Larimer County, Colorado · about 8,200 ft

Red Feather Lakes: a mountain village in the Roosevelt National Forest.

Trout lakes, pine forest trails and wildlife, about 45 miles northwest of Fort Collins.

12+named lakes in the community

3public State Wildlife Area lakes: Dowdy, West & Parvin

~45 minorthwest of Fort Collins

Since 1923the "Red Feather" name

Red Feather Lakes is a rustic mountain village almost entirely within the Roosevelt National Forest. The village has general stores, a coffee shop, a community library, a post office and a nine-hole golf course, and Hill Top sits right on Hiawatha Lake.

On the water

Lakes & fishing

Dowdy Lake

115 acres, no-wake. Canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are popular, and motorboats are allowed at wakeless speed. Anglers fish for brown, brook, cutthroat and lake trout. About 1 mile from the village.

West Lake

25 acres, no-wake. Boats must be hand, wind or electric powered. Rainbow and lake trout. About 1 mile east of the village.

Parvin Lake

A State Wildlife Area lake about 2 miles east, with float tubes allowed for fishing only. Anglers check in at the check station.

A lake and cabins in Red Feather Lakes, Colorado — Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY 4.0

Red Feather Lakes Village sign — Photo: Jeffrey Beall · CC BY-SA 4.0

A valid Colorado fishing license is required on public lakes. Check Colorado Parks & Wildlife rules before you go.

On the trail

Hiking, biking & riding

Dowdy Lake Trail: an easy loop of about 2 miles around the lake through ponderosa pine.
Mount Margaret Trail: about 4 miles each way, an easy forest walk with designated backcountry campsites.
West Lake Trail: about 1.5 miles.
Lady Moon & Disappointment Falls: a moderate trail out to a waterfall.
Frog Pond, Columbine and Lone Pine trails: more Forest Service routes nearby, many open to bikes.
Horseback riding trails, plus off-road vehicle trails within about five miles of Dowdy Lake.

Check Forest Service closures and fire restrictions before heading out.

Fall aspens along the Mount Margaret Trail — Photo: KimonBerlin · CC BY-SA 2.0

Wild neighbors

Wildlife & birding

Mule deer, elk and red foxes are seen along the Dowdy Lake Trail, and moose roam the area too. Birding and wildlife viewing are favorite activities at the lakes.

Winter

Ice fishing for trout on Dowdy and West Lakes
Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, with trails around Dowdy Lake and the Mount Margaret Trailhead good places to start
Sunny winter days and a quiet village

Beyond the village

A tour of the area

Day trips from Hill Top into national park, forest and canyon country. Every stop is on the area map.

Poudre Canyon

The canyon of the Cache la Poudre River, south of Red Feather Lakes.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Bear Lake is a scenic trailhead and destination in the park, run by the National Park Service.

Rawah Wilderness

A wilderness area in the Roosevelt National Forest, west of the village.

State Forest State Park

A state park in Jackson and Larimer counties, over Cameron Pass.

Horsetooth Reservoir

A reservoir in Larimer County, just west of Fort Collins.

Ames Monument

A granite pyramid near Laramie, Wyoming, and a U.S. historic place.

Explore the area map

Local color

History & Gnome Road

Settlers arrived in the 1870s, timber crews cut railroad ties here, and the Red Feather Mountain Lakes Association named the area in 1923, turning it into a summer cabin retreat. The Red Feather Historical Society runs a museum in a historic cabin in the village. Don't miss Gnome Road ("Elf Lane"), a dirt road dotted with ceramic gnomes and fairy doors among the trees and boulders.

Plan your stay at Hill Top