Explore Natural Areas

Missile Site Park is owned by Weld County and managed by the City of Greeley. The park is located on a former Atlas E missile site, hence the park’s name. The missile has long since been removed and the underground bunker is not open to the public. Enjoy beautiful views of the mountains from the park’s picnic shelters. An RV dump site near the picnic area is available whenever the park and natural area are open. The cost to use the RV dump site is $5 per vehicle. Read more about Missile Site Park.

Arroyos del Sol natural area is accessible from Missile Site Park; see “parking” below. A portion of the natural area is open for recreation, including walking and mountain biking. Dogs, except service animals, are not permitted on site.

The site plan for the natural area will guide the next several years of trail building and amenity installation. Read the site plan on Speak Up Greeley. The natural area is a work in progress. Still, the community is invited to visit the site, volunteer to help, and watch the work unfold over the next several years.

Hours: Open every day, one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. This site closes for the winter each year. Closure dates will be announced in fall 2025. 

Directions: From Greeley, drive west on 10th St. Turn right on CO-257 Spur. Turn right on Missile Park Rd. At the fork, turn left to get to the picnic area or continue straight to access the natural area trailhead.

Parking: The dirt trailhead parking lot has about 24 spaces and one ADA space.

Features and Amenities:

• Parking
• Trash can
• Picnic shelter
• Portable restroom
• Benches and seating
• Charcoal grill
• RV dump station
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Walking
• Cycling
• Wildlife viewing

Dogs are not permitted at this site.

Prohibited activities:

• Hunting
• Fires
• Camping
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles
• Hang gliding

Difficulty: Soft surface trails are uneven and steep in some places.

Restoration Efforts: The land has been heavily impacted by oil and gas operations, agriculture, drought, and the 2008 Windsor tornado. Restoration efforts began in 2023, but restoring this landscape to a healthy, shortgrass prairie will take many years.

There are approximately two miles of soft-surface trails for pedestrians and leashed dogs to enjoy. Several nature play features provide areas for children to climb and play and a giant slide that is fun for all ages. Benches and shade structures give visitors a break from the summer sun. Enjoy the bilingual art installations sprinkled throughout the natural area.

The historic #3 Ditch surrounds the property. Access to the ditch is prohibited as the water is deep and fast-moving. Swimming and fishing are not allowed.

Hours: Open every day, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Directions: Located near the intersection of Balsam Ave and E 24th St with entrances on Balsam Ave, 24th St and 21st St and from Discovery Bay Pool parking lot

Parking: Parking lot at Discovery Bay Pool, on-street parking on Balsam Ave and 21st St.

Feature and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Shelter
• Portable restroom
• Benches and seating
• Public art
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Walking
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dog
• Bicycling on flat trails only

Dogs must be leashed at all times in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, other trail users, and wildlife.

Prohibited Activities:

• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Bicycling on hill trails
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles
• Swimming
• Fishing
• Wading

Difficulty: Mixture of paved and soft surface trails. Most trails are flat, but there is a short climb to the top of the hill via steps or a soft surface trail.

Restoration Efforts: This natural area has been undergoing significant work since 2021. After several rounds of seeding and planting, the project is now in a plant establishment phase. Establishing native plant communities takes multiple years. Trails are treated with herbicide annually to prevent vegetation from growing on the trail surface. Dozens of trees and shrubs were planted in 2025. City staff continue to monitor and manage this natural area.

There is a 0.5-mile soft surface loop trail around the natural area. The wetland habitat provides an excellent home for red-winged blackbirds and bluejays. A bat box, placed here by a student participating in Caring for Our Watersheds, provides important habitat for native brown bats, whose numbers are rapidly declining.

Hours: Open every day, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Directions: Access from the surrounding neighborhood via 50th Ave. and 51st Ave. 

Parking: On-street parking on 50th Ave.

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• No drinking water

Allowed activities:

• Walking
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dog
• Bicycles

Dogs must always be leashed in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, trail users, and wildlife.

Prohibited activities 

• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles

Difficulty: Flat, soft surface trail.

Homestead Park features a nature-themed playground for 2-12-year-olds, walking trails, and covered picnic areas. Follow the trails north from Homestead Park to access Gateway Lakes Natural Area. A one-mile soft-surface trail meanders around several small lakes, which are open for fishing. The lakes are not stocked with fish. Fishing in the lakes is permitted with a Colorado fishing license. Enjoy public art throughout your stroll. 

Hours: Open every day, from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Directions: Parking lot on 29th St between 35th Ave and 39th Ave

Parking: Paved parking lot has 9 parking spaces and 1 ADA parking space

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Picnic shelter
• Playground
• Parking
• Portable restroom
• Benches and seating
• Public art
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Walking
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dog
• Bicycling
• Fishing

Dogs must be leashed at all times in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, other trail users, and wildlife.

