Fishing · NW Larimer County
Cache la Poudre River, North Fork
An access point on the lonely North Fork of the Cache la Poudre — small-stream solitude and wild trout.
Toggle USGS Topo / Terrain / Satellite / Street (top-right) · red = special-regulation water, confirm current rules · waters © CPW Colorado Fishing Atlas
This is a way down to the North Fork of the Cache la Poudre, in the Roosevelt National Forest at about 7,883 ft. The North Fork is the Poudre’s quieter arm — a small, wild stream that threads the hills north of the main canyon, reached mostly on foot through Cherokee State Wildlife Area and national-forest land.
The fishing is classic small-stream: mostly brown and brook trout in the 8- to 12-inch range, with the odd rainbow, and some reaches managed as fly-and-lure, catch-and-release water. Access through the Cherokee units is typically open to vehicles only in the warmer months (roughly May 1 to Sept 1), so check the gates before you go.
The Water
Water
North Fork of the Poudre
Elevation
7,883 ft
Fish
Brown & brook trout
Access
Roosevelt National Forest
Good to Know
- A valid Colorado fishing license is required — and it is always worth confirming the current, water-specific regulations before you fish.
- Reached through Roosevelt National Forest — largely hike-in; Cherokee SWA vehicle gates are typically open only about May 1 to Sept 1.
- Small-stream fishing — mostly brown and brook trout, with some fly-and-lure, catch-and-release reaches. Know the rules for the section you are on.
- A quiet, lightly-fished alternative to the main Poudre.
What’s Biting & What’s Stocked
The current stocking, the species, ice conditions, and the full Northwest Larimer fishing atlas — refreshed weekly — live in the app.
Coming soon — Larimer Wilds Fishing: offline maps, live GPS, and what’s stocked for every water up here, right in your pocket.
Built by Many Hands — Give a Little Back
Love this guide? Wear it. Every hat, tee, and cozy layer in our Red Feather Lakes collection helps us keep mapping the water and keeping this guide free — mountain apparel designed right here in the high country.
Shop the Collection →This fishery doesn’t sustain itself. Every trout is stocked and every acre stewarded by the public agencies we lean on for this guide — if you love these waters, please pitch in for them too:
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife — the stocking, the fishery & the Colorado Fishing Atlas Donate →
- Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest (USFS) — the public land & lakes themselves Support →
- OpenStreetMap contributors — the Street basemap Donate →
- Google & USGS — location, ratings & topographic maps
Fishing details compiled by the Red Feather Lakes Travel Guide from the sources above. Photography by us — more of our own water images coming as we fish them.