The Power Trail provides a convenient north-south route through Fort Collins in two disconnected segments along the west side of the Union Pacific Railroad. The pathway is paved and flat, traveling past neighborhoods, open spaces, two parks, Collindale Golf Course and Kruse Elementary School.
Edora Community Park, at the trail's northern end, is a popular recreational area with a playground, athletic fields, tennis courts, skate park and restrooms.
At the longer segment's southern end, the trail abruptly ends, but trail users can take the connected pathway in Golden Meadows Park to reach McMurry Avenue. With its barbeque grills and shelters, the park offers a nice place to picnic.
A shorter second stretch of trail begins a short distance away at Keenland Drive. Skirting the edge of Southridge Golf Course, the trail provides access to homes in the adjacent Paragon Point neighborhood.
To continue east or west through Fort Collins, you can hop on the 7-mile Spring Creek Trail from the trail's northern end in Edora Community Park.
Parking is available in Edora Community Park (1420 E. Stuart Street) at the northern end of the trail and Golden Meadows Park (4324 McMurray Avenue) at the southern end of the northern segment.
We did this trail on longboard skateboards and it was fun. We connected five trails for a total of 23 miles out and back. The whole trail system has a lot of up and down which is great on a longboard. There are several sections where you can exceed 20 MPH. We started at the West end parking lot of Edora and on the Spring Cr. Trail skated over to the Power trail head. The Power trail has one break in it and you have to travel on paved road for a short ways, the pavement is in great condition. The trail connects with the Fossil Cr. trail which is very scenic and pretty. The Fossil Cr. trail connects to the new Front Range trail that connects Ft. Collins to Loveland. From the Front Range trail you will travel to the Loveland Recreation Trail. Once you connect with the Loveland trail you can go East or West. If you go East you will encounter Boyd Lake and I whole bunch of extra really cool miles, very cool trail. If you travel West you will end up at the Walmart on Hwy 287 which is where we stopped and skated back to Edora. I can't stress enough how awesome the trail is for an intermediate (Blue) longboarder.
Starting at Fossil Creek Park on Lemay Ave., head west on the Fossil Creek Trail, then north on the Mason Trail, then east on Spring Creek trail, then south on Power trail, then back to the start at Fossil Creek park, you can make a 13 mile South Ft Collins Loop.
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