Colorado Parks and Wildlife completes purchase of Fishers Peak for new state park

TRINIDAD, Colo. (KRDO) -- It's been more than a year in the works, but Colorado Parks and Wildlife has officially acquired a 19,200 acre ranch that will be used for Colorado's 42nd state park.

The center piece for the park will be Fishers Peak, a tabletop mountain that looms over Trinidad. CPW announced Thursday that the purchase was official, clearing the way for a new state park.

The property is mostly undeveloped and is known for its varied habitat, wildlife, and union between grasslands to the east and mountains to the west. It includes the 9,633-foot summit of Fishers Peak and will preserve important migration corridors for native wildlife, said CPW.

Back in February 2019, CPW partnered with the City of Trinidad, The Nature Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) to purchase the property.

“We are pleased to finalize this sale of the property to CPW in these trying times,” said Carlos Fernandez, Colorado State Director for The Nature Conservancy, in a statement. “Over the past weeks, it’s become even more clear how important access to nature is to all people, providing solace, hope and community."

The park will remain closed for now, although CPW is planning limited public access through a phased approach while the master planning process proceeds. At this point there's no estimated timeline as to when the park will be completed.

Ultimately, the officials say they hope to protect the park's wildlife and natural features while welcoming campers, hunters, hikers, mountain bikers, rock climbers and other outdoor enthusiasts.

Read more about the Fishers Peak acquisition here.