Fishers Peak State Park Full Tour 2022
Fishers Peak State Park is 20,000 acres of untouched terrain being developed over the next few years into 70+ miles of trail. This first taste gets you close to the peak with a incredible views of the Sangre de Cristo Range and Spanish Peaks. Rock outcroppings with panoramas, deep pine woods, scrub oak, and desert terrain all await.
Park at the main Fishers Peak trailhead (state parks pass required) and head up Challenge Trail for about a quarter mile. Turn right across the bridge to start climbing Lower Lone Cub trail. This mellow climb is just a couple miles with relatively easy grades, wide trail, and a number of switchbacks. This is a multiuse trail and mountain bikes are only allowed to climb it -- no descending back the way you started.
You'll soon reach the intersection with Upper Lone Cub and Poison Canyon. If that's enough climbing for you or you want to jump straight into the MTB features, turn right on Poison Canyon. Otherwise stay left. For the most part, Upper Cub is similar to the Lower section, but you'll encounter some tougher switchbacks, a few steep sections, and some rock armoring that requires fitness and finesse to clear. The views are incredible.
After another mile and change you'll hit the first trail hub with a large stone circle. MTBers are not allowed to descend the Challenge Trail or Goldenrod, so you must turn back or continue up Fishers Peak Trail to the right. The ranch road is also closed to all access.
Fishers Peak trail offers more of a climbing challenge as the biome starts to shift from desert scrub to old growth pine. You'll curve through deep woods and up and over ridges as the titular Peak grows ever closer. Finally after another couple of miles you'll reach the intersection with Osita Point trail, which is hiker only but worth leaving the bike to check out the views.
Now drop your seat and get ready for the first extended descent in Trinidad mountain bike history! Fishers Peak and Lone Cub trails are fun, fast, and flowy. You'll be back down the trail hub in no time, grinning all the while.
You'll finish on Poison Canyon downhill-only mountain bike trail. The first 1/3 is pretty mellow. After you hit the first big berm (a left-ward turn), get ready for the features to begin. Keep your eyes peeled to the left for an optional drop line (two options) right at the large swath of slickrock. On the slickrock itself, you can choose the easier right line or the more technical left line. Both dump into another set of large berms. After these berms you'll have a technical rock section with a few switchbacks. Once through the chunk, it's off to the races. You'll see the highway off to your left -- this is where things turn into a park-style trail with large berms and a few tabletops. Finally you spit out back onto the park entrance road just below the trailhead. Resist the urge to push back up the trail -- it is one way only!
