Fort Collins vs SLC vs Boise - hiking proximity, landscape, weather, finding community as a single (live, best)
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I'm narrowing down which city I'd like to visit next for possible relocation. I'd like to compare Fort Collins, SLC, and Boise on the following points please:
* Hiking and landscape
** Which city has the best/most trailheads that you can walk or bike to?
** Fewest crowds on those trails?
** Despite being arid climates, any of those trails have forested/shaded portions?
* Weather
** Which has the mildest winters?
* Finding community as a single
** Easiest of the three to be a 30s single? (not for dating, but just as finding a sense of community and groups)
Miscellaneous
** I noticed Fort Collins Recreator has a number of adult outdoor rec classes, education, and volunteer opportunities--how do SLC and Boise compare?
Hey there. I believe the weather difference would be pretty negligible but I think Boise is the coldest of the 3. Ft. Collins is also the smallest and youngest of the 3. I think CSU is a pretty big deal there.
Hiking and Landscape
-Salt Lake has the best trails and closest access to trails of the three.
-Boise would probably have the least crowded trails
-All have an abundance of shaded areas. People really overrated how arid the Rockies are.
Weather
-,You won't be finding mild winters in any of them and that's because the Mountain west has probably the most unpredictable weather in the country. Some winters are really mild and others can be incredibly harsh you really never know, but all three are about the same. Be prepared for snow.
Community
-Fort Collins is probably wins here thanks to the large LDS influence in SLC and Boise.
Miscellaneous
-Denver is very close to FC, and at its disposal so it probably wins here simply because it is the largest of the three areas. SLC is no slouch though.
As far as trailheads are concerned Salt Lake is about as good as it gets. There are neighborhoods that are right next to the trailheads. Boise has set up as well but those neighborhoods are basically up against the foothills and they are kind of barren and not terribly interesting. However, beautiful trails are only a short drive away.
I haven't been to Ft. Collins in a while but when I was last there the town hadn't grown out to the front range all the way. It may have by now. In any event, I don't think the Front Range is as interesting as the Wasatch Front but they are still nice. When I last visited 10 years ago it was maybe a 10 minute drive from town to the edge of the mountains.
Don't think you could go wrong with any of these places as far as trails go.
* Hiking and landscape
** Which city has the best/most trailheads that you can walk or bike to?
- Boise seems to have the most or at least the best access to trails of the three. This can be very dependent on where you live though.
** Fewest crowds on those trails?
- Not really sure, I have done mountain biking in the summer in Boise, so I would get out fairly early. Fort Collins may take this because there are also many other options near by
** Despite being arid climates, any of those trails have forested/shaded portions?
- There was one trail near Ft. Collins that was in tree cover, it isn't the standard by any means. Boise is worse if your are talking about the trails immediately in the foothills. There was no cover at all, which is why I had to get out in the early morning. If you chose to use the Greenbelt, than you will have quite a bit of tree/shade coverage. SLC didn't seem to have to many options, rather it was Park city that we chose to go to. SLC had the least access to recreation of those three.
* Weather
** Which has the mildest winters?
- Boise and SLC share very similar climates, with Boise being tad more mild than SLC with less snow and precipitation. Ft. Collins is a different climate altogether, and is more harsh than the other two.
* Finding community as a single
** Easiest of the three to be a 30s single? (not for dating, but just as finding a sense of community and groups)
- I haven't lived in any of the three cities, though I know biking around Ft. Collins is a big thing.
Miscellaneous
** I noticed Fort Collins Recreator has a number of adult outdoor rec classes, education, and volunteer opportunities--how do SLC and Boise compare?
It almost seems like SLC is a tad bit out if it element here. Its a cool city with quite a few things to do, and anchors a much larger metro than the other two. It provides nearby access to recreation, without actually providing recreation itself, its a bit like Denver in that aspect. Not sure if you have considered them, but other mid-sized metros in the west that provide excellent access to recreation are Spokane, Colorado Springs, and Bend.
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