Openings · last 7 days
1
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 1 site opening here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234512
When Ansel Watrous reopens
Ansel Watrous's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
19
Openings · last 90 days
70
Weekday pattern
Detected openings by day of week · 90dNo strong weekday pattern is evident in the openings Campsite Sniper has detected: 70 openings spread across the week.
Hour-of-day pattern
First detected by hour · local time · last 90 daysThe largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 00:00 and 18:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 21 of 70 detected openings (30.0%). Hours show when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, in Mountain Time, not when the change was made upstream.
Lead-time profile
Days before stay date · percentilesHalf of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 9 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 4.2–21 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.
Highest-churn sites
Most openings · 90d| Site | Openings | Share of all openings |
|---|---|---|
| 006 | 15 | 21.4% |
| 002 | 14 | 20.0% |
| 007 | 12 | 17.1% |
| 010 | 8 | 11.4% |
| 003 | 6 | 8.6% |
Site 006 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 15. One free watch covers every site here.
02 · Availability Outlook · Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027 · of 17 monitored sites
Of the 3,111 tracked site-nights (Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027): 1,238 open for online reservation · 42 reserved · 578 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative) · 1,253 closed. Of the facility's 17 monitored sites, 13 can be reserved online and 4 are first-come, first-served.
Where the open windows are
60.2% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 1,238 of 3,111 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027Not open online60.2%
Open site-nights1,238 / 3,111
Reserved (of online inventory)42 / 1,280
Weekday openings702
Weekend openings536
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 702 fall on weekdays and 536 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Nov 2026 – May 2027December holds the most room. 217 of 527 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 17 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 7 | Open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 7 | Open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 7 | Open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 7 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 7 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 7 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 7 | Open | |
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Thanksgiving: 7 sites are available for the complete three-night stay. Christmas: 7 sites are available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: 7 sites are available for the complete two-night stay. Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 009 | 178 |
| 010 | 176 |
| 006 | 175 |
| 007 | 175 |
| 008 | 174 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Nov 2, 2026 snapshotNext open dateFri · Nov 6
Next open weekendFri · Nov 6
The next bookable night is Nov 6; the first open weekend starts Nov 6. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
1,238 open site-nights across 13 sites at Ansel Watrous, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 21 2-night, 20 3-night, 11 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Nov 8 at site 009.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 40 ft. 13 sites take 25 ft, 7 sites take 35 ft, 6 sites take 40 ft. 3 sites of 17 have no recorded maximum and are not counted.
All 13 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 009 | Not recorded | None | 178 | 177 nights | Nov 6, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +166 more |
| 010 | Not recorded | None | 176 | 171 nights | Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +164 more |
| 006 | 40 ft | None | 175 | 170 nights | Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21 +163 more |
| 007 | 40 ft | None | 175 | 170 nights | Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21 +163 more |
| 008 | Not recorded | None | 174 | 159 nights | Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +162 more |
| 002 | 40 ft | None | 171 | 144 nights | Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20 +159 more |
| 003 | 40 ft | None | 165 | 112 nights | Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19, Nov 20, Nov 21, Nov 22, Nov 23, Nov 24, Nov 25, Nov 26, Nov 27 +153 more |
| 012 | 33 ft | None | 4 | 4 nights | Apr 30, 2027, May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 013 | 33 ft | None | 4 | 4 nights | Apr 30, 2027, May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 014 | 20 ft | None | 4 | 4 nights | Apr 30, 2027, May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 015 | 33 ft | None | 4 | 4 nights | Apr 30, 2027, May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 016 | 33 ft | None | 4 | 4 nights | Apr 30, 2027, May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 017 | 33 ft | None | 4 | 4 nights | Apr 30, 2027, May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
About Ansel Watrous
Overview
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.
Recreation
The Cache la Poudre River offers whitewater rafting and fishing. Anglers cast for brown, cutthroat and rainbow trout, among other species of fish.
Hiking, biking and horseback riding trails are in the surrounding area, including the 4-mile Young Gulch Trail.
Other popular activities enjoyed by visitors to the campground include birding and wildlife viewing.
Facilities
The campground offers accessible single-family sites, each equipped with a 12-by-15 tent pad, a picnic table and a campfire ring with grill.
Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Dead and downed firewood may be gathered in the forest or purchased from the campground host.
Natural Features
The canyon's vegetation varies from dense forests to open meadows and the campground is surrounded by steep mountains. The campground is situated among Ponderosa pines on the banks of the Cache la Poudre River, Colorado's first river designated as a National Wild and Scenic River.
17 monitored sites4 FCFS sitesRVs up to 40 ftNo hookups12 shadedPets OKMax party 8
Getting there
From Fort Collins, take Highway 14 northwest for 13 miles.
9054 U.S Hwy 285, Morrison, CO 80465970-295-6700
BikingBirdingBoatingCampingCanoeingFishingHikingKayakingMountain BikingRaftingWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234512 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234512 · Ansel Watrous · Morrison CO12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Ansel Watrous?
Reservations for Ansel Watrous are made through Recreation.gov. 1,238 of 3,111 tracked site-nights are currently open (39.8%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 70 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Nov 2, 2026 16:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Ansel Watrous?
Campsite Sniper detected 1 site-date opening at Ansel Watrous in the last 7 days, 19 over 30 days and 70 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Ansel Watrous?
20 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Nov 8 at site 009. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Ansel Watrous fit a 35-foot RV?
7 of the 17 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 40 ft. 14 of those 17 sites have a recorded maximum length and 3 do not; they are not counted as fitting.
Which month has the most availability at Ansel Watrous?
December 2026, with 217 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 527.
How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Ansel Watrous?
Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 9 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 4.2-21 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.
When is the next open date at Ansel Watrous?
As of the Nov 2, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Fri, Nov 6 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Nov 6. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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We run paced availability checks for Ansel Watrous. One watch covers every matching online-reservable site.
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When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.
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