4945 Bingham Hill Rd, Fort Collins, CO 80521
The original name for the Cache la Poudre River was said to be “Pateros Creek,” named by a bewildered Frenchman who came upon the river after wandering for 20 days without food. Pateros is French for “lake.”
Another story, related by C.A. Duncan, a son of an early settler, said that the river was called “Piteux Creek” by a settler who spent the winter of 1839-40 near its banks and almost froze to death. Piteux is French for “piteous.”
Yet another name for the river was given by a band of Sioux who dubbed it “Minni Luzaha” which means “Swift Current.”
Lastly, the most accepted story of the Poudre River’s name is from November 1836 when a group of fur trappers were stranded in a snowstorm near the banks of the river and the wagon boss ordered the men to lighten the load by stashing supplies so they could continue their journey to Green River, WY. A large part of the goods was gun powder, hence the name “Cache la Poudre” or “where the powder was hidden.”
– Summarized from the Fort Collins History Connection.
Accessibility
Accessible
Directions
From Fort Collins, head north on N. Overland Trail. Turn left (west) onto Bingham Hill Rd. Proceed approximately 1.7 miles and look for the engraved stone marker onlong the fence line on the SW side of the road.
