Established Camping
Upper and Lower Ansel Watrous Campgrounds
About
National Forest
Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and Pawnee National Grassland
Overview
Ansel Watrous Campground is located on the Cache la Poudre River, 22 miles northwest of Fort Collins, Colo., along Highway 14. Visitors enjoy the area for its great rafting, fishing and hiking opportunities.
Recreation
The Cache la Poudre River offers whitewater rafting and fishing. Anglers cast for brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout, among other species of fish. Hiking, biking and horseback riding trails are in the surrounding area, including the 4-mile Young Gulch Trail. Other popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the campground include birding and wildlife viewing.
Facilities
The campground offers accessible single-family sites, each equipped with a 12-by-15 tent pad, a picnic table and a campfire ring with grill. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Dead and downed firewood may be gathered in the forest or purchased from the campground host.
Natural Features
The canyon's vegetation varies from dense forests to open meadows and the campground is surrounded by steep mountains. The campground is situated among Ponderosa pines on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River, Colorado's first river designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.
contact_info
For facility specific information, please call (530) 529-0578.
Charges & Cancellations
A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation. Late cancellations are subject to additional fees.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Stay Connected
- WiFiAvailable
- VerizonUnknown
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Firewood Available
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
For Vehicles
- Big Rig Friendly
GuideAwesome 4-season campground
Camped here a few times in shoulder seasons when it’s FCFS. I love that you can get a site without a reservation when it’s colder and the riverside sites are great. Bathrooms are some of the cleanest I’ve experience in a National Forest Campground! And a great hiking trail is across the street.
RangerBeautiful river puts you to sleep
We stayed for three nights and loved every bit of it except there is some road noise. The river drowned it out most of the time and no one bothered us with drive bys. Toilets clean. Host friendly. Firewood was sold and nice and dry. Level site. Bear box. Fire ring. LOTS to do in that canyon would definitely stay again.
GuideBeautiful, Clean, Remote, Quiet!
Utterly amazing experience here!! Despite being right off of a road, I was surprised that of the 4 nights we spent out here maybe only one or two cars drove by after dark. There's a biker bar not too far away that we took a walk to, folks were kind there. During the day, you'll see people ride down the river in rafts, and they can be a tad noisy BUT you won't be able to hear them over the sound of the roaring rapids if you disappear into the treeline to relax in a chair or hammock! Equipped with grills, flat plots, and a water well, this site was perfect for our large group. Great view of the stars at night, too. Not a ton in the way of hiking, but if you're adventurous you can wander off into the bluffs.
Location
Upper and Lower Ansel Watrous Campgrounds is located in Colorado
Directions
From Fort Collins, take Highway 14 northwest for 13 miles.
Coordinates
40.6897083 N
105.3491639 W