Fort Collins, Colorado - wikipedia Fort Collins, Colorado `` Fort Collins '' redirects here. For other uses, see Fort Collins ( disambiguation ). Home Rule Municipality in Colorado, United States Fort Collins, Colorado Home Rule Municipality Downtown `` Old Town '' Fort Collins Flag Location of Fort Collins in Larimer County, Colorado. Coordinates : 40 ° 33 ′ 33 '' N 105 ° 4 ′ 41 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 40.55917 ° N 105.07806 ° W ﻿ / 40.55917 ; - 105.07806 Coordinates : 40 ° 33 ′ 33 '' N 105 ° 4 ′ 41 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 40.55917 ° N 105.07806 ° W ﻿ / 40.55917 ; - 105.07806 Country United States State Colorado County Larimer Commissioned 1864 Incorporated February 12, 1883 Named for United States Army colonel William O. Collins Government Type Home Rule Municipality Mayor Wade Troxell Mayor pro tem Gerry Horak City Manager Darin Atteberry Area Total 57.05 sq mi ( 147.77 km ) Land 55.82 sq mi ( 144.58 km ) Water 1.23 sq mi ( 3.20 km ) 1.27 % Elevation 5,003 ft ( 1,525 m ) Population ( 2010 ) Total 143,986 ( US : List of United States cities by population Estimate ( 2016 ) 164,207 Density 2,941.67 / sq mi ( 1,135.78 / km ) Time zone MST ( UTC − 7 ) Summer ( DST ) MDT ( UTC − 6 ) ZIP Codes 80521 -- 80528 Area code 970 FIPS code 08 - 27425 GNIS feature ID 0204673 Highways I - 25, US 287, SH 1, SH 14 Website fcgov.com Fourth most populous Colorado city Fort Collins is the Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, Fort Collins is located 65 mi ( 105 km ) north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2016 estimated population of 161,000, it is the fourth most populous city in Colorado after Denver, Colorado Springs, and Aurora. Fort Collins is a midsize college city, home to Colorado State University. Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 3 Demographics 4 Economy 4.1 Major industries and commercial activity 4.2 Sustainability programs 5 Arts and culture 6 Government 7 Education 7.1 Higher education 8 Media 9 Infrastructure 9.1 Transportation 9.1. 1 Air travel 9.1. 2 Streets 9.1. 3 Transit and taxi 9.1. 4 Cycling 9.2 Commercial shipping 9.3 Facilities 9.4 Police 10 Notable people 11 In popular culture 12 Publicity 13 See also 14 References 15 External links History Fort Collins was founded as a military outpost of the United States Army in 1864. It succeeded a previous encampment, known as Camp Collins, on the Cache La Poudre River, near what is known today as Laporte. Camp Collins was erected during the Indian wars of the mid-1860s to protect the Overland mail route that had been recently relocated through the region. Travelers crossing the county on the Overland Trail would camp there, but a flood destroyed the camp in June 1864. Afterward, the commander of the fort wrote to the commandant of Fort Laramie in southeast Wyoming, Colonel William O. Collins, suggesting that a site several miles farther down the river would make a good location for the fort. The post was manned originally by two companies of the 11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry and never had walls. Nineteenth - century bird 's - eye view of Fort Collins Fort Collins, facing west ( 1875 ) Poudre Valley Bank, at Linden and Walnut, in Fort Collins ( 1908 ) Settlers began arriving in the vicinity of the fort nearly immediately. The fort was decommissioned in 1867. The original fort site is now adjacent to the present historic `` Old Town '' portion of the city. The first school and church opened in 1866, and the town was platted in 1867. The civilian population of Fort Collins, led by local businessman Joseph Mason, led an effort to relocate the county seat to Fort Collins from LaPorte, and they were successful in 1868. The city 's first population boom came in 1872, with the establishment of an agricultural colony. Hundreds of settlers arrived, developing lots just south of the original Old Town. Tension between new settlers and earlier inhabitants led to political divisions in the new town, which was incorporated in 1873. Although the Colorado Agricultural College was founded in 1870, the first classes were held in 1879. The 1880s saw the construction of a number of elegant homes and commercial buildings and the growth of a distinctive identity for Fort Collins. Stone quarrying, sugar - beet farming, and the slaughter of sheep were among the area 's earliest industries. Beet tops, an industry supported by the college and its associated agricultural experiment station, proved to be an excellent and abundant food for local sheep, and by the early 1900s the area was being referred to as the `` Lamb feeding capital of the world. '' In 1901 the Great Western sugar processing plant was built in the neighboring city of Loveland. Although the city was affected by the Great Depression and simultaneous drought, it nevertheless experienced slow and steady growth throughout the early part of the twentieth century. During the decade following World War II, the population doubled and an era of economic prosperity occurred. Old buildings were razed to make way for new, modern structures. Along with revitalization came many changes, including the closing of the Great Western sugar factory in 1955, and a new city charter, adopting a council - manager form of government in 1954. Similarly, Colorado State University 's enrollment doubled during the 1960s, making it the city 's primary economic force by the end of the century. Fort Collins gained a reputation as a very conservative city in the twentieth century, with a prohibition of alcoholic beverages, a contentious political issue in the town 's early decades, being retained from the late 1890s