Guiding park development through cultural knowledge and a deep connection to the land

In a meadow at Fishers Peak State Park, ERO Resources Corporation Botanist Marie Russo located the bergamot Fred Mosqueda and his wife, Mary, had been searching for. Mary then explained the plant’s cultural significance to Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff.

“Women and girls in our tribe historically dried and crushed bergamot to use as a perfume,” said Mary Mosqueda, a respected Southern Arapaho elder. “The plant is part of our history, and sharing how it was used helps keep that knowledge alive.”

The discovery was part of a recent weeklong visit by Fred Mosqueda, Arapaho Outreach Specialist, Mary, who traveled from Oklahoma.

The visit continