Colorado's Rugged State Park Is A Mountain Haven With Unique Geology And Epic Views

Though towering mountains are plentiful across the U.S., few states are quite as synonymous with mountains as Colorado. Gifted with many of the highest peaks and extraordinary sights of the Rocky Mountains, Colorado has achieved well-deserved fame as a mountainous wonderland and a top U.S. destination for outdoor adventures. Much of Colorado's reputation comes from popular mountain destinations like the famed Maroon Bells or beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park hikes like the Bear Lake and Nymph Lake trails. Yet Colorado's natural wonders extend far beyond its most popular landmarks, and all across the state, enterprising travelers can find picture-perfect mountain gems that don't get the traction of the state's well-known parks. Within Colorado's extraordinary, but overlooked, state park system, the distinctive Fishers Peak State Park offers some of Colorado's most unique — and most epic — mountain experiences.

Fishers Peak State Park protects mountainous resources that are a bit different from the recognizable peaks around Denver, Boulder, or Aspen. Located about three hours south of the Denver International Airport, just north of the Colorado-New Mexico border, Fishers Peak State Park has a much more "desert-like" vibe than the alpine forests and snowy peaks elsewhere in the Colorado Rockies. As one of Colorado's newest state parks, Fishers Peak is still very much a work in progress. However, even with its more remote location and infrastructure still under development, Fishers Peak State Park forges a truly one-of-a-kind outdoor experience, merging the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains with the rugged expanse of the Southwestern desert in an unforgettable experience that no fan of the outdoors should miss. 

The centerpiece of Fishers Peak State Park is the extraordinary geological formation from which it gets its name. Interestingly, Fishers Peak, though equally spectacular, is a much different type of peak than the rounded, snow-covered peaks you'd find further north. Fishers Peak has a much flatter and wider top, essentially making it more of a mesa (of the kind you'd find in Arizona and Utah) than a traditional mountain top. Yet Fishers Peak is still a titan of the southern Colorado landscape. Reaching an elevation of 9,637 feet, Fishers Peak is the highest point east of its longitude in the United States. The surrounding mesa system also tops out over 9,000 feet, creating one of Colorado's most distinctive geological formations. 

Fishers Peak is part of the much larger Raton Mesa that straddles the border between Colorado and New Mexico. As a natural landmark, the Raton Mesa is probably better known from the New Mexico side, where the charming and historic city of Raton offers many of that state's best mountain experiences. The entire mesa system sits on the eastern edge of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, the southernmost subrange of the Rocky Mountains, and a repository of many of Colorado's most beautiful peaks.

Fishers Peak links the mountainous terrain of the Rocky Mountain foothills with the plains and grasslands to the east, creating a distinct ecosystem and important wildlife corridor. Despite its prominent beauty, Fishers Peak only recently came under the protection of Colorado Parks and Wildlife. For many years, the mountain and surrounding lands were privately owned, until the State of Colorado finally purchased them in 2019. The park was opened to the public in 2020, though most of its 19,200 acres are still undergoing development.

Even though only a small part of Fishers Peak State Park is open to the public, what is open already boasts some of Colorado's top hidden gem trails. The park's Fishers Peak Trailhead connects to more than 16 miles of scenic and exhilarating hiking routes, with a terrific diversity of trail types and difficulty levels. Trails like the Discover Trail and First Look Trail are very short and easy sightseeing routes that provide excellent views of Fishers Peak and the surrounding meadows and woodlands. On the other hand, the Fishers Peak Challenge Trail offers a much more formidable sample of the park's backcountry potential, with the option of making the full 13-mile trek up to the top of Fishers Peak itself. Many of the park's trails are also open for mountain biking, with excellent opportunities for birdwatching throughout. There's even a drive-in picnic area and vault restrooms already installed on the park grounds.

Currently, Fishers Peak State Park is open daily from 5 AM to 10 PM. Individual entry passes cost $4 per person, or $10 per vehicle. Being so new, the park's infrastructure does not yet have available camping areas. However, the park sits adjacent to the equally impressive Trinidad Lake State Park, which boasts well-established infrastructure and several campgrounds accommodating tents, trailers, and RVs. Fishers Peak also sits along the 900-mile Santa Fe National Historic Trail between Missouri and New Mexico, putting it dead center in the heart of the history of the American Southwest. The neighboring Colorado town of Trinidad mixes artistic culture, family-friendly charms, and gorgeous outdoor scenery, with plenty of modern lodging options for overnight stays.