until student activism helped bring it to an end in 1969. During that same period, civil rights activism and anti-war disturbances heightened tensions in the city, including the burning of several buildings on the CSU campus. During the late 20th century, Fort Collins expanded rapidly to the south, adding new development, including several regional malls. Management of city growth patterns became a political priority during the 1980s, as well as the revitalization of Fort Collins ' Old Town with the creation of a Downtown Development Authority. In late July 1997, the city experienced a flash flood after and during a 31 - hour period when 10 -- 14 in ( 250 -- 360 mm ) of rain fell. The rainfall was the heaviest on record for an urban area of Colorado. Five people were killed and $5 million in damages were dealt to the city. The waters flooded Colorado State University 's library and brought about $140 million in damages to the institution. Geography Fort Collins is situated at the base of the Rocky Mountain foothills of the northern Front Range approximately 60 miles ( 97 km ) north of Denver, Colorado and 45 miles ( 72 km ) south of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Elevation is 4,982 ft ( 1,519 m ) above sea level. Geographic landmarks include Horsetooth Reservoir and Horsetooth Mountain -- so named because of a tooth - shaped granite rock that dominates the city 's western skyline. Longs Peak can also clearly be seen on a clear day to the southwest of the city. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 47.1 square miles ( 122 km ), of which 46.5 square miles ( 120 km ) is land and 0.6 square miles ( 1.6 km ), or 1.27 %, is water. The Cache La Poudre River and Spring Creek run through Fort Collins. Climate Located along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, Fort Collins experiences a semi-arid climate ( Köppen BSk ), with four distinct seasons and low annual precipitation. Summers range from mild to hot, with low humidity and afternoon thunderstorms that frequently threaten but only occasionally deliver rain. Winters range from mild to moderately cold. The city experiences lots of sunshine, with 300 days of sunshine per year and 19 days with 90 ° + weather. The average temperature in July, the warmest month, is 71 ° F ( 22 ° C ). The average temperature in January, the coldest month, is 29 ° F ( − 2 ° C ). Annual snowfall averages 59 inches ( 1.5 m ), and can occur from early September through the end of May. Average precipitation overall is 15.9 inches ( 400 mm ). hide Climate data for Fort Collins, Colorado ( 1981 -- 2010 normals ) Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high ° F ( ° C ) 73 ( 23 ) 76 ( 24 ) 81 ( 27 ) 89 ( 32 ) 97 ( 36 ) 102 ( 39 ) 103 ( 39 ) 100 ( 38 ) 97 ( 36 ) 88 ( 31 ) 81 ( 27 ) 76 ( 24 ) 103 ( 39 ) Average high ° F ( ° C ) 44.2 ( 6.8 ) 46.5 ( 8.1 ) 54.7 ( 12.6 ) 62.2 ( 16.8 ) 71.1 ( 21.7 ) 80.4 ( 26.9 ) 86.6 ( 30.3 ) 84.0 ( 28.9 ) 75.9 ( 24.4 ) 63.9 ( 17.7 ) 51.4 ( 10.8 ) 42.8 ( 6 ) 63.6 ( 17.6 ) Average low ° F ( ° C ) 17.5 ( − 8.1 ) 20.4 ( − 6.4 ) 27.7 ( − 2.4 ) 35.1 ( 1.7 ) 44.1 ( 6.7 ) 52.2 ( 11.2 ) 58.0 ( 14.4 ) 56.3 ( 13.5 ) 47.1 ( 8.4 ) 35.9 ( 2.2 ) 25.6 ( − 3.6 ) 17.2 ( − 8.2 ) 36.4 ( 2.4 ) Record low ° F ( ° C ) − 38 ( − 39 ) − 41 ( − 41 ) − 31 ( − 35 ) − 10 ( − 23 ) 12 ( − 11 ) 29 ( − 2 ) 36 ( 2 ) 32 ( 0 ) 18 ( − 8 ) − 8 ( − 22 ) − 21 ( − 29 ) − 35 ( − 37 ) − 41 ( − 41 ) Average precipitation inches ( mm ) 0.40 ( 10.2 ) 0.42 ( 10.7 ) 1.60 ( 40.6 ) 2.06 ( 52.3 ) 2.43 ( 61.7 ) 2.17 ( 55.1 ) 1.71 ( 43.4 ) 1.60 ( 40.6 ) 1.33 ( 33.8 ) 1.15 ( 29.2 ) 0.76 ( 19.3 ) 0.50 ( 12.7 ) 16.13 ( 409.6 ) Average snowfall inches ( cm ) 7.3 ( 18.5 ) 6.8 ( 17.3 ) 12.1 ( 30.7 ) 6.0 ( 15.2 ) 0.7 ( 1.8 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0 ( 0 ) 0.9 ( 2.3 ) 3.6 ( 9.1 ) 8.6 ( 21.8 ) 8.4 ( 21.3 ) 54.4 ( 138 ) Average precipitation days ( ≥ 0.01 in ) 4.1 4.9 6.4 8.6 11.2 10.0 9.0 9.4 7.6 6.3 5.2 4.5 87.2 Average snowy days ( ≥ 0.1 in ) 4.4 5.0 5.3 3.1 0.4 0 0 0 0.4 1.4 4.1 4.7 28.8 Source : NOAA Demographics Historical population Census Pop. % ± 1880 1,356 -- 1890 2,011 48.3 % 1900 3,053 51.8 % 1910 8,210 168.9 % 1920 8,755 6.6 % 1930 11,489 31.2 % 1940 12,251 6.6 % 1950 14,937 21.9 % 1960 25,027 67.6 % 1970 43,337 73.2 % 1980 65,092 50.2 % 87,758 34.8 % 2000 118,652 35.2 % 143,986 21.4 % Est. 2016 164,207 14.0 % U.S. Decennial Census Fort Collins is the fourth most populous city in Colorado and the 158th most populous city in the United States. The Census Bureau estimates that the city 's population was 161,175 in 2015, the population of the Fort Collins - Loveland Metropolitan Statistical Area was 310,487 ( 151st most populous MSA ), and the population of the Front Range Urban Corridor was 4,495,181. As of the census of 2000, there were 118,652 people, 45,882 households, and 25,785 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,549.3 people per square mile ( 984.4 / km2 ). There were 47,755 housing units at an average density of 1,026.0 per square mile ( 396.2 / km2 ). The racial makeup of the city was 82.4 % White, 3.01 % Black or African American, 0.60 % Native American, 2.48 % Asian, 0.12 % Pacific Islander, 3.61 % from other races, and 2.53 % from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.79 % of the population. There were 45,882 households out of which 29.0 % had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9 % were married couples living together, 7.9 % had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.8 % were non-families. 