Old Town Ice Cream Walk: 5 Shops in 5 Blocks

Old Town Fort Collins has something most neighborhoods would kill for: five ice cream shops within walking distance of each other. You can park once and hit every one on foot in an afternoon. Here's the route, the strategy, and what to get at each stop.

The Route

Start at Walrus on Mountain Avenue, dip one block south to Kilwins, then work north up College Avenue — through Old Town Square, past Edison's — to the grand finale at The Exchange. Total walking distance: about half a mile. Total time with stops: 90 minutes to 2 hours depending on lines and how much you linger.

Stop 1: Walrus Ice Cream

125 W Mountain Ave — The starting point. Fort Collins' oldest ice cream shop (since 1987) and the northern anchor of the walk.

What to get: Whatever's been on the menu longest. The classics are classics for a reason. Ask the staff what's most popular today — they'll steer you right.

Time needed: 10-15 minutes. Lines can be long on summer weekends but move fast.

Stop 2: Kilwins

114 S College Ave — From Walrus, cut over to College and walk a block south. Skip the ice cream here.

What to get: Fudge. A small slab of whatever they just pulled off the marble slab. Watch them make it through the window first. If caramel apples are in season, grab one for later.

Time needed: 10 minutes. Faster if you know what you want from the case.

Stop 3: Ben & Jerry's

1 Old Town Square — Head back north and walk into the square. Ben & Jerry's is right there.

What to get: Something you can't get from the grocery store. Ask about the shop-exclusive flavors. Or skip this stop entirely if you're running low on stomach space — the next two stops are better.

Time needed: 5-10 minutes. Lines are rarely long here.

Stop 4: Edison's Ice Cream

172 N College Ave — Continue north on College. Edison's is the craft stop on this route — small-batch flavors made with intention.

What to get: An ice cream flight. Four small scoops, four flavors, no commitment — exactly what you want this deep into the walk. The salted honey with honeycomb is the standout, and the seasonal flavors rotate often.

Time needed: 10-15 minutes.

Stop 5: Old Town Churn

234 N College Ave Unit D — The grand finale. Keep walking north on College to The Exchange. The wooden churn is visible from the plaza.

What to get: Their most creative current flavor — something you'd never see at a traditional shop. This is where Little Man's Denver R&D shines. Sit in the plaza, enjoy the atmosphere. If there's live music, you've timed it perfectly.

Time needed: 15-20 minutes. The plaza is worth lingering in.

Strategy Tips

Pace yourself. Five shops is a lot of ice cream. Get a kid's size or single small scoop at each stop. Sharing with a partner helps.

Timing matters. Weekday afternoons (2-4 PM) have the shortest lines. Summer Saturday evenings are the longest waits but the best atmosphere.

Parking. Park near Mountain Avenue (meters or the parking garage). You'll end at The Exchange on North College, three blocks from your car.

Budget. A single small scoop at each stop runs roughly $5-7 per stop, so $25-35 for the full walk. Worth it once.

Skip one if needed. If five stops is too many, drop Ben & Jerry's (grocery store ice cream) or Kilwins (better for fudge). The essential three are Walrus, Edison's, and Old Town Churn.

The Bigger Picture

This walk covers 5 of Fort Collins' 9 ice cream shops. The remaining four — Glacier (920 N College Ave, a short hop further north), Josh & John's (Jessup Drive), Dairy Queen (South College), and Gelato & aMore (West Mulberry) — are spread out enough to need a car. For the full 9-shop experience, check out our Ice Cream Trail.

But if you only have an afternoon and want to experience the best of Fort Collins ice cream on foot, this Old Town walk is the move.