An anticipated trail touring a popular reservoir in northern Colorado is close to complete.

Larimer County is calling it the Bay to Bay Trail — a 1.8-mile path connecting two go-to areas at Horsetooth Reservoir, Inlet Bay and South Bay.

A news release announcing recent construction described the trail wrapping around the southern peninsula of Inlet Bay and hugging the shoreline en route to the swim beach at South Bay.

Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado to offer free astronomy festival

County Road 38E has been the connector to the bays to date. Soon people on foot and bike will have the option of what Fort Collins-based Overland Mountain Bike Association has described as “a scenic shoreline loop around and over the peninsula,” featuring “unique rock formations, forested canopy, open grassland meadows and steep hillsides.”

The Bay to Bay Trail was envisioned in Larimer County Department of Natural Resources’ 2017 master plan. According to The Coloradoan, funding for the $150,000 project has been helped by $34,400 from Great Outdoors Colorado and another $75,000 from land-owning Bureau of Reclamation.

Capturing lesser-viewed beauty en route to Colorado’s Conundrum Hot Springs

Following recent work by youth crews, the county’s news release indicated professionals finishing sections in hopes of opening the full trail by spring 2025.

As of Thursday morning, Horsetooth Reservoir was outside the mapped zone of the Alexander Mountain fire burning west of Loveland. Larimer County Trail Project Supervisor Joel Schwab said at the time the fire was not changing plans for the trail. 

“But we are taking a little break on working on it this week due to the heat and poor air quality,” he said. 

Western Colorado officials present alternative to controversial national monument idea