26.0 % of all households were made up of individuals and 5.9 % had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was spread out with 21.5 % under the age of 18, 22.1 % from 18 to 24, 31.5 % from 25 to 44, 17.0 % from 45 to 64, and 7.9 % who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $64,459, and the median income for a family was $89,332. Males had a median income of $60,856 versus $48,385 for females. The per capita income for the city was $32,133. About 5.5 % of families and 14.0 % of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3 % of those under age 18 and 5.8 % of those age 65 or over. Economy Major industries and commercial activity Fort Collins ' economy has a mix of manufacturing and service - related businesses. Fort Collins manufacturing includes Woodward Governor, Anheuser - Busch, and Otterbox. Many high - tech companies have relocated to Fort Collins because of the resources of Colorado State University and its research facilities. Hewlett Packard, Intel, AMD, Avago, Beckman Coulter, National Semiconductor, LSI, Rubicon Water and Pelco all have offices in Fort Collins. Other industries include clean energy, bioscience, and agri - tech businesses. The largest employers of Fort Collins residents at the turn of the century were the following : Colorado State University ( 6,948 employees ) Hewlett Packard ( 3,182 ) Poudre Valley Health System ( 3,020 ) Poudre School District ( 3,014 ) Agilent ( 2,800 ) City of Fort Collins, CO ( 1,864 ) Eastman Kodak ( 1,700 ) Larimer County ( 1,467 ) Avago Technologies ( 1,200 ) Columbine Health Systems ( 1,200 ) McKee Medical Center ( 950 ) Walmart ( 909 ) City of Loveland, CO ( 890 ) Advanced Energy ( 825 ) Anheuser - Busch ( 760 ) Qualfon ( formerly Center Partners ) ( 700 ) Woodward Governor Company ( 650 ) Water Pik, Inc. ( 585 ) OtterBox ( 550 ) LSI Corporation ( 341 ) AMD ( 173 ) Regional economic development partners include the City of Fort Collins Economic Health Office, Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation, Small Business Development Center, and Rocky Mountain Innovation Initiative ( RMI2 ). Sustainability programs FortZED is a zero energy district encompassing the Downtown area of Fort Collins and the main campus of Colorado State University. The district 's public - private partnerships employ smart grid and renewable energy technologies to manage the local use and supply of energy. FortZED relies upon energy demand management techniques to encourage use of energy at the most efficient times. Federal, state, and local funding are making the project a reality. The U.S. Department of Energy has contributed $6.3 million and the Colorado Department of Local Affairs has provided $778,000. Locally, private companies and foundations have committed nearly $8 million. Arts and culture The 2004 Colorado Brewers Festival in Fort Collins Fort Collins historic district Much of Fort Collins 's culture is centered on the students of Colorado State University. The city provides school year residences for its large college - age population ; there is a local music circuit which is influenced by its college town atmosphere and is home to a number of well known microbreweries. The Downtown Business Association hosts a number of small and large festivals each year in the historic Downtown district, including Bohemian Nights at NewWestFest in late summer, which features local cuisine, music, and businesses. The Fort Collins Lincoln Center is home to the Fort Collins Symphony Orchestra and regularly attracts national touring companies of Broadway plays. The city 's thriving beer culture supports many microbreweries : the New Belgium Brewing Company, the Odell Brewing Company, Equinox Brewing, Funkwerks, Horse & Dragon Brewery, Pateros Creek Brewing Company, Zwei Brewing, 1933 Brewing, Snowbank Brewing, Rally King Brewing, Jessup Farm Barrel House, McClellan 's Brewing, Soul Squared Brewing, Three Four Brewing Company, Maxline Brewing, and formerly the eponymous Fort Collins Brewery which was bought out in 2017. New Belgium is the largest of the local craft - breweries, with national distribution from California to states east of the Mississippi. The largest brewer in the world, Anheuser - Busch, also has a brewery northeast of the city near I - 25. There are several brewpubs, including the original C.B. & Potts Restaurant and its Big Horn Brewery, CooperSmith 's Pub & Brewing, a local mainstay since 1989, Pitchers Brewery, and Black Bottle Brewery. The Colorado Brewer 's Festival is held in late June annually in Fort Collins. The festival features beers from as many as 45 brewers from the state of Colorado and averages around 30,000 attendees. New Belgium Brewery also hosts the Tour de Fat which draws over 20,000 people riding bikes and dressing in costume. As well as a series of Bike in movies starting late September. The Colorado Marathon is a yearly event running down the Poudre Canyon and finishing in downtown Fort Collins. The principal venue for the performing arts in Fort Collins is the Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St., at Meldrum Street. Built in 1978, the center includes the 1,180 - seat Performance Hall and the 220 - seat Magnolia Theatre, as well as four exhibit galleries and an outdoor sculpture and performance garden. It is home to many local arts groups, including the Fort Collins Symphony, Opera Fort Collins, Canyon Concert Ballet, Larimer Chorale, Youth Orchestra of the Rockies, OpenStage Theatre and Company, Foothills Pops Band and the Fort Collins Children 's Theatre. Concert, dance, children 's, and travel film series are presented annually. The center is wheelchair - accessible and has an infrared sound system for the hearing - impaired. Ticket prices vary considerably, but children 's programs are often free or less than $10, and big name acts and Broadway