Just moved to Fort Collins, or getting back into it after a while? These groups are beginner-friendly and welcoming — no need to be fast, experienced, or know a soul.
Saturdays, 7:30am · 3–7 mi social run along the Poudre
Jessup Farm Barrel House, Fort Collins
No-drop with wheelchair-friendly route options — all ages and abilities welcome. The club’s group-runs page is the master calendar for the whole city.
Overland Mountain Bike Association
Wednesdays, spring–summer · no-drop, A/B groups by skill
Varies (trailhead posted weekly) — check OMBA calendar
Free weekly social ride (roughly April through August) split into A and B groups so all levels feel welcome, with a hangout after. Start time and trailhead shift with daylight, so check the OMBA calendar that week.
Tuesdays, 6–8pm (late May–Oct) · free, all-levels casting
Fossil Creek Park Oval Pavilion, 5821 S Lemay Ave, Fort Collins
Free informal casting gathering open to the public and families — flycasters, spincasters, and baitcasters of all skill levels. Targets are out from late May until about October.
Tuesdays, 6:00pm · structured track workout
Fort Collins (see TNT page)
Fridays, 6:00am · easy road run + bagels after
Gib’s Bagel, 2531 S Shields St, Fort Collins
Mondays, 6:00pm · 2–6 mi out-and-back on Spring Creek Trail
Altitude Running, 2531 S Shields St #2N, Fort Collins
All paces welcome with pace leaders. Co-hosted with the Fort Collins Running Club.
Wednesdays, 6:00pm · 3–5 mi, location rotates weekly
Varies weekly — check Facebook
No membership fee — "show up with your shoes and a smile." Welcomes first-time runners, walkers, and competitive athletes. The meeting spot moves each week, so confirm on Facebook.
Thursdays, 6:00pm · ~5 mi on Pineridge, social after
Spring Canyon Park (by the dog park), Fort Collins
No-drop run through Pineridge Natural Area, all abilities, group often heads to Intersect Brewing after. Exact route is posted weekly on Facebook.
Tuesday evenings in August · Lory State Park trail series
A short August-only trail series previewing the Black Squirrel course. Gnar doesn’t run a standing weekly group run; mid-week, they help lead the Fort Collins Trail Runners.
Weekday afternoons (academic year) · novice to competitive
In front of the CSU Rec Center, Fort Collins
Follows the academic calendar and thins over breaks — check Instagram for current times.
Thursdays, ~6:45pm · chill all-welcome ride from Soderberg
Soderberg Trailhead, Horsetooth Open Space
Chill, all-welcome pace; bring lights as daylight shortens later in the season.
Group rides 2–3x/week (academic year), road and MTB
Fort Collins / CSU (arranged within the club)
Collegiate club open to students, faculty, and alumni; no racing experience required. Specific days/times are arranged within the club and follow the academic calendar.
Tuesdays (mostly), all year · starts ~2 hours before sunset
Harmony Market lot south of InCycle, 931 E Harmony Rd
All intensity levels; social gathering at Grey Rock Sports Grill after the ride. Each week’s start time is on the club calendar.
Saturdays and/or Sundays, year-round · see the club calendar
East of Trek Bicycle, 226 E Harmony Rd
Weekly weekend road ride — most weeks a Saturday-morning start from the Trek lot; the calendar lists each week’s ride and time.
Monthly Sundays (Mar–Jul), ~9am · free gravel, all levels
New Belgium Brewing, 500 Linden St, Fort Collins
Monthly Sunday training rides departing New Belgium Brewing at 9:00am, with multiple route options and food and beer afterwards.
Weekends, year-round · beginner (no-drop) & advanced women’s rides
Fort Collins — check the events page
Sunday Funday road rides meet at Incycle South, coffee and donuts from 9:30 with wheels down after; a gravel edition meets at the Fox Den at 9:00 for a 9:30 start.
3rd Fridays, 8:00pm · costumed cruiser ride, 3–8 mi
Lit-up, costumed community cruise — pure fun, all ages and all bikes. Arrive early for the social hour; confirm the month’s date on their Instagram, Facebook, or Meetup.
~12–15 member-led hikes a month, year-round, all difficulties
Varies — Loveland / Northern Colorado trailheads
The most consistent led-hike cadence in the region (since 1978), spanning easy to advanced. Requires membership, a waiver, and a small fee. Schedule is on their site/Meetup.
Self-scheduled patrols + summer public workdays
Canyon Lakes Ranger District / Roosevelt National Forest
Members commit to six self-scheduled patrols a year (day hikes, horseback, or overnight); summer public workdays are open to non-members. Recruitment runs Jan–early Mar with May training.
Wildlands Restoration Volunteers
Single- & multi-day volunteer projects, spring–fall
Varies — Fort Collins area sites (see calendar)
Trail building/maintenance, river and wetland restoration, native planting — no experience necessary, tools and training provided. Many are weekend single-day projects; browse the VolunteerHub calendar.
City of Fort Collins Natural Areas
Free guided hikes & nature programs, June–October
Various Fort Collins natural areas
Free ranger- and naturalist-led activities in the summer/fall season; individual events vary by date — browse the Natural Areas activity calendar.
