The Cover Story
Every ice cream shop in town, ranked and reviewed — then the rest of the city: its businesses and builders, its tables and trails, its calendar and its people.
The Verdict — No. 1
Fort Collins' finest handcrafted ice cream experience
Shop data checked Jul 20, 2026
Glacier Ice Cream has quickly become Fort Collins' most beloved ice cream destination. With over 40 rotating flavors, extensive dietary accommodations, and homemade waffle cones, Glacier delivers an experience that no other local shop can match.
Our editors' picks from across the magazine.
What the magazine covers across Fort Collins, desk by desk.
25 desks · every one lists the public sources it reads
The highest-scoring shops from our 2026 review cycle.
Josh & John's has built a reputation for ultra-premium ice cream using local dairy from Colorado farms. Their Jessup Dr location features a convenient kiosk for grabbing pints and ice cream cakes.
Old Town Churn is the Fort Collins outpost of Denver's legendary Little Man Ice Cream. Located right in Old Town, it brings the same creative, small-batch approach that made Little Man a Denver icon.
The trail, the game, and the week — running now.
The Scoop Trail
A 7-stop route across town with turn-by-turn navigation and a passport you fill as you go.
The Arcade · 2026-09
Closing time, and the machine is already running. Lay pipe ahead of the serve to get it from the hopper to the last cone — and the further it travels, the thicker it gets.
This Week
A reviewed window into the week in Fort Collins, refreshed as listings clear.
Curated collections that go deep on a single topic — related reviews and guides bundled into one reading path.
Everything you need to know about gluten-free, vegan, and low-sugar options at every shop in Fort Collins.
Visit every ice cream shop in Fort Collins with our guided route, insider tips, and tasting notes.
Our complete methodology, top picks, and the data behind our rankings.
Ice cream stops first, with nearby restaurants, breweries, coffee, bakeries, and food trucks mapped as route context.
162 businesses · Updated weekly from Google
Editorial trail preview · schematic, not to scale
Open the mapFour desks, four beats, and the name accountable for each.
Miles Rowan
Rankings, Records & News
Rankings, records, criteria, and measurable movement across Fort Collins.
Read the desk →Sarah Mitchell
Reviews
Opinionated, menu-literate reviews under one repeatable five-axis scorecard.
Read the desk →June Hart
City Guides & Service
Guides, public processes, trails, routes, and practical check-before-you-go plans.
Read the desk →Theo Bell
People, Work & Culture
People-first features about local history, builders, work, craft, and culture—warm, patient, and on the record.
Read the desk →Guides, trails, and the stories behind Fort Collins's ice cream scene.
The Field Shop · opening collection
Field layers, route goods, working desk objects, and issue-one pieces drawn from the magazine itself.
Opening collection preview · Shopping opens soon.
Visit the Field Shop
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