shows are $18 to $36. The center hosts nearly 1,750 events each year. The Fort Collins Museum, established in 1941, is a regional center focusing on the culture and history of Fort Collins and the surrounding area. The Fort Collins Museum houses over 30,000 artifacts and features temporary and permanent exhibits, on - going educational programs and events, and is home to four historic structures located in the outdoor Heritage Courtyard. The arts are represented by The Center for Fine Art Photography, University Center for the Arts, Fort Collins Museum of Art ( FCMOA ), the Arts Incubator of the Rockies ( AIR ), and the Bas Bleu Theatre Company. The Gardens on Spring Creek is an 18 - acre ( 7.3 ha ) botanical garden. The site includes several themed gardens ranging from a children 's garden to a rock garden, to several themed demonstration gardens. There are also many parks in Fort Collins including community parks and neighborhood parks, totaling 875 acres ( 354 ha ) of developed park areas. Some of these parks have facilities such as public tennis courts, frisbee golf courses, golf courses, dog parks, baseball diamonds, basketball courts and picnic shelters. In total, there are 6 community parks. These include City Park, Edora Park, Fossil Creek Park, Lee Martinez Park, Rolland Moore Park, and Spring Canyon Park. There are also many smaller neighborhood parks. These parks often host events such as marathons, community activities and holiday celebrations. Government City Council : Mayor Wade Troxell District 1 Bob Overbeck District 2 Ray Martinez District 3 Ken Summers District 4 Kristin Stephens District 5 Ross Cunniff District 6 Gerry Horak, Mayor Pro Tem Fort Collins has a council - manager form of government. The mayor, who serves a two - year term and stands for election in municipal elections held in April of odd - numbered years, presides over a seven - member City Council. The current mayor of Fort Collins is Wade Troxell, elected in April 2015. The six remaining council members are elected from districts for staggered four - year terms ; odd - numbered districts are up for election in April 2017 and even - numbered districts in April 2019. Fort Collins is the largest city in Colorado 's 2nd Congressional district, and is represented in Congress by Representative Jared Polis ( Democrat ). On the state level, the city lies in the 14th district of the Colorado Senate, represented by John Kefalas and is split between the 52nd and 53rd districts of the Colorado House of Representatives, represented by Joann Ginal and Jennifer Arndt, respectively. All three of Fort Collins ' state legislators are Democrats. Fort Collins is additionally the county seat of Larimer County, and houses county offices and courts. Education This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. ( July 2009 ) Fossil Ridge High School K -- 12 public education is provided through Poudre School District ( PSD ). The district operates and manages the public schools in the city of Fort Collins, as well as in the surrounding towns of Wellington, Timnath, Windsor, Laporte and Livermore. The district is one of the fastest growing in Northern Colorado, adding 500 students -- about the size of an elementary school -- each year. To accommodate growth, the district plans to build three new schools in the next few years. Poudre School District includes four comprehensive high schools that serve neighborhoods around Fort Collins, including Fort Collins High School, Rocky Mountain High School, Poudre High School, Fossil Ridge High School. The district also operates four alternative high schools : Centennial High School, Polaris School for Expeditionary Learning School, Poudre Community Academy and Poudre School District Global Academy, a dual in - person / online school. Additionally, four public charter schools are chartered through PSD, including Ridgeview Classical Schools, and Liberty Common High School, Mountain Sage Community School and Fort Collins Montessori School. The Poudre School District is also home to ten middle schools ( Lesher Middle IB World School, Blevins Middle School, Boltz Middle School, Cache La Poudre Middle School, Kinard Core Knowledge Middle School ), Lincoln IB World Middle School, Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, Preston Middle School, Webber Middle School, and Wellington Middle School ) and 32 elementary schools. PSD has earned recognition from the U.S. Department of Education for excellence in sustainability, and placed in the top 5 Education Sector partners in the 2016 Better Buildings challenge, put on by the U.S. Dept. of Energy, for achieving 25 percent energy savings and 29 percent water conservation over the last five years. During the 2015 - 16 school year, the district diverted nearly 1,000 tons of waste. Special curriculum like River Week ensures that students are educated about the importance of local conservation. In addition to PSD schools, several state charter schools serve Fort Collins, including T.R. Paul Academy of Arts and Knowledge and Global Village Academy and Ridgeview Classical Schools. Private schools include Heritage Christian Academy, Rivendell School, and St. Joseph 's Catholic School. Higher education The Oval, part of the CSU campus Colorado State University heads up the choices in higher education. Front Range Community College also maintains a campus in the city, and grants associate 's degrees in arts, science, general studies, and applied science. The college offers 17 high school vocational programs and more than 90 continuing education classes. Additionally, the University of Phoenix and Regis University maintain satellite campuses there. The Institute