting at 9:00 AM and leaving at 9:30 AM.
We'll take ruler-straight but scenic CO-60 west to CO-29, then north to Masonville. CO-29 has beautiful views of the foothills and bluffs, and plenty of turns for a Buckhorn Canyon warmup. We’ll stop in Masonville to gather up, maybe take pics of the funky display, and visit the General Store. There is a single porta-potty if needed.
Now for the good stuff, Buckhorn Canyon! I know every dip & curve of this road, so follow me if you'd like to push it just a tiny bit. We'll have a volunteer lead a more leisurely group also. Hopefully we’ll be too early for many bicyclists, but please be considerate. About 11:30 we stop for lunch at Mishawaka on CO-14 in Poudre Canyon. It's a beautiful site with a patio right on the Poudre River. Typical pub grub, about $15-$20.
After lunch, we’'ll backtrack up the Buckhorn a bit to scratch that last itch for curves, taking Rist Canyon down to Horsetooth Reservoir via Bellevue. If there is enough parking, we’ll stop at the free Skyline picnic area for a view and final meetup. If that lot is full, we'll continue a couple miles and stop at the Dixon Reservoir parking lot. There are several routes thru Fort Collins to I-25 and we'll discuss those, because we'll certailnly get seperated in FC. Mary & I will definitely stop in Old Town Fort Collins (near Mulberry & College) if anyone wants to stroll and perhaps visit the patio of the original Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant.
We hope to see you!!