Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park

Hiking Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park

Mancos State Park is a little gem in southwestern Colorado. It is home to Jackson Gulch Reservoir. There is a boat launch, camping sites, fishing, biking, and horseback riding, is dog-friendly and has over five miles of hiking trails. It was my first visit to the park and I really enjoyed the views and had a very enjoyable time hiking the Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park.

Getting Started

The Black Bear Trail runs through the campground but also has trail access in a small parking area across the dam on the North side of the lake. The trailhead is part of a loop and you can head either north, where you will run into a junction with the Chicken Creek trail or head more east towards the campground to start. I headed north and took the loop clockwise and that is how I will be describing the hike.

Black Bear Trail

The Black Bear Trail runs into the Chicken Creek trail a couple of hundred yards ahead of the trailhead. The Chicken Creek trail system runs several miles and trails through the Forest Service. But the Black Bear Trail veers off to the right and heads up a bit of an incline. The first portion of the trail is about 3/4 of a mile with a consistent 7% uphill grade leading to the top of the main hill of the hike.

The trail is a cross between dirt and a lot of small rocks. This first section is the widest heading up the hill before it narrows back into a single wide path. The incline isn’t overwhelming in any places but it is consistent. This portion of the trail has a little bit of shade until it leads to the top of the trail and some wide open views, especially the views of the lake!

Lake Views

When you reach the top of the hill you are rewarded with some really amazing views of the lake below with a backdrop of the surrounding foothills. The reservoir looks a lot bigger from the top of the hill than it did from the ground. I did the hike early in the morning and there weren’t any boats out on the water yet so the water was pretty pristine.

The really nice part is that the view of the lake sticks with you for a while as you start the descent into the campground. Eventually you get into some deeper trees that restrict the view but there is a nice long time once you reach the top of the hill that you are enjoying a nice lake view. The trail down into the campground has a modest 7-10% grade of decline. It is also pretty rocky so you will want to make sure that you keep an eye on the trail and not get too distracted by the wonderful lake views!

Campground

As you make your way down the hill, you find yourself descending into the back side of the campground. I was surprised that this trail came so close to so many campsites. I was making my way down somewhat early in the morning and I could definitely smell the coffee and was close enough to talk to a few people at their sites.

The trail will make its way past a series of the campsites and head back west to complete the loop. The path will move through the woods and then a bit closer to the lake before ultimately finishing up back at the small parking lot of the trailhead. The bottom section is definitely much more wooded and covered and really enjoyable as you can peek at the lake through the trees.

That wraps up the short loop with some impressive views. I really enjoyed the Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park. I think it would be a perfect trail for those who are camping and looking for a bit to do between fishing excursions!

Video of the Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park

I have put this time-lapse video together of hiking the Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park so other hikers can get a feel of what the hike is like. If you enjoy this video make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel. It is free to subscribe and you will get the latest outdoor content.

Distance and Elevation

If you don’t have the AllTrails app you might want to check it out, I really love mine. It records your progress and is a great way to search for hikes that are nearby and gives you difficulty measurements. According to AllTrails today’s hike was around 2.30 miles and had a total elevation gain of about 220 feet including undulations. That put the high point at around 8,035 feet. I was also moving for a total of 53 minutes.

Effort to Hike Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park

Overall, this is a pretty easy hike. There is a decent ascent at the start if you take the trail clockwise. It is short lived. The trail is narrow but easy to follow. The lower sections by the campground are flat and easy. Overall I would call this an easier hike but it may be considered moderate because of the hill and rocky terrain for those who aren’t as comfortable on the trails.

Terrain

The Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park is a narrow, single file trail for most of the hike. It is a hard dirt path that can get really rocky in some places. There is a mix between exposed and under tree sections of the trail but for the most part you will be exposed to the sun. Make sure to have sun protection and good hiking shoes or boots to deal with the rocky terrain.

Access to Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park

The Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park is part of the Colorado State Park System. A daily park fee of $10/car or $80/year is required to enter the park. There is also a state park license plate option through the DMV. Camping and other facilities may require other reservations and fees. Check the Mancos State Park Website for more information. There is a pit toilet and room for about 6 cars at the parking lot at the trailhead.

Wrapping up Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park

I really enjoyed my hike of Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park! I didn’t know anything about the park but saw it after visiting Mesa Verde National Park. The park wasn’t too crowded and the hike itself was shorter and provided some amazing views of the lake and surrounding hills. I really liked the open air at the top of the hill. The park is really fun and I can’t wait to get back in the area and enjoy even more of it!

The only thing I didn’t really enjoy about the trail loop was how close it took me to the campsites on the backside of the loop. It felt a bit intrusive for the people enjoying their time there. However, I think the path is a man walkway for the campground so that makes sense a bit. If you find yourself in Southwest Colorado and are looking for a small lake to hike around or a campsite, check out Mancos State Park.

I have added this hike and all of my hikes to the interactive map page you can find here. If you have any suggestions for hikes or comments feel free to email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. You can follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!

Gallery of Black Bear Trail at Mancos State Park