Fall in Fort Collins: Foothills Trails, Halloween Events and Farms

October in Fort Collins brings crisp mornings and golden cottonwoods along the Poudre. The season's things to do run from foothills trails west of town to Halloween trick-or-treating for children under the age of seven, and the dated events appear on the events calendar.

Horsetooth Mountain Open Space

Horsetooth Mountain Open Space is a 2,711-acre open space west of Fort Collins. It is made up of Culver, Soderberg and Hughey Open Spaces. The open space lies west of Horsetooth Reservoir, 4 miles from Fort Collins and 12 miles northwest of Loveland. Within its boundaries the land climbs from 5,430 feet to 7,255 feet in elevation. Horsetooth Rock, which stands inside the open space, is a familiar local landmark that can be seen from the plains. The open space is known for its views of the Front Range. In the spring it is also known for Horsetooth Falls.

Its 29 miles of trails are open to hiking, biking and horseback riding. Those trails connect to the Blue Sky Trail and to the trails of Lory State Park. Larimer County requires entrance permits, and the open space is open year round. The main trailhead is closed from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. The Soderberg Open Space Trailhead is open from sunrise to sunset. Parking at the open space is a challenge on holidays and weekends in particular, and the lot does reach capacity. Dogs and other pets must be kept on leash at all times. E-bikes are prohibited on the natural surface trails. Camping is allowed in the backcountry only, and only at designated sites. Campers must register by reserving a spot.

Lory State Park

Lory State Park is a 2,591-acre foothills park in Bellvue, Colorado. The park is located near Fort Collins, next to Horsetooth Reservoir. Its trail system covers 28.1 miles. Those trails generally have an incline of no more than 12 percent. Visitors to the park can go mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding. The park also has five picnic areas for visitors to use. Lory State Park is open daily from 5 a.m. to sunset. A daily vehicle pass for the park costs $10 to $15. An individual daily pass costs $4. Leashed dogs are permitted in the park, as are service animals and horses. The park's address is 708 Lodgepole Drive, Bellvue, CO 80512.

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery

Fort Collins Museum of Discovery opened in 2012. It's a science, history and culture museum focused on life-long learning and fun for all ages. The museum was created from the merger of the City of Fort Collins Museum, established in 1941, and the nonprofit Discovery Science Center, dating from 1989. It operates as a public-private partnership. Its exhibits are both hands-on and collections-based, and they tell the stories of Northern Colorado and beyond. Dome shows run at the museum daily. The museum also offers after-hours music events and live animal encounters. It is open from 09:00 AM to 05:00 PM Tuesday through Sunday. It is closed on Monday. The museum's address is 408 Mason Ct., Fort Collins, CO 80524.

Art, music and the drive-in

The City of Fort Collins Center for Creativity is at 200 Mathews Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524. It hosts community art exhibitions in its Gallery A and B. Laurel Fest is a two-night music festival at Laurel and College, and it is walkable. The festival uses multiple stages, including Avogadro's, The Atrium and R Bar. Laurel Fest is back as an annual fall tradition. The Mishawaka Amphitheatre is a concert venue in the Poudre Canyon. The venue is known as "The Mish." The Holiday Twin Drive-In holds its last screenings of the season this October.

Halloween for young children

Pumpkins on Parade takes place at The Gardens on Spring Creek. The event has whimsically themed zones and larger-than-life pumpkin art set up for photos. It also has seasonal games and nightly live entertainment. Pumpkins on Parade has an earlier start time suited to the youngest children, so families can celebrate before bedtime.

Tiny Tot Halloween is an annual event in Downtown Fort Collins. It invites all children under the age of seven, along with their parents or guardians, to a safe trick-or-treating experience. Tiny Tot Halloween runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Treatsylvania is a non-spooky Halloween event. Children stroll through The Farm at Lee Martinez Park and down Trick-or-Treat Street to collect candy. The event includes a hayride for the family. Treatsylvania is designed for children ages 10 and under. Every participating child needs a ticket. Adults and siblings who are not trick-or-treating get in free. Treatsylvania tickets are sold out for 2026.

Pumpkin patches and corn mazes

Pumpkin patches around Fort Collins include The Bartels Farm, Spooky's Pumpkin Patch, Anderson Farm Pumpkin Patch and Something From The Farm. Its list of corn mazes around Fort Collins includes Fritzler Colorado Corn Maze, Anderson Farm's Corn Maze, Bartels Farm Corn Maze and Something From The Farm Corn Maze.

Jack Lantern's Corn Maze is at 2318 S. County Road 5, Fort Collins, Colorado 80525. It describes itself as a Northern Colorado corn maze and pumpkin patch that has operated for 20+ years. Jack Lantern's Corn Maze is closed in October 2026 due to drought and not receiving its water shares.

Farmers market and fall beer

The Fort Collins Farmers Market is held every May to November. It offers seasonal vegetables and fruit. It also offers locally sourced specialty items such as meat, honey, flowers and coffee. The market sets up in the Ace Hardware parking lot at 1001 E Harmony Rd., Fort Collins, at the SE corner of Harmony Rd. and Lemay Ave. The Sunday market runs from 10 am to 2 pm.

Visit Fort Collins suggests trying a fall seasonal beer at one of the city's 20-plus craft breweries.