Mount McConnel is a relatively mundane little mountain that resides on the south side of the Poudre Canyon. It was named after R.C. McConnel, one of the first forest rangers on the Poudre Ranger District (now Canyon Lakes Ranger District) in the early 1900s. One thing that makes Mount McConnel interesting is that it is the only named peak in the Cache la Poudre Wilderness.

This little wilderness area (a mere 9,258 acres) contains nine miles of the Little South Fork of the Cache la Poudre River, a part of Colorado's only designated Wild and Scenic River drainage. The water has cut a deep and tortured canyon into granitic bedrock, typical of the Front Range of Colorado, to join the Main Fork of the Cache la Poudre River, which forms the northern boundary of the Wilderness. The small trail system on the northern slopes of Mount McConnel are the only official trails in the wilderness. The southern slopes of Mount McConnel are relatively rugged. This, combined with the fact that the Poudre River must be forded to access the Little South Fork, make this part of the wilderness rarely visited.

The trail system on the northern slopes of Mount McConnel offer good views of Poudre Canyon and the Cache la Poudre River. The summit offers excellent views of the northern end of the Mummy Range. This includes Comanche Peak, Fall Mountain, Rowe Mountain, Hagues Peak, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Stormy Peaks.

Trails Overview

There is a well-maintained trail system on the northern slopes of Mount McConnel. These trails form a sort of figure eight where the Mount McConnel trail forms the top loop and goes to the summit. The lower loop is an interpretive nature trail dedicated to William R. Kreutzer, the first official forest ranger in the US. I’d estimate it’s about three miles from the trailhead to the summit of Mount McConnel with 1,330 feet of elevation gain.

Getting There

From downtown Ft. Collins go north on U.S. 287 to mile marker 22. Turn west on Hwy. 14 going up Poudre Canyon. Stay on Hwy. 14 for roughly 30 miles until you see Mountain Park Campground on your left (south side of the river). If you pass Kelley Flats Campground you know you’ve gone too far. Turn into Mountain Park Campground and follow the signs to the day use parking area. During the winter the campground is closed, so park along Hwy. 14 and walk through the gate to the trailhead.

Red Tape

There is no red tape.

When To Climb/Mountain Conditions

For current mountain conditions contact the Canyon Lakes Ranger District. Due to its low elevation, Mount McConnel can be easily hiked most of the year. However, since the trails are on the northern slopes of the mountain the trail may retain some ice and snow in the dead of winter.

Camping

Camping is available at the trailhead in Mountain Park Campground. This campground is very popular during the summer and reservations are advisable. There are many other campground in the vicinity. Contact Canyon Lakes Ranger District for details.

Contact Canyon Lakes Ranger District

Cache la Poudre Wilderness and Mount McConnel are administrated by Canyon Lakes Ranger District. Here is the contact info I pulled off of their website (www.fs.fed.us/arnf/districts/clrd).

Address: 1311 South College, Fort Collins, Colorado 80524
Phone: (970) 498-2770
TTY: (970) 498-2727
Fax: (970) 498-2769

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