PINE, Colo. — This is the fourth installment of our state park spotlight series, sharing what is so special about Colorado’s state parks. This week, we are thrilled to highlight Staunton State Park.
Just a 45 minute drive from downtown Denver, this park offers visitors an incredible opportunity to engage with Colorado’s mountain environment. Covering nearly 4,000 acres and featuring a range of outdoor activities, it is a destination for nature lovers and adventurers of all skill levels.
The park is about 8,600 feet in elevation, capping out at just over 9,600 feet at the peak of Lion’s Head, the mountain overlooking the whole area. The trail leading to the top of that peak is closed until August or September to protect a pair of nesting peregrine falcons, but there are still over 37 miles of trails in the park.
“Between all the animals, the flowers, and the birds that you might see in the park, we get everybody out and try to be as inclusive and accessible as possible,” Staunton State Park Manager for the past 11 years, Zach Taylor, said. “That chair provides you with the opportunity to get out on our mountain trails and experience the nature that is Colorado without having to physically hike it.”
Taylor referenced the Track-Chair program at the park. Visitors with disabilities or injuries can explore designated trails using track-chairs, which are wheelchairs lined with treads on the bottom instead of wheels.
They have five chairs available to rent on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and have dedicated volunteers to walk each person through how to use their chair and accompany them on their hike. They are free to rent, and you can register to use them online.
The park has three fishing ponds that are stocked with rainbow trout, a 17-lane archery range open to the public during the day, trails for horseback-riding, biking, and hiking, and opportunities for rock climbing. Volunteers are often found throughout the park, supplying helpful information and guidance to visitors.
“If you've never fished before, a short little hike down the trail, and our volunteers are there to provide you with how to set the hook, how to bait it, how to throw and cast that line out, as well as how to reel it in,” Taylor said.
Wildlife enthusiasts should remain mindful while enjoying all that Staunton has to offer, as the park can be home to bears, mountain lions, deer and elk. One cow moose and one bull moose have been traveling through the park, even appearing in the park’s campsite earlier this year.
“We’re trying to remind our visitors to be extremely aware of the wildlife. This is their home. We're just here to recreate,” Taylor said. “Being a little bit noisy, not approaching the wildlife, is definitely one of the keys that we have. We want to try and ensure that we're staying on the trail, we're keeping our dogs on a leash, and that we're protecting that space.”
