The Little Narrows, Poudre Canyon

For much of its length the Poudre canyon is broad enough for a river, a road, and a strip of pine forest between them. At the narrows that room disappears. The walls close to a slot barely wide enough for the highway and the river, and the two run together through the gap, the pavement carved into the rock on one side and the whitewater surging along the other.

The effect is thrilling from behind the windshield and better still from a pullout on foot, where you can feel the canyon amplify the roar of the water. These pinched sections have long been landmarks on the drive up the canyon, natural gateways where travelers know they have truly left the plains behind.

The Cache la Poudre is Colorado's only National Wild and Scenic River, a designation reserved for waterways kept in a free-flowing, natural state. Fed by the high snows of the Rockies, it runs cold, clear, and strong, and in the narrows its full force is on display. In late spring and early summer, snowmelt turns the river into a torrent of standing waves that draws kayakers and rafters from across the region.

That wildness is the river's character all year. The Poudre is prized for its trout fishing in the calmer reaches, its whitewater in the steep ones, and its untamed feel throughout, a mountain river that has never been dammed along this stretch and behaves like it.

The narrows are one act in a much longer show. The Cache la Poudre-North Park Scenic Byway follows Highway 14 for around a hundred miles, climbing from the canyon mouth near Fort Collins all the way over Cameron Pass at nearly 10,000 feet and down into the wide, mountain-ringed basin of North Park beyond.

Along the way the drive passes granite cliffs, riverside pullouts, national forest campgrounds, and stands of aspen that blaze gold in autumn, with good chances of spotting bighorn sheep on the rocks and moose in the willows higher up. The narrows make a natural place to stop and take the canyon in, a dramatic pause on one of northern Colorado's finest mountain drives.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Little Narrows is a scenic, narrow section of the dramatic Poudre Canyon, carved by the Cache la Poudre River in northern Colorado west of Fort Collins. Here the canyon walls close in tightly around the rushing river, creating a striking, rugged stretch of steep rock, forest, and swift water along the scenic Poudre Canyon byway. A picturesque spot within one of Colorado's most beautiful canyons, the Little Narrows offers lovely views, fishing access, and a taste of the wild, rocky character of the Poudre Canyon, making it a rewarding stop for travelers exploring this stunning river corridor in the northern Colorado mountains.

You can take in the dramatic canyon scenery where the walls narrow around the river, fish for trout in the Cache la Poudre River, photograph the rugged rock and rushing water, picnic at nearby spots, and enjoy the drive along the scenic Poudre Canyon byway that winds through this beautiful corridor. The area offers access to the river and stunning views of the narrow canyon. With its striking scenery, fishing, and place along the beautiful Poudre Canyon drive, the Little Narrows is a picturesque stop for those exploring the wild and scenic Cache la Poudre River in northern Colorado.

The Cache la Poudre River runs swift, cold, and powerful, especially during spring and early summer snowmelt, so keep well back from the fast water, never wade or swim in strong current, which is very dangerous, and watch children closely near the river. The canyon roadside can be narrow with traffic and steep terrain, so use caution when parking and walking. Be aware of changing mountain weather and rockfall in the steep canyon. Respecting the river's power and being cautious near the water and road keeps a visit to this scenic narrows safe.

Late spring through fall offers the most pleasant conditions for enjoying the canyon scenery and fishing, with early summer bringing high, dramatic river flows from snowmelt, mid to late summer offering calmer water good for fishing, and fall bringing beautiful color to the canyon. Winter can bring snow and icy roads in the canyon. For the fullest river flow and dramatic scenery, aim for late spring through early summer, and for fishing and comfortable conditions, summer and fall are ideal at this scenic stretch of the Poudre Canyon.

The Little Narrows is within the Poudre Canyon along the Cache la Poudre River in northern Colorado, near the scenic Poudre Canyon byway, the city of Fort Collins to the east with its downtown and breweries, Horsetooth Reservoir, and within reach of Rocky Mountain National Park to the southwest, where the river begins. That makes the Little Narrows a scenic stop to combine with the Poudre Canyon drive, Fort Collins, Horsetooth Reservoir, and the mountain attractions of northern Colorado on a visit to the state.