Derek and Beano are big fans of the water. There’s nothing like cinching up the swim trunks and slathering on some sunscreen for a hot summer day at the pool. Here is their take on the best places to go swimming in Fort Collins, in no particular order.

city park pool
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1599 City Park Drive

Information: (970) 416-2489, Code 3463

Weather Closure Info: (970) 416-2489, Code 5169

If swimming laps is your thing, City Park Pool might not quite fit the bill, but if you’re just looking for a kid-friendly water hole, good for splashing around; this pool is perfect. It is an outdoor pool located next to City Park overlooking Sheldon Lake. It has two large waterslides, a lazy river, geysers and kids play structures, and lots of shallow water. (We give it bonus points for being so close to Sheldon Lake where you can rent paddle boats for less than $5 before or after you swim.)

City Park Pool also hosts some great special events throughout the summer. You can go for a “Twilight Swim” after 4:30pm for just $4.50. They host the “Splash Drive-In” where they show movies at the pool every Friday night. And there is the community favorite “Pooch Plunge” that ends every swimming season. Dog owners are invited to bring their four legged friends for a day at the pool, check out what the pooch plunge was like last year.

We went and visited City Park Pool on opening day this year (May 26th) and thought we’d give you some firsthand experience from the waterslides via video, enjoy!


Mulberry Pool
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424 W. Mulberry Road

Phone: (970) 221-6657

Hours / Fees: (970) 221-6659

Mulberry Pool is an indoor, 25-yard pool great for lap swimming. It also features a 1-meter diving board, a shallow play area, a birthday party room, spa, spectator seating, and they also offer swimming lessons. Yes, you don’t get the enjoy much of the sun here, but that means no sunburns and no chance to have to cancel your swimming adventure due to weather.


EPIC
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1801 RiversideAvenue

Phone: (970) 221-6683

Epic gives you another indoor pool option. Here they have a25-yard pool with 3 diving boards. They also have a separate warm water pool, and a wading pool. (We also gave them some bonus points because there are two ice-skating rinks here as well. It is just another great way to cool down!)


Horsetooth
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4200 W County Road 38 E

Reservoir Conditions: (970) 679-4554

A great place to enjoy outdoor swimming and some gorgeous scenery is Horsetooth Reservoir (also good for Fishing, boating, camping, picnicking, and water skiing). Horsetooth offers a great swimming beach, picnic area and facilities. The swim beach is located in the South Bay. You do have to pay the entrance fee to get to the swim beach, but the cost is only $7 per vehicle. Get details, prices, and directions here.

Nothing says “summer in Fort Collins” quite like swimming in Horsetooth, enjoying the view, going on a nice little hike, and wrapping up with a nice picnic.

 


Poudre River
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If public pools are not your forte, then a couple of spots along the Poudre River might interest you. The two best locations we know about to go in are at Legacy park (Just north Old Town off of College Ave.) and Picnic Rock (Northwest of town up the Poudre Canyon). Now first off, we want to point out that you should NOT go in the Poudre right now. Fort Collins officials have closed access to the Poudre River through city-owned parks and natural areas because of high flows and unsafe conditions. Please wait until later in the summer when the river is less dangerous before going in the water. Even then, swimming in the river is still risky and you should use caution.

legacy park
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Legacy Park is a great place for people who enjoy a laid back experience. The water is fairly shallow andtends to move a bit slower. People have tied up numerous rope swings for the more adventurous spirits. (If you partake in the rope swing fun we highly recommend checking the depth of where you are going to "land" and making sure that there are no hard, pointy things beneath the surface. The water level can change drastically and rocks and logs are always moving in the flow. Better safe than sorry.)

picnic rock
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Picnic Rock is a very popular spot because it has areas for barbecuing or picnic lunch. It also has restrooms, and more of a "beach" area to relax along the river. The water is higher here and it does move a bit faster. If you drive up the canyon on a hot summer day you’ll probably see a lot of people here hanging out, swimming, grilling, and taking kayak lessons.

Again, we cannot emphasize enough that the river is extremely high and fast right now, and would dangerous to go in. When it does become less dangerous there are certain things you should do if you plan on if going in the river. Check out these river safety tips Derek got from Sergeant Kevin Johnson at the Larimer Country Sherriff’s Office Emergency Operations Section followed by the two of us confirming that, yes, the river is very high, very fast, and that someone would have to be crazy to want to go in it right now.

  • Don NOT go in the River until water levels are safe!
  • Wear a properly fitted life-jacket
  • Wear a water-draining helmet
  • Scout the river for hazards before you go in

There are plenty of other pools in town, but most of them are private or part of fitness clubs such at Miramont Lifestyle Fitness or The Fort Collins Club. What's your favorite place in town to take a dip?

Happy swimming this summer!

 

City Park Pool
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