of Business & Medical Careers provides professional training in the business and medical professions. The institute 's first campus was established in the city in 1987. The Fort Collins Public Library was established in 1900, the sixth public library in the state. The city received $12,500 from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to build the library, with the condition that it would be maintained as a free public library. It was completed in 1904 at a total cost of approximately $15,000. The library formed a regional library district through a ballot measure in 2006. It has been renamed Poudre River Public Library District. The district operates three branches : the Old Town Library is located in downtown Fort Collins ; the Harmony library is hosted at Front Range Community College ; and the Council Tree Library, which opened in 2009, is at the Front Range Village Shopping Center. The library participates in cooperative projects with the local school district and Colorado State University. Fort Collins has a range of research institutes. Facilities are maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 's Division of Vector - Borne Diseases, the Center for Advanced Technology and the Colorado Water Resource Research Institute. Other facilities include the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, the Institute for Scientific Computing, the U.S. Forest Service Experimental Station, the National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation ( NCGRP ), and the U.S.D.A. Crops Research Laboratory. Media Main article : Media in Fort Collins, Colorado Infrastructure Transportation In 2009, the Fort Collins - Loveland metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) ranked as the third highest in the United States for percentage of commuters who biked to work ( 5.6 percent ). Air travel Allegiant Air offered regular passenger airplane service into the nearby Fort Collins / Loveland Airport, but the airline ended commercial flights to this airport. Elite Airways resumed commercial air service at the airport on August 27, 2015, providing non-stop flights to the Chicago Rockford International Airport in Illinois. Denver International Airport, which is 70 miles ( 110 km ) to the south, is served by twenty three airlines. Fort Collins can be approached from Denver by car via Interstate 25 or by way of the RTD bus system and the FLEX regional bus line. The city 's former general aviation airport, known as Fort Collins Downtown Airport ( 3V5 ), opened in 1966 and closed in 2006. Streets Fort Collins 's downtown streets form a grid with Interstate 25 running north and south on the east side of the city. Many of the streets are named after the town 's founders. U.S. Highway 287 becomes College Avenue inside the city and is the busiest street ; It runs north and south, effectively bisecting the city, and serving as the east -- west meridian, while Mountain Avenue is the north - south. SH 14 runs concurrent with US 287 at the northern city limit to Jefferson Street, running southeast along Jefferson ( later turning into Riverside Avenue ), then turning east onto Mulberry Street where it goes east out of the city after an interchange with Interstate 25. Transit and taxi Fort Collins also once had a municipally owned trolley service with three branches from the intersection of Mountain and College avenues. It was closed in 1951 after ceasing to be profitable. In 1983 -- 84, a portion of the Mountain Avenue line and one of the original trolley cars, Car 21, were restored as a heritage trolley service, under the same name used by the original system, the Fort Collins Municipal Railway. This has been in operation since the end of 1984 on weekends and holidays in the spring and summer, as a tourist - and cultural / educational attraction small fee applies to ride. The city bus system, known as Transfort, operates more than a dozen routes throughout Fort Collins Monday through Saturday, except major holidays. The MAX Bus Rapid Transit is a bus rapid transit that provides service on the Mason Corridor Transitway parallel to College Avenue from Downtown Fort Collins to a transit center just south of Harmony Road. The trip takes approximately 15 minutes from end to end with various stops between. The service began in May 2014. The Mason Corridor and the Mason Express are intended to be the center of future transit - oriented development. Fort Collins is connected to Loveland, Berthoud, and Longmont via the FLEX regional bus route. Taxi service is provided by Northern Colorado Yellow Cab. Pedicabs are also available from HopON LLC and Dream team Pedicabs. Cycling Bicycling is a popular and viable means of transportation in Fort Collins. There are more than 280 miles ( 450 km ) of designated bikeways in Fort Collins, including on street designated bike lanes, and the Spring Creek and Poudre River Trails, both paved. There is also a dirt trail, the 5.8 - mile ( 9.3 km ) Foothills Trail, parallel to Horsetooth Reservoir from Dixon Reservoir north to Campeau Open Space and Michaud Lane. The Fort Collins Bicycle Library lends bicycles to visitors, students, and residents looking to explore the city of Fort Collins. There are self - guided tours from the `` Bike the Sites '' collection, including a Brewery Tour, Environmental Learning Tour, and the Historic Tour. The Bike Library is centrally located in the heart of downtown Fort Collins in Old Town Square. In 2013 the League of American Bicyclists designated Fort Collins as a Platinum - level Bicycle Friendly Community -- one of four in the United States. Commercial shipping Parcel service for Fort Collins is provided by FedEx, Airport