My Favorite Spot Along the River

My favorite spot along the Poudre River

The entire length along the river is beautiful. In fact, the Cache la Poudre River, also known as the Poudre, is Colorado's only federally designated Wild and Scenic River. This designation applies to a 76-mile section of the river, starting from the headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park and extending downstream.

The Cache la Poudre River got its name from French trappers who, during a severe blizzard, buried some of their gunpowder along the riverbank. The name, which translates to "hide the powder," is a French phrase signifying where the powder was hidden. This event occurred sometime between 1824 and 1835, with the most accepted version being that the trappers, led by William Ashley or another fur trading company, were traveling north and were caught in a snowstorm, forcing them to lighten their load. To-date, the cache has not been found.

Every time we walk along the river I come by this spot because it's always changing with the seasons. During Winter, the log is covered with snow and ice and the river meanders underneath. During the Spring run-off, the river covers most of the tree and only a small part can be seen.

Just out of view on the right the river gets deeper and forms a swimming hold of sorts and during the Summer, many families picnic in this area and enjoy the cool water of the river on a hot Summer's day.

If you're in town, remind me to take you for a walk by my favorite spot on the river.