Bear Creek Park

Another County Park that is a great place to ride and has good facilities is Bear Creek Park. This is adjacent to Penrose Equestrian Center and that is where you park. There are public restrooms there, plus an indoor arena ($5 use fee). Take I-25 to Cimarron (Hwy 24). Go west to 8th St. Go south to Rio Grande and turn west to the Equestrian Center.

These trails are wide and gravel and give good footing in the winter. There are creek crossings and hills to give your horse a workout. You will see bicycles and joggers. For the adventurous, you can even take the trail west to 21st St. There is a push-button traffic signal there and you can cross and continue west and cross High St. and ride in Section 16. The trails in Section 16 are steep, narrow and rocky so be prepared. It isn't a good idea to go to the Equestrian Center during major events such as the rodeo since the area gets very congested then. Call 719-520-6711 to check the event schedule or check the calendar on the internet at http://www.norrispenrose.com.