Express, DHL, Burlington Air Express, UPS, and Purolator. Fort Collins has two - day rail freight access to the West Coast or the East Coast and has eight motor freight carriers. Many local industrial sites have rail freight spur service. The city is served by Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroads. Facilities NIST time signal transmitters WWV and WWVB are near the city Poudre Valley Hospital has helped make Fort Collins into a regional health care center The National Center for Genetic Resources Preservation ( NCGRP ) ( Human Genome Project ) The city is the headquarters of Roosevelt National Forest Atmospheric Chemistry and Aerosol Laboratory Centers for Disease Control and Prevention : Division of Vector - Borne Diseases USDA Seed Lab Storage Headquarters for SCUBA Schools International ( SSI ) National Wildlife Research Center USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Western Regional Headquarters Police Main article : Fort Collins Police Services Notable people Wayne Allard, former U.S. Senator from Colorado Scott Anderson ( racing driver ) John Ashton, actor Balloon boy hoax, Richard Heene Carol Berg, fantasy author Biota, music ensemble Frank Caeti, repertory cast member on sketch comedy series MADtv Allen Bert Christman, a cartoonist and American Volunteer Group pilot killed in Rangoon, Burma, during World War II Jon Cooper, center for NFL 's Minnesota Vikings Joy Davidson, opera singer Janay DeLoach, professional track and field athlete and Olympian Rick Dennison, NFL linebacker Jeff Donaldson, NFL defensive back Becca Fitzpatrick, author Lamar Gant, powerlifter Harper Goff, artist, musician, and actor Marco Gonzales, Major League Baseball player Georgia Gould, professional Mountain Bike and Cyclo - cross racer Temple Grandin, author, professor, subject of film Temple Grandin Jon Heder, title character in 2004 's Napoleon Dynamite Ed Herman Mixed martial artist fighting for the UFC Katie Herzig, folk musician Immortal Dominion, known for soundtrack to Teeth Korey Jones, CFL player Jake Lloyd, young Anakin Skywalker in 1999 's Star Wars : Episode I -- The Phantom Menace Sonny Lubick, former head football coach at Colorado State University David Mattingly, science fiction illustrator Ross Marquand, actor best known for portraying Aaron in The Walking Dead Hattie McDaniel, first African - American to win an Academy Award ( Best Supporting Actress 1939 ) Darnell McDonald, Major League Baseball player Donzell McDonald, former Major League Baseball player Mark D. Miller, photographer Edward S. Montgomery, journalist Pete Monty, NFL linebacker John Mortvedt, renowned soil scientist and professor emeritus at Colorado State University Blake Neubert, artist Carl B. Olsen, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Holmes Rolston III, 2003 Templeton Prize winner Derek Vincent Smith, electronic music artist who performs under name `` Pretty Lights '' Justin E. Smith, sheriff of Larimer County since 2011 Bill Stevenson, musician ( Descendents ), and record producer at his Blasting Room studios Pat Stryker, billionaire heiress and philanthropist Thomas Sutherland, Colorado State professor and former Beirut hostage Ryan Sutter, bachelor chosen as a groom by Trista Rehn in 2003 's The Bachelorette Shane Swartz, boxer Derek Theler, actor in ABC family show Baby Daddy. Haeley Vaughn, top 25 finalist of American Idol Byron Raymond White, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court Ben Woolf, actor Jason Wingate, composer. James B. Arthur, Pioneer, Entrepreneur, Mayor, Councilman, Colorado State Senator. In popular culture Fort Collins is known along with Marceline, Missouri as one of the towns that inspired the design of Main Street, U.S.A. inside the main entrance of the many `` Disneyland '' - style parks run by The Walt Disney Company around the world. Harper Goff, who worked on Main Street, U.S.A. with Walt, showed Walt some photos of his childhood home of Fort Collins, Colorado. Walt liked the look, and so many of the features of the town were incorporated into Main Street, U.S.A. Fort Collins was the setting of the infamous balloon boy hoax of October 15, 2009. The sixth episode of the twentieth season of the adult animated series South Park, called `` Fort Collins '', was named after the Colorado city. In the episode, the Danes plan to activate their Internet troll identification website known as `` Troll Trace ''. They reveal the identity of a troll in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado, while also publicizing all of its citizens ' Internet histories and thus causing the city to destroy itself. Publicity In 2006, Money ranked Fort Collins as the best place to live in America. In 2011, Allstate Insurance listed Fort Collins as `` America 's Safest Driving City '' in their annual `` Best Drivers Report ''. In 2012, the city was listed among the 10 best places to retire in the U.S. by CBS Money Watch. In 2015, Fort Collins ranked No. 10 on Forbes ' list of the Best Places for Business and Careers. In 2017, Fort Collins ranked No. 4 on Forbes ' list of the 25 Happiest Cities in America. See also Geography portal North America portal United States portal Colorado portal Fort Collins Museum of Discovery The Gardens on Spring Creek Outline of Colorado Index of Colorado - related articles State of Colorado Colorado cities and towns Colorado municipalities List of counties in Colorado Larimer County, Colorado Colorado metropolitan areas Front Range Urban Corridor North Central Colorado Urban Area Fort Collins - Loveland, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area Colorado State University Roosevelt National Forest References Jump up ^ `` Colorado Municipal Incorporations ''. State of Colorado, Department of Personnel & Administration, Colorado State Archives. December 1, 2004. