Council Tree
Arapaho Bend Natural Area - 3600 S. County Rd 7, Fort Collins, CO 80528
Former meeting place of the Northern Arapaho, Cheyenne and others, the Council Tree itself has been gone for some time, but the area is still a culturally and historically important place. A fascinating local landmark, the wayside interpretive sign can be viewed from the Poudre Trail, just north of the Strauss Cabin.
“In 1860, a massive cottonwood tree stood in a broad, lush meadow near the Cache la Poudre River’s banks and served as a meeting place for Chief Friday and his band of Northern Arapahoes. It would later become a symbol to white settlers of Native American life, and known to them as the Council Tree. Also in 1860, George Robert Strauss settled about a thousand feet downstream from the tree. At that time, the area along with all the land between the Arkansas River and the North Platte still belonged to the Northern Arapaho as determined by the 1851 treaty.” Read more about this Council Tree site from the Arapaho perspective at https://strausscabinandcounciltree.weebly.com/council-tree.html
Accessibility
Not accessible - Please view from trail.
Wayside Sign
Sign is on Poudre Trail, north of Strauss Cabin.