Ansel Watrous

Cache la Poudre River
Ansel Watrous entrance sign
Ansel Watrous Camp Site 15
Ansel Watrous road
Ansel Watrous Camp Site 15 Overview

Featured amenities

Pet Friendly
River Access

About Ansel Watrous

Ansel Watrous Campground is located on the Cache la Poudre River, 22 miles northwest of Fort Collins, Colo., along Highway 14. Visitors enjoy the area for its great rafting, fishing and hiking opportunities.

Number of accommodations: 13

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - May 1 to Sep 19

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Pet friendly
River Access
Water Access

Water Access

  • River Access
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

13 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 002, Loop: UPPER
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 003, Loop: UPPER
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 006, Loop: UPPER
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 007, Loop: UPPER
No Hookups
Price not available
008, Loop: UPPER
8 guests · Pet Friendly
Price not available
009, Loop: UPPER
8 guests · Pet Friendly
Price not available
010, Loop: UPPER
8 guests · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 012, Loop: LOWER
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 013, Loop: LOWER
No Hookups
Price not available
014, Loop: LOWER
8 guests · Pet Friendly
Price not available
🚐 015, Loop: LOWER
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 016, Loop: LOWER
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 017, Loop: LOWER
No Hookups
Price not available

Reviews (182)

What Guests Are Saying

Ansel Watrous Campground offers a fantastic setting right by the Poudre River, with well-maintained sites and clean facilities. Many guests appreciate the friendly camp host and the easy access to hiking trails and fishing spots. While some reviewers noted issues with noise from the nearby road and close campsite arrangements, the overall experience is highly rated, making it a popular choice for campers.

Review Summary

4.5
182 reviews
5
71.4%
130
4
15.9%
29
3
7.1%
13
2
1.6%
3
1
3.8%
7

Beth B

Verified

July 22, 2021 Stayed at: 002, Loop: UPPER

5

Beautiful views, and right on the river....Loved it!

Lindsay L

July 12, 2021

5

This was a great campground for our 4th of July weekend! The bathrooms were incredibly clean (especially for vault toilets!). It's a great location on the river and close to other places on the river. The campgrounds are spacious and pretty private. We will definitely be back!

Erik A

Verified

July 9, 2021 Stayed at: 015, Loop: LOWER

4

Extremely clean restroom!

Dan B

Verified

July 3, 2021 Stayed at: 008, Loop: UPPER

5

Great host

Forrest M

Verified

July 3, 2021 Stayed at: 012, Loop: LOWER

1

Lower Ansel Watrous campground in Poudre Canyon, 22 miles or so west of Fort Collins, CO. It is a very popular campground. Cleanest vault toilet bathroom I've ever been in. It even smelled good. Kinda creepy saying that, but it was. The campground looks good and it is pretty but we left early, didn't even spend one night there (we had a two night reservation). It's right off Highway 14, so there is motor traffic noise, but that wasn't what made us leave. It was buggy, but that wasn't what made us leave. There was no potable water available simply because the authorities have not monitored or filled out the proper paper work (the violation was in 2018 and the posted letter states they might fix the issue by 2023) but that wasn't why we left. It was the numerous non-campers driving through the campground scoping it out and a drugged out zombie couple from California "camping" out of their compact car next to us. When they asked for change I decided it was just a bit too much. I knew I wouldn't sleep well and home was only three hours away. With no cell service my gut feelings told me to leave, so we did. How this happens is that some of the camping sites were first come first serve and not reservable. So, it attracts vagrants. This might only be a problem for the lower campground which is smaller, isolated from the main or upper Watrous and more directly off the highway and has no host site to monitor things.

Jen M

July 2, 2021

4

Perfect small campground, site was amazing and the view of the river was my favorite part of this location. Not a great area to fish, River is moving to fast. Camp host does not bother you like many other locations!

christopher h

June 30, 2021

5

Just one of our absolute favorite places! It's close and beautiful and simple... Wait no I mean it was terrible you would hate it! Wink wink nudge nudge!! =)

Joelle P

Verified

June 29, 2021 Stayed at: 017, Loop: LOWER

5

Love this campground! Bathrooms SUPER clean! Staff was friendly. Don’t worry about excessive highway noise..the river drowns it out ! I wish I would have stayed longer! Will be back!!

Shannon F

Verified

June 26, 2021 Stayed at: 003, Loop: UPPER

5

Very nice and clean campsite. Campsite host very helpful and keeps bathrooms clean.

Tracy G

Verified

June 23, 2021 Stayed at: 008, Loop: UPPER

4

Wonderful camp host! She went over and above to help us have a great camp trip. Bathrooms were clean and the camp site had beautiful views of the river. Only downside would be the large trucks that go by early in the morning causing a bit of noise.

Location Ansel Watrous

Address:
9054 U.S Hwy 285
Morrison, CO, 80465
United States

Highway access

The campground is accessible via Highway 14, which is a major road leading northwest from Fort Collins.

Latitude & Longitude: 40.6897 / -105.349

Elevation: 1780 feet

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: July 11, 2026

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