Colorado · Rock climbing · Fort Collins

Horsetooth Reservoir

Horsetooth Reservoir in Colorado has 8 climbing routes with 6 difficulty grades.

Horsetooth ReservoirPhoto: Runner1928, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
8 routes
5.6 – 5.10a
Bouldering · Mixed · Trad

Best time to visit Horsetooth Reservoir

Best months: April–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

  1. Jan

    45° / 18°

    4 wet

  2. Feb

    47° / 21°

    5 wet

  3. Mar

    56° / 29°

    6 wet

  4. Apr

    63° / 35°

    9 wet

  5. May

    71° / 44°

    12 wet

  6. Jun

    82° / 53°

    10 wet

  7. Jul

    87° / 59°

    9 wet

  8. Aug

    85° / 57°

    9 wet

  9. Sep

    77° / 48°

    7 wet

  10. Oct

    64° / 36°

    6 wet

  11. Nov

    53° / 26°

    5 wet

  12. Dec

    44° / 18°

    4 wet

Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ft Collins, CO, 3.7 mi away at 5,004 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Horsetooth Reservoir is a climbing area on county land in Colorado, set within the Horsetooth Reservoir land unit about 3.7 miles from the Ft Collins weather station. The area draws climbers, hikers and mountain bikers, with multiple climbing spots, hiking trails and a mountain biking loop all within a short distance of one another. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from the Ft Collins weather station show May highs around 71°F with lows near 44°F, and September highs around 77°F, while July highs climb to about 87°F. The climbing here is a mix of bouldering and traditional routes. Among the eight routes, Center Routes is a mixed climb graded 5.6, Star Fish is a mixed climb at 5.10a, and Smooth Moves Dihedral is a sport route at 5.9+. The bouldering at Pitch Penny Boulder sits about a tenth of a mile away. The Cache la Poudre River, about 6 miles away, offers paddling.

Routes (8)