Nature’s Gifts: Gateway Natural Area

Back in June, I took an adventure to Gateway Natural Park. On either side of the entrance were towering rocks that open up to a woodland pocket with endless flowing water. Gateway Natural Area was the site where the Poudre River and the North Fork River were joined and renamed Cache La Poudre, meaning “hide the powder”.

Even its name was an echo of its history. Local legends say that a group of French-Canadian fur trappers and traders stopped by during a snowstorm in the fall of 1836. Headed southeast and through rough weather, the wagons were getting heavy, and it made travel difficult. They dug a large hole into the south bank of the river and began unloading items, including several hundred pounds of gunpowder. Sometime later, these items were retrieved and continued their journey.

In the modern day, it has become a protected place of nature hosting 8 miles of trails and beautiful waterways. It ranges from small streams in rocky pockets to the weaving branches of water that join and split many times over. The ecosystems the waterways support could go uncounted between the local plants, a natural beaver dam, and the rocky landscapes. Walking around the land with my camera felt like an adventure all its own. I witnessed families gathering under covered areas with tables and putting up nets to play sports. People were fishing along its rocky shores and even tubing down the river under the afternoon sun.

Nature’s Gifts is a way to share the beautiful spots in the United States. We have one planet that supports the life that lives on it. With love, care, and awareness, we can leave the world a better place. Remember to find the areas of beauty and to care for all that connects through them.

To find out more about Gateway Natural Area, go to fc.gov.

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