Prohibited activities:

• Swimming
• Boating
• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles
• Ice fishing
• Ice skating

Difficulty: Mixture of paved and soft surface trails, all trails are flat

Restoration Efforts: Cattail management is an ongoing restoration task in the ponds in this natural area. The goal is to reduce and manage the cattails but not eliminate them. Cattails outcompete native plant species, but they do provide necessary wildlife habitat.

Josephine B Jones is one of several properties co-managed by the Parks and Natural Areas & Trails divisions. This place has something for everyone. Kids can enjoy the newly updated playground while parents stroll nearby trails or take a break on the benches. The 1.8 miles of soft-surface trails meander through natural vegetation and around a small pond. Fishing is permitted on the pond, but boats are prohibited.

Hours: Open 365 days, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Directions: 2631 52nd Avenue Court, Greeley

Parking: There is a small, dirt parking lot at the intersection of 56th Ave and 27th St. Do not block the private driveway. On-street parking is available on 26th St., an entrance to the natural area side of the property.

Features/amenities:

• Parking
• Restroom
• Trash can
• Benches and seating
• Playground
• Public art
• Picnic Table
• No drinking water

Allowed activities:

• Fishing
• Walking
• Bicycling
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dog

Dogs must always be leashed in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, trail users and wildlife.

Prohibited activities:

• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Riding horses
• Motorized vehicles
• Swimming and wading
• Ice fishing
• Ice skating
• Boating

Difficulty: Trails are soft surfaces and flat, and the natural area is over a mile-long trek to the playground.

Sheep Creek runs through this natural area and provides important habitat for all kinds of wildlife, including coyotes, songbirds, and the state amphibian, the Western Tiger Salamander.

The paved Sheep Draw Trail is accessible from the 71st Ave trailhead and is a popular walking and cycling trail that connects to the Poudre River Trail. The 0.5 mile, soft surface Firefly Trail is also accessible from the 71st Ave trailhead. The Firefly Trail is named for the native fireflies that are visible here on summer evenings.

Hours: Open every day, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Directions: Trailhead on 71st Ave, between 10th St and 16th St

Parking: The dirt parking lot has 24 parking spaces and two ADA parking spaces

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Portable restroom
• Picnic table
• Parking
• Benches and seating
• Interpretive signage
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Bicycling
• Walking
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dog

Dogs must be leashed at all times in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, other trail users and wildlife.

Prohibited Activities:

• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles
• Fishing
• Swimming
• Wading

Difficulty: Mixture of paved and soft surface trails. Steeper grades from parking lot to the Sheep Draw Trail

Restoration Efforts: There are numerous invasive Russian Olive trees in this natural area. This species is a priority for removal along waterways and transportation corridors in Greeley’s natural areas. Trees are felled and the stumps treated with herbicide to prevent re-growth.

Poudre Ponds is closed until 2026 for gravel mining, which will increase the site's non-potable water storage capacity to 3,000 acre-feet. For more information on the project email water@greeleygov.com.

The section of the Poudre River Trail that passes Poudre Ponds is currently open.

This natural area is only accessible via the Poudre River Trail, making it a quiet place to connect with nature. Situated where Sheep Creek meets the Poudre River, this natural area preserves acres of prairie and wetland. Many species of wildflowers are visible in the spring and summer and visitors are likely to spot birds and butterflies.

Hours: Open every day, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Directions: Accessible from the Poudre River Trail, between 59th Ave and 71st Ave

Parking: No parking, only accessible via Poudre River Trail

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Interpretive signage
• Benches and seating
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Walking
• Bicycling
• Leashed dog
• Wildlife viewing

Dogs must be leashed at all times in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, other trail users, and wildlife.

Prohibited Activities:

• Horse riding
• Camping
• Fires
• Hunting
• Motorized vehicles

Difficulty: Soft surface trail with several boardwalks. The path is fairly flat.

The iconic red barn is visible from the parking lot; snap a picture before you head out on your trail adventure. Access the regional Poudre River Trail from the parking lot on 71st Ave or venture into the natural area. Nearly two miles of soft-surface trails provide a secluded nature experience and plenty of opportunity to spot birds and wildlife along the river corridor. Bicycles are not allowed on the soft-surface trails. The ponds are not stocked, but fishing is permitted.

Hours: Open every day, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Directions: Access the trailhead parking lot on the west side of 71st Avenue, between F St. and O St.

Parking: There are 25 parking spaces, plus two ADA parking spaces. This trailhead often fills up. If the parking lot is full when you arrive, do not park on the road.

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Parking
• Portable restroom
• Interpretive signage
• Bike repair station
• Benches and seating
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Walking
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dog
• Fishing

Dogs must always be leashed in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, trail users and wildlife.

Prohibited Activities:

• Swimming
• Wading
• Ice fishing
• Ice skating
• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles
• Biking on soft surface trails.

Difficulty: All trails are relatively flat and level. The Poudre River Trail is paved, while the nature trails have a soft surface.

Restoration Efforts: A multi-year restoration project removed non-native pasture grasses (I.e., smooth brome) and planted dozens of native grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees. Establishing native plant communities takes multiple years. City staff continue to monitor and manage this natural area.

The Fox Run Trail connects via a covered bridge with the soft surface path that goes around the Youth Sports Complex fields. The bridge, Donaldson’s Crossing, honors those who served in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. Enjoy public art and look for birds as you meander through this wetland habitat. Fox Run Trail provides easy access from the surrounding neighborhoods to the Family FunPlex, Youth Sports Complex, and Sheep Draw Trail.

Hours: Open every day, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Directions: Access at 16th St and 64th Ave, 63rd Ave Ct between 14th St Rd and 15th St, or 60th Ave north of 18th St

Parking: On-street parking on 16th St, 63rd Ave Ct and 60th Ave 

Features and Amenities: 

• Trash can
• Monument
• Public art
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Walking
• Bicycling
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dog

Dogs must be leashed at all times in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, trail users and wildlife.

Prohibited Activities:

• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles

Difficulty: Flat, paved trail.

These small but mighty neighborhood trails connect north Greeley residents to local parks, schools, and more. Both trails are paved and follow drainages through neighborhoods. The two trails intersect west of 35th Ave, just north of B St. Closure and alert information for the Larson Trail and Greeley #3 Canal Trail can be found on COTREX.

Hours: Open every day, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

Directions: There are neighborhood access points on B St, 4th St, from the Stoneybrook subdivision, and from Ramseier Farm Park.

Parking: There is parking for the Larson Trail on F St, west of 35th Ave. The #3 Canal Trail does not have a parking lot, but you can park at Ramseier Farm Park (on W. C St) and walk the park path south to the trail.

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Benches and seating
• Public art
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Bicycling
• Walking
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dog

Dogs must be leashed at all times in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, other trail users, and wildlife.

Prohibited Activities:

• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles

Difficulty: Paved, flat trail

Explore this regional, paved, multi-use trail that connects communities across the northern Front Range. By foot or bike, this trail has something for everyone. It follows the Cache la Poudre River and travels through the Cache la Poudre National Heritage Area, which recognizes the cultural and natural importance of the river.

Hours: Open every day, one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. 

Trailheads:

Island Grove Trailhead, west side of 11th Ave, north of D St

• Parking
• Trash can
• Portable restroom
• Interpretive sign
• Benches and seating
• No drinking water

Rover Run Dog Park, north side of F St, west of 35th Ave

• Parking
• Trash can
• Portable restroom
• Benches and seating
• Dog park
• No drinking water

Signature Bluffs Trailhead, west side of 71st Ave, south of O St

• Parking
• Trash can
• Portable restroom
• Interpretive signs
• Bike repair station
• Benches and seating
• No drinking water

Poudre Learning Center, north side of F St, west of 83rd Ave

• Parking
• Trash can
• Portable restroom
• Benches and seating
• No drinking water

Parking is also available on 25th Ave and 35th Ave.

Allowed Activities:

• Biking
• Walking
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dogs

Dogs must always be leashed in Greeley's natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, trail users, and wildlife.

Prohibited Activities:

• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles

Difficulty: Flat, paved trail

Wildlife: In addition to the trailheads noted above, the Poudre River Trail travels through Cottonwood Bend Natural Area. Check out the plants and animals that have been reported here, and contribute your own observations on iNaturalist. 

This paved, multi-use trail connects residential and commercial areas throughout western Greeley. Great for both recreating and commuting to work or school! There are numerous neighborhood access points and three formal trailheads, see below.

Hours: Open every day, from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

71st Ave Trailhead: 71st Ave, between 10th St and 16th St

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Parking
• Portable restroom
• Interpretive exhibit
• Benches/seating
• No drinking water

Family FunPlex Trailhead: 1501 65th Ave

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Parking
• Benches/seating

20th St Trailhead: 20th St, between 71st Ave and 83rd Ave

Features and Amenities:

• Trash can
• Parking
• Portable restroom
• Art
• No drinking water

Allowed Activities:

• Biking
• Walking
• Wildlife viewing
• Leashed dogs

Dogs must be leashed at all times in Greeley’s natural areas and on trails. This is for the safety of your dog, other trail users, and wildlife.

Prohibited Activities:

• Fires
• Camping
• Hunting
• Horse riding
• Motorized vehicles

Difficulty: Flat, paved trail.