Riding Tours - Traces of the Past History Tours

1) Fort Collins: Early Settlement & Town Beginnings (Riding Tour): Two hours, $36.00/person*

2) Fort Collins: Military Years (Riding Tour):
Two hours, $36.00/person*

3) Step On Guide: We offer "step-on guide" services for large groups and tour buses including schools, churches, large organizations, and tour groups. Contact us for more information and pricing.

*Discount eligibility: children (ages 12 and under), seniors, and military.

Tour Details

Tours consist of van travel to several sites with minimal walk/standing.
Access to restroom facilities are available on all tours.
Note: our touring vehicle is NOT wheelchair accessible, so please plan accordingly.
Pets are not permitted on our tours with the exception of service dogs.
Cancellations: all sales are final and we do not offer refunds.

What to Bring

Seasonal clothing: We recommend you to preview the weather conditions on the day of your tour and dress accordingly.
Comfortable footwear: On the standing and walking segments of the tours there is hard pavement and dirt trails, so please be mindful of your footing.
Water: Staying hydrated in Colorado is important - temperatures can be quite high during the summer months.
Sun protection: Sun exposure in Colorado is powerful. Safeguard your skin by applying sunscreen or sunblock.
Insect repellent: Although infrequent, in case we encounter mosquitoes, it is wise to carry some with you.

Gift Cards
We offer gift cards for purchase - give your loved ones the gift of education!

Fort Collins Early Settlement & Town Beginnings (Riding Tour)

Two-hour tour, Tuesday - Sunday $36.00/adults (discounts for children, seniors and veterans)

This tour tells the fascinating story of some the earliest settlers in the Cache la Poudre River valley, how they came to be associated with the founding of the fledgling community of Fort Collins, and where the settlement occurred along the Poudre corridor.

Writing in 1884 from Pine Ridge Agency in Dakota Territory, former trapper and guide Antoine Janis described the place where he and his Lakota wife, First Elk Woman, spent their winter and spring seasons.

“I thought then that the [Cache la] Poudre valley was the loveliest spot on earth, and think so yet.” Permanent Euro-American settlement began here in 1859 and slowly over the ensuing years the population increased. The U.S. Army, serving a protective role for civilians, drew still more settlers. After the military abandoned the area in 1866 the colony town of Fort Collins took shape and was later incorporated in 1873.

Where to Meet: Parking lot at the entrance to Watson Lake State Wildlife Area. Located ~1 mile west of Vern's Place on Risk Canyon Rd. (closest address to site: 4900 Rist Canyon Rd., Laporte, CO 80521)

Fort Collins: Military Years (Riding Tour)

Two-hour tour, Tuesday - Sunday $36.00/adults (discounts for children, seniors and military)

This tour outlines the military presence in the Cache la Poudre River valley and its significance to the Indian Wars and westward migration movement. Learn too, about Army life on the frontier and how this remote outpost named Camp Collins spawned the later foundation of its namesake town.

While the Civil War raged in the East, the U.S. Army continued to grapple with its oldest foe, the American Indians, in the West. Along the Oregon route in Wyoming in early 1862, Native American tribesmen, disturbed by the increasing presence of Euro-Americans and perhaps emboldened by a spatially dispersed enemy, stepped up their resistance. As a result, the mails as well as many wagon trains were detoured to a new road south.

Where to Meet: Parking lot at the entrance to Watson Lake State Wildlife Area. Located ~1 mile west of Vern's Place on Rist Canyon Rd. (closest address to site: 4900 Risk Canyon Rd., Laporte, CO 80521)