Larimer County Natural Resources
Naturalist-led guided hikes (seasonal / by request)
Horsetooth Mountain Open Space & other county parks
Naturalist-led hikes on geology, ecology, and wildlife; many are by request (2+ weeks notice). A park entrance/parking fee applies. Scheduled programs appear on the county’s Offero calendar.
Ascent Studio Climbing & Fitness
1st & 3rd Fridays, 6–10pm · casual social climbing
Ascent Studio, 2150 Joseph Allen Dr, Fort Collins
Laid-back social climbing night; $10 night pass. Beginner-welcoming.
Ascent Studio Climbing & Fitness
2nd Friday (6–8pm) & 4th Saturday (4–6pm) · LGBTQIA+ & allies
Ascent Studio, 2150 Joseph Allen Dr, Fort Collins
LGBTQIA+ and allies meetup; $10 day pass with rentals, free for members.
Ascent Studio Climbing & Fitness
4th Friday monthly, 10am–noon · femmes/thems, all abilities
Ascent Studio, 2150 Joseph Allen Dr, Fort Collins
$10 day pass with rentals, free for members.
Recurring casual women’s climbing night (see events)
Whetstone Climbing, 220 Smokey St, Fort Collins
A low-pressure women’s night led by a female community member — 50% off day passes and free rental. Confirm the recurring day/time on their events page.
Monthly adaptive community climbing night
Whetstone Climbing, 220 Smokey St, Fort Collins
Run with Adaptive Rec Hub (Kelly Brush Foundation) — all abilities, no experience or equipment needed; reduced ~$20 day pass with gear, free for veterans. Confirm the month’s date on the listing.
Northern Colorado Climbers Coalition
Seasonal crag clean-ups, trail days & bolting clinics
Poudre Canyon / Horsetooth / Arthur’s Rock crags
Stewardship days, clean-ups, and bolt-replacement clinics announced per-event (mostly warm months); generally free and beginner-welcome. Watch their site/socials for dates.
Belay lessons & lead classes during the academic year
CSU Rec Center Climbing Wall, Fort Collins
The Rec Center wall offers bouldering, two roped towers, top-rope belay lessons, and lead-climbing classes during the academic year; primarily for the CSU community (community membership available).
~2–4 guided trips most weekends (academic year)
Departs CSU Rec Center, Fort Collins
Guided trips in rock climbing, backpacking, day hiking, snowshoeing, trail running, skiing, and ice climbing (around 60 a year), plus free weeknight skills clinics. Oriented to the CSU community; trips typically $10–$80 with gear included.
Winter AIARE Level 1 & Rescue courses (per-season dates)
Cameron Pass region (via CSU Outdoor Program)
AIARE Level 1 (3-day) and Avalanche Rescue (1-day) each winter, taught with Never Summer Outdoor School; open to registered CSU students. Level 1 is the intro for new backcountry travelers.
Colorado Mountain Club — Northern Colorado
Winter course — classroom + field days (Cameron Pass area)
Departs North Fort Collins to a Poudre Canyon trailhead
A beginner-designed CMC course (classroom plus field days up the Poudre Canyon toward Cameron Pass); the most organized cross-country/backcountry-nordic offering in the area. Membership and course fee apply.
Northern Colorado Bird Alliance
Free, all-levels field trips year-round (rotating hotspots)
Varies — Bobcat Ridge, Lory, Reservoir Ridge, area grasslands
Free, volunteer-led field trips open to all birding levels (including Birding 101), no registration cap, to rotating local hotspots. Dates are announced via email, Facebook, and Instagram.
Northern Colorado Bird Alliance
2nd Thursdays, Sep–May · free evening program
Fort Collins (see calendar)
Free monthly program with a guest speaker on the second Thursday, September through May (summer break June–August, resuming in September).
Monthly Wednesdays, Sep–May · speaker + fly-tying
Fort Collins (verify venue on calendar)
Third Wednesday of the month, September through May, at the Northside Aztlan Community Center, 112 East Willow Street. Doors from about 6:30pm for fly tying, meeting at 7:00pm. Open to members and prospective members alike.
Periodic classes & clinics (intro, tying, casting, Row School)
St. Peter’s Fly Shop, Fort Collins
A rotating school — Intro to Fly Fishing, entomology, fly tying, casting, on-the-water dry-fly tactics, and a two-day drift-boat Row School — announced as offered; guided trips by appointment year-round. Full slate on the shop’s Class Library page.
Poudre Paddlers Canoe & Kayak Club
Seasonal trips, training & socials (members)
Poudre, North Platte & area reservoirs
Canoe/kayak club running seasonal trips, flatwater and whitewater training, and socials — easy floats to serious whitewater. Membership is about $20/year; current trips get posted in the active Facebook group.
Weekend afternoons (Feb–May) · roll classes & practice at EPIC
EPIC pool, 1801 Riverside Ave, Fort Collins
Scheduled pool roll classes on set dates February to April — Sundays, 1:30pm classroom and 3:15pm pool, $131 including gear, booked through Fort Collins Recreation.