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved September 2, 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` Active Colorado Municipalities ''. State of Colorado, Department of Local Affairs. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2007. Jump up ^ `` 2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved Jul 25, 2017. Jump up ^ `` American FactFinder ''. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2014 - 11 - 06. ^ Jump up to : `` Population and Housing Unit Estimates ''. Retrieved June 9, 2017. Jump up ^ `` ZIP Code Lookup ''. United States Postal Service. Archived from the original ( JavaScript / HTML ) on November 23, 2010. Retrieved September 16, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Find a County ''. National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved 2011 - 06 - 07. Jump up ^ `` Trends ''. City of Fort Collins. Retrieved 2016 - 06 - 21. Jump up ^ `` Flooding Timeline in Fort Collins ''. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved September 28, 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` Fort Collins Time Line 1860 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. Jump up ^ `` History of Colorado State University ''. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved May 12, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Fort Collins Time Line 1890 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Fort Collins Time Line 1900 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Fort Collins Time Line 1930 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Fort Collins Time Line 1940 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Fort Collins Time Line 1950 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` Fort Collins Time Line 1960 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Fort Collins Time Line 1880 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. ^ Jump up to : `` Fort Collins Time Line 1970 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. Jump up ^ `` Fort Collins Time Line 1980 ''. Fort Collins Local History Archive. Archived from the original on July 10, 2011. Retrieved March 24, 2007. Jump up ^ Grigg, Neil S. ; Nolan J. Doesken ; David M. Frick ; Mike Grimm ; 4 Marsha Hilmes ; Thomas B. McKee ; Kevin A. Oltjenbruns ( September -- October 1999 ). `` Fort Collins Flood 1997 : Comprehensive View of an Extreme Event '' ( PDF ). Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. American Society of Civil Engineers : 255 -- 262. ISSN 1943 - 5452. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on March 15, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Fort Collins July 28, 1997 ''. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. Retrieved April 23, 2012. Jump up ^ `` NowData -- NOAA Online Weather Data ''. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 1, 2012. Jump up ^ `` Census of Population and Housing ''. Census.gov. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 4, 2015. Jump up ^ `` American FactFinder ''. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 11, 2013. Retrieved 2008 - 01 - 31. Jump up ^ Northern Colorado Economic Development Corporation Archived July 19, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ FortZED.com ^ Jump up to : http://www.fcgov.com/parks/ Jump up ^ http://www.fcgov.com/parks/map/ Jump up ^ `` Home page for city council ''. City of Fort Collins. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2007. Jump up ^ Kyle, Sarah ( April 26, 2016 ). `` PSD board approves plan to build schools ''. Fort Collins Coloradoan. Retrieved June 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Kyle, Sarah ( April 22, 2016 ). `` Poudre School District awarded for sustainability ''. Fort Collins Coloradoan. Retrieved June 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Moniz, Ernest. `` Moving Our Nation Forward, Faster Progress Report 2016 '' ( PDF ). Better Buildings. Retrieved June 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Kyle, Sarah ( May 20, 2016 ). `` PSD students divert nearly 1,000 tons of waste ''. Fort Collins Coloradoan. Retrieved June 8, 2016. Jump up ^ Horan, Kyle ( Sep 30, 2015 ). `` Students wade into River Week at Cache La Poudre Middle School ''. Denver Channel 7. Retrieved June 8, 2016. Jump up ^ IBMC Purpose Jump up ^ Hansen, James E. ( 1977 ). Democracy 's college in the Centennial State : a history of Colorado State University. Fort Collins : Colorado State University. pp. 230 -- 231. Jump up ^ Division of Vector - Borne Diseases Jump up ^ `` Commuting in the United States : 2009 '' ( PDF ). American Community Survey Reports. September 2011. Retrieved December 26, 2017. Jump up ^ http://www.wrex.com/story/29278329/2015/06/09/rockford-airport-to-serve-denver-new-york-city Jump up ^ `` Valley Airport / Fort Collins Airpark / Fort Collins Downtown Airport ( 3V5 ) ''. Abandoned & Little - Known Airfields. December 11, 2009. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Jump up ^ Long, Raphael P. ( April 1986 ). `` Fort Collins Municipal Railway : Then and Now ''. Pacific RailNews, pp. 16 -- 20. Glendale, CA : Interurban Press. ISSN 8750 - 8486. Jump up ^ `` $87 million MAX project ready to roll in Fort Collins ''. May 9, 2014. Jump up ^ http://www.northerncoloradoyellowcab.com Jump up ^ `` New Platinum City in Latest Round of Bicycle Friendly Communities ! ''. June 6, 2013. