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A gray 4x4 Sprinter with a roof rack on a two-track through a wildflower meadow, cloud sitting on the mountains behind.

Forest Service campground

Ansel Watrous

Forest Service campground in Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG, Larimer County, Colorado. 5,835 feet. 17.8 miles from Fort Collins.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee NG
Elevation
5,835 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
17 13 standard non-electric, 3 walk to, 1 tent only non-electric
Longest rig
40 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Larimer County

Overview

Ansel Watrous Campground is located on the Cache la Poudre River, 22 miles northwest of Fort Collins, Colo., along Highway 14. Visitors enjoy the area for its great rafting, fishing and hiking opportunities.

Recreation

The Cache la Poudre River offers whitewater rafting and fishing. Anglers cast for brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout, among other species of fish.

Hiking, biking and horseback riding trails are in the surrounding area, including the 4-mile Young Gulch Trail.

Other popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the campground include birding and wildlife viewing.

Facilities

The campground offers accessible single-family sites, each equipped with a 12-by-15 tent pad, a picnic table and a campfire ring with grill.

Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Dead and downed firewood may be gathered in the forest or purchased from the campground host.

Natural Features

The canyon's vegetation varies from dense forests to open meadows and the campground is surrounded by steep mountains. The campground is situated among Ponderosa pines on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River, Colorado's first river designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • biking
  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • canoeing
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • kayaking
  • mountain biking
  • rafting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Ansel Watrous

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated September 2, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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