Trinidad Lake State Park
South Shore Area

The south shore area at Trinidad Lake State Park is accessed via a road that leads west at the southern end of Trinidad Lake Dam. There's a self-pay fee station, then a Y in the road. If you go right, it takes you down to the water's edge just above the dam. If you go left, the route travels a bit up the slope from the water's edge but it can go west for maybe 1.5 miles, depending on the lake's water level. To the south are a set of individual campsites with picnic shelters. To the north is the wetland area, then a couple of unimproved "roads" that lead down onto the rock shelf that makes up most of the south shore of the lake. You can go down there to the water's edge for fishing purposes but don't think about swimming: at a certain point that rock shelf drops off a cliff to places more than 100' down.

The South Shore Trail heads west from the parking area at the road closure, between the water's edge and the old railroad bed until it connects with the Long's Canyon Watchable Wildlife Trail. This South Shore Trail is the only trail at Trinidad Lake State Park that allows horseback riding. The trail is about 2.5 miles long (one way) and fishing is allowed (encouraged) along its entire length.