Blue Sky Trail

Blue Sky Trail is a long-distance hiking route in the Fort Collins–Loveland area of Colorado, running through Horsetooth Mountain Open Space to the north and continuing down toward Coyote Ridge Natural Area.

The commonly planned route is about 12.4 miles for a full out-and-back (or about 6.2 miles one way), with elevation gain that typically lands in the 600–1,100 ft range depending on where you turn.

Expect mostly singletrack dirt with a few rocky spots and only a small number of steeper grades; the character is generally described as moderately challenging rather than sustained climbing.

This trail links with several other trail systems in the middle, including access to Rim Rock and Indian Summer Loop, which makes it easy to build longer or shorter day routes by swapping connections.

South of the main ridge line, there are step/obstacle sections that many hikers will pick their way through carefully, while other parts of the route are described as fairly clear of obstacles and not overly steep.

Use the Horsetooth-side trailhead setup for the north end access (Blue Sky Trailhead off County Road 38E). A parking permit is associated with that area, and dogs are allowed but must be leashed.

For those planning days around mixed recreation, note that this corridor is also used for mountain biking and horseback riding in addition to hiking, so expect shared-trail etiquette on busy days.

More information: Blue Sky Trail Map, Blue Sky Trail — The Colorado Mountain Club, A Guide to the Blue Sky Trail- Fort Collins, Colorado