Pineridge Natural Area - Fort Collins, Colorado

I don't believe that any city in the country can match Fort Collin's trails and park systems.



Trails, perfect for biking and hiking, criss-cross the city, sometimes linking with open, natural areas.

Pineridge natural area is located in southwest corner of Fort Collins. There is a nice dog park at the end of Horsetooth Rood that is adjacent to one of the Pineridge trails.

We sometimes let our dogs run in the park and then take them walking on the trail.

Dixon Reservoir is located within Pineridge Natural Area. It is a very good place for a picnic and some fishing.

A total of seven miles cover the Pineridge Natural Area.

Another very popular recreation area, Horsetooth Reservoir, borders the south side of Pineridge, featuring a larger reservoir with more trails and park areas.

Horsetooth Mountain Park

Horsetooth Mountain is just a couple miles from Ft. Collins, Colorado. To get to the beginning of the trail, take Harmony Road around Horsetooth Reservoir until you see Horsetooth Mountain Park. It will cost you $6.00 to park your car. There are restrooms, picnic tables and water fountains at the park.






It is about 2 1/2 miles from the park area to Horsetooth Rock. It is a fairly tough climb for the casual hiker, especially if you are not accustomed to hiking at high altitudes. You don't have to climb the entire mountain to enjoy the hike. Beautiful views of Ft. Collins, Horsetooth Reservoir and beyond reward the hiker at almost every point.






Horsetooth Rock at the top of the mountain is visible from much of Ft. Collins. The best view is from Horsetooth Road.

Sunday Trip to Moundville Archaeological Park

Moundville is a 340-acre park south of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It is one of the largest intact Mississippean sites in the United States. The Moundville site was occupied from around A.D. 1000 until A.D. 1450. At Moundville's peak, there were 1,000 inhabitants within the fortification and another 9,000 in the rest of the valley.





There are several ponds on the grounds that were formed when dirt was borrowed to build the mounds. The water level was still low due to the drought, so walked a short while along the dry banks. We wouldn't have picked up any flakes and chips, but we did look for them, mainly out of habit, I guess.



The Park sits on a bluff overlooking the Black Warrior River. During its occupation, there was a wooden palisade on the three remaining sides. Within the enclosure, were twenty-six earthen mounds. The largest pyramid is 58 feet above the surrounding grounds. There was a strict social order and the largest mounds were occupied by the highest ranking officials.



By 1450, Moundville only a handful of residents remained on the site. Nobody really knows why people left.





The creeks where we hunt artifacts eventually flow into the Black Warrior River.