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Jump up ^ `` NIST Radio Station WWVB ''. Retrieved March 18, 2014. Jump up ^ Corrinson, Michele ( July 11, 2012 ). `` Baby Daddy : Derek Theler Talks About His New Hit Show ''. College Magazine. Jump up ^ Jason Wingate Classical Composers Database Jump up ^ James Arthur Website Jump up ^ `` Local History Archive Larimer Legends - Old Town & Disneyland - City of Fort Collins, Colorado ''. Library.ci.fort-collins.co.us. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2014. Jump up ^ `` Best Places to Live 2006 ''. Money Magazine. July 2006. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved December 15, 2006. Jump up ^ `` Seventh Annual `` Allstate America 's Best Drivers Report '' Reveals Safest Driving Cities ``. Allstate Insurance Company. September 1, 2011. Archived from the original on December 18, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2014. Jump up ^ The 10 Best Places to Retire Jump up ^ `` Best Places For Business and Careers - Forbes ''. Forbes. Retrieved 18 August 2016. Jump up ^ Bloom, Laura Begley. `` Ranked : The 25 Happiest Cities In America ''. Forbes. Retrieved 2017 - 11 - 02. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fort Collins, Colorado. Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Fort Collins. Official website Places adjacent to Fort Collins, Colorado Laporte Wellington Nunn Fort Collins Timnath Masonville Loveland Windsor Municipalities and communities of Larimer County, Colorado, United States County seat : Fort Collins Cities Fort Collins Loveland Towns Berthoud ‡ Estes Park Johnstown ‡ Timnath Wellington Windsor ‡ CDPs Laporte Red Feather Lakes Unincorporated communities Bellvue Buckeye Campion Drake Glen Echo Glen Haven Kelim Kinikinik Livermore Manhattan Masonville Rustic Waverly Ghost towns Manhattan Old Roach Poudre City Stout Virginia Dale Footnotes ‡ This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties hide State of Colorado Denver ( capital ) Topics Index Coloradans Elections Federal lands Geography Government Highways History Timeline Images Law Military Mountains Museums Public Defender Paleontology Rivers Symbols Transportation Tourist attractions Seal of Colorado Society Crime Culture Demographics Economy Education Politics Sports Regions Central Colorado Denver - Aurora - Lakewood, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area Eastern Plains Front Range Grand Valley High Plains High Rockies Mineral Belt Northern Colorado Northwestern Colorado Piedmont Plateau Roan Plateau Roaring Fork Valley San Luis Valley Sangre de Cristo Mountains South - Central Colorado Southwest Colorado Uinta Mountains Uintah Basin Western Slope Municipalities Akron Alamosa Arvada Aspen Aurora Boulder Breckenridge Brighton Broomfield Cañon City Castle Rock Centennial Colorado Springs Commerce City Cortez Craig Delta Denver Durango Englewood Erie Evans Fairplay Federal Heights Fort Collins Fort Morgan Fountain Golden Glenwood Springs Grand Junction Greeley Greenwood Village Gunnison La Junta Lafayette Lakewood Lamar Leadville Littleton Longmont Louisville Loveland Montrose Northglenn Parker Platteville Pueblo Salida Steamboat Springs Sterling Superior Thornton Trinidad Vail Westminster Wheat Ridge Windsor Counties Adams Alamosa Arapahoe Archuleta Baca Bent Boulder Broomfield Chaffee Cheyenne Clear Creek Conejos Costilla Crowley Custer Delta Denver Dolores Douglas Eagle El Paso Elbert Fremont Garfield Gilpin Grand Gunnison Hinsdale Huerfano Jackson Jefferson Kiowa Kit Carson La Plata Lake Larimer Las Animas Lincoln Logan Mesa Mineral Moffat Montezuma Montrose Morgan Otero Ouray Park Phillips Pitkin Prowers Pueblo Rio Blanco Rio Grande Routt Saguache San Juan San Miguel Sedgwick Summit Teller Washington Weld Yuma Mayors of cities with populations exceeding 100,000 in Colorado Michael Hancock ( Denver ) John Suthers ( Colorado Springs ) Bob LeGare ( Aurora ) Wade Troxell ( Fort Collins ) Adam Paul ( Lakewood ) Heidi K. Williams ( Thornton ) Marc Williams ( Arvada ) Herb Atchinson ( Westminster ) Chris Nicoll ( Pueblo ) City Council President Cathy Noon ( Centennial ) Suzanne Jones ( Boulder ) Tom Norton ( Greeley ) GND : 4251195 - 1 NARA : 10045964 VIAF : 135498499 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fort_Collins,_Colorado&oldid=853058365 '' Categories : Fort Collins, Colorado Cities in Colorado Cities in Larimer County, Colorado County seats in Colorado University towns in the United States Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Use mdy dates from January 2014 Articles with short description Coordinates on Wikidata Pages using infobox settlement with unknown parameters All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from February 2017 Articles that may contain original research from July 2009 All articles that may contain original research Articles with unsourced statements from January 2014 Articles with unsourced statements from January 2015 Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with NARA identifiers Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Talk Contents About Wikipedia Wikivoyage Bân - lâm - gú Български Brezhoneg Català Cebuano Cymraeg Deutsch Español Esperanto Euskara فارسی Français Gaeilge Gàidhlig 한국어 Italiano עברית Қазақша Kernowek Kiswahili Kreyòl ayisyen Кыргызча Lietuvių Magyar Malagasy मराठी Nederlands नेपाल भाषा 日本 語 Norsk Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча Polski Português Русский Scots Simple English Ślůnski Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska Tagalog Türkçe Українська اردو Tiếng Việt Volapük Winaray 中文 41 more Edit links This page was last edited on 2 August 2018, at 04 : 38 ( UTC ). 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Question: how far is fort collins colorado to denver colorado
Answer: 65 mi (105 km) north