Until this year, riders heading west from Windsor on the Poudre River Trail hit a gap between north Windsor and south Timnath. River Bluffs Open Space, just off County Road 3, is the western end of the section the trail's Windsor-to-Greeley nonprofit tracks. In May 2026, Larimer County and the Town of Timnath closed that last gap, and the trail now runs 45 continuous paved miles from Bellvue to Greeley. On Nov. 30, the City of Greeley closes the "Narrows" section east of town for erosion work and expects to keep it closed until May 31, 2027.
That leaves about a month, from now through the weekend after Thanksgiving, when someone starting in Windsor can ride the whole route in either direction. After that, the open trail from Windsor mostly points west for six months.
The Dead End at River Bluffs Is Gone
The last piece is short. Larimer County's announcement describes about a mile of 10-foot-wide concrete trail and a bridge over the Greeley No. 2 Canal, running between south Timnath and north Windsor. Connell Resources built it for $2.4 million. Funding came from Great Outdoors Colorado plus grants from Colorado Parks & Wildlife, the North Front Range Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Colorado Department of Transportation.
That mile joins two long networks. The Poudre River Trail Corridor, the nonprofit that tracks the Windsor-to-Greeley section, describes its territory as a 22-mile run from Island Grove in Greeley to River Bluffs and Kyger Reservoir in Windsor. With the new link in place, River Bluffs connects west to Timnath. According to the county, the regional trail also includes a new bridge and a pedestrian underpass along I-25. In practice, a Windsor rider can reach Timnath and the Fort Collins segments without loading a bike onto a car.
The timeline was long. Great Outdoors Colorado money linked Windsor to Greeley in 2012. Partners then closed the remaining gaps between late 2024 and early 2026, and the final Timnath-to-Windsor mile came last. The county marked it with a June 13 ribbon-connecting ceremony at Timnath Community Park.
There's one caveat on the new segment. The concrete was finished in May, but fence construction next to it was still underway, and the county warned of temporary closures while that work continued. Watch for signs near the canal bridge.
East of Town, the Narrows Closes on Nov. 30
The Narrows is the part of the trail in Greeley east of 83rd Avenue. It runs through Signature Bluffs Natural Area, squeezed between sandstone bluffs and the river. In a Sept. 29 announcement, the City of Greeley said significant erosion is affecting the trail and riverbank there, and that the affected section will close during construction.
The dates are posted on the city's Speak Up Greeley project page:
- Oct. 1, 2026: Community open house at the Poudre Learning Center
- Nov. 30, 2026: Trail construction and maintenance begin
- May 31, 2027: Trail scheduled to reopen
The repair takes about six months because the problem goes deeper than the pavement. Greeley explains that the river was historically straightened and confined, which makes the channel steeper. Water moves faster, cuts deeper and has lost its floodplain, so the banks take more stress. The fix keeps the trail where it is, widens the bench it sits on and adds a retaining wall on the river side. The project FAQ also lists drainage and rockfall from the bluff as problems the work addresses.
When it reopens, the paved trail will be 12 feet wide instead of 6. That's twice the current width, on a stretch where bluff and river leave little room to pass. In the meantime, Greeley's FAQ says a detour may be possible during some phases of construction and asks trail users to wait for more information. Until a detour is announced, plan on the Narrows being a turnaround point.
Windsor's Access Points, West to East
The open window runs from now until Nov. 29, about five weekends counting the one after Thanksgiving. These are the Windsor-area trailheads listed by the Poudre River Trail Corridor, in order from the new Timnath link toward Greeley.
- River Bluffs Open Space, at Larimer County Road 32E and County Road 3. The entrance is a quarter mile east of County Road 3, and the trailhead has a shady lot, an indoor restroom with running water and a drinking fountain. From the lot, the trail crosses a bridge over the Cache la Poudre River, follows the base of the old river bluffs and passes under Highway 392 to join the rest of the trail. It's the obvious start for a ride west to the new link. Larimer County notes river access and picnic tables there too.
- Eastman Park, at 7th Street and Eastman Park Drive. The corridor's map labels it trail marker W-0, the zero point for Windsor's mile markers. It has ample parking, indoor restrooms, drinking fountains, a picnic shelter and a play area, and the trail runs along the south side of the park. Treasure Island Garden sits just east of Eastman, across the bridge.
- Kodak Watchable Wildlife Area, on Highway 257 about two miles south of Main Street. This Colorado State Wildlife Area has riparian habitat and plenty of birds. The trailhead has parking, interpretive signs and a portable restroom, but no water, so fill bottles before you go.
- Frank State Wildlife Area, half a mile south of Highway 392 on Weld County Road 13. It's the farthest-east Windsor access on the corridor's list and the closest one to the Greeley side.
East of Frank, the trail heads toward the Poudre Learning Center and then the Narrows. Even before Nov. 30, the corridor's alerts page warns that the trail west of the Poudre Learning Center passes through an active construction area, with changing conditions and temporary closures. It also lists the Island Grove spur return as closed until further notice. That page was last updated in July, and it sends riders to the state's COTREX app for the most current closure information. Check COTREX before any ride east of Kodak.
After Nov. 30, Windsor's Open Trail Points West
Through December and the spring, a Windsor rider heading east will reach the Narrows closure before Greeley, while the westbound route through River Bluffs, over the Greeley No. 2 Canal and into Timnath stays open. This is the first winter that westbound route has existed.
Past Timnath, the City of Fort Collins says it plows paved trails, including the Poudre River Trail, during and after snowfall as it plows roads. Windsor and Timnath have no posted plowing policy specific to the trail, so a snowy morning can look very different on each side of the county line. Timnath's snow page focuses on streets.
For a coffee or a pint after a westbound ride, Timnath Beerwerks is at 4138 Main Street in downtown Timnath, in the Feed & Grain building it shares with the Public Market coffeehouse. Closer to home, the town's visitor site lists High Hops Brewery, Mash Lab Brewery, Mighty River Brewery, Peculier Ales and The Heart Distillery. None of these are trailside, so plan on a short drive or ride on streets.
Windsor's river corridor is also growing in a slower way. On Sept. 11, the Town announced a $6.2 million purchase of 70 acres next to Kodak Open Space and the Windsor Wastewater Treatment Facility, near CO 257 and Crossroads Boulevard. The site includes river access, wildlife habitat, water rights and a historic homestead believed to include the original house of Aaron Eaton, brother of Benjamin Eaton. The money comes partly from the 0.25% open space sales tax that voters approved in November 2022. The Town says the property will support future trail connections and that residents will help shape the final plans, so the site is still in the planning stage.
If you want to ride from River Bluffs to Island Grove before the Narrows closes, the last chance is the weekend of Nov. 28 and 29. The trail is scheduled to reopen May 31, 2027, 12 feet wide.
Changes along the river corridor, from new trail links to open space purchases, affect how Windsor homes are valued. If you live near River Bluffs, Eastman Park or Kodak and want to know what that trail access is worth for your home, Scallon Real Estate can walk you through it. Start with a free home value estimate and we'll follow up with what's happening in your part of Windsor.
