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Print Friendly MapThe Arkansas River Trail begins in the heart of Pueblo and heads westward along the river to Lake Pueblo State Park, which is brimming with recreational amenities, including campgrounds, fishing ponds, swimming beaches, and picnic areas.
To one side, the paved pathway offers up-close views of the river, while, on the other, it offers scenic tree-filled hillsides. Just beyond the trees, the trail passes residential neighborhoods, shopping and dining areas, and the Dutch Clark Stadium. A highlight of the route is the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo, located in beautiful Rock Canyon. The center offers educational programing about the birds of prey which it rehabilitates, as well as unpaved nature walks through a variety of habitats.
The trail is part of the Pueblo River Trails System, which spans more than two dozen miles throughout the city.
Parking is available at the Nature and Raptor Center of Pueblo (5200 Nature Center Rd.) and at Lake Pueblo State Park.
We are passing through Colorado and we parked overnight at Lake Pueblo State Park. It was 96 when we arrived. I decided to get up early and take a ride on the river trail. I started about 6:30A. Beautiful ride. I saw 6-7 deer with one on the pathway, about 15 geese floating down river, a whitetail rabbit, and several groundhogs. The path is well kept, but more signs would be helpful. I was a bit surprised to find that the path had stop signs instead of making the automobiles yield. I rode from the Visitor Center to the Nature Center and back.
The Arkansas River section goes 3 miles beyond what TrailLink shows, and the Fort Creek section adds another 5 miles, all excellent concrete surface. See https://www.pueblo.us/314/Pueblo-River-Trail-System for a nice PDF map.
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