The Red Shin Trail loops the quiet side of John Martin Reservoir

If you want to stretch your legs at John Martin Reservoir without getting in a boat, the Red Shin Trail is the path to know.

It is the park’s main named trail. It starts down below the dam, near the stilling basin where water is let out, and it loops around Lake Hasty, the smaller pool on the downstream side. Along the way it moves through a few different kinds of country in a short distance: the water’s edge, dry short-grass prairie, and patches of wetland. That mix is part of why the area is good for spotting wildlife and birds.

The trail is open to more than hiking. People also bike it and ride horses on it, and dogs are welcome under the park’s leash rules. Because it sits along the Arkansas River corridor, you may share the trail with deer, beavers, and a long list of birds depending on the season.

One nice touch: the route passes a Santa Fe Trail marker near the reservoir’s north shore, so a short walk doubles as a brush with the old wagon road that crossed these plains.

Trail length, surface, and current conditions can change, and parts may be wet or closed when the reservoir is high. For the up-to-date trail map and rules, check the Colorado Parks and Wildlife activities and trails page for John Martin Reservoir State Park.