Fort Collins (pop. 127,000) is a large city at the northernmost end of the Denver metro corridor. Listed number 2 in CNN Money's Best Places to Live (2009), Fort Collins caters to a youthful crowd, with a bike lane on nearly every street and a vibrant downtown. In fact, Disneyland's Main Street was patterned after Old Town Fort Collins. Fort Collins is home to 4 established microbreweries and a plethora of local restaurants. A number of cultural events take place downtown and at the Lincoln Center throughout the year. Fort Collins is home to Colorado State University, which boasts a premier veterinary school and one of the world's seed banks.
About 600 acres of city parks, 20 miles of hiking/biking trails, several lakes within city limits, and thousands more of protected natural areas help to integrate nature into the urban landscape. Visitors to Fort Collins have ready access to several different kinds of terrain. Rocky Mountain National Park is a short drive to the southwest, and the surrounding forested mountains and wilderness areas are also open to the public. Nearby Horsetooth Reservoir is enjoyable by boat, and additionally offers several parks accessible by car. The Cache la Poudre River, one of the last un-dammed rivers in the country, provides entertainment for water sports enthusiasts and fisherman. Finally, the grasslands of the Great Plains stretch out to the east, enticing bird watchers and those interested in pioneer and Native American history.
Fort Collins is located about 60 miles north of Denver north central Colorado, and is not far from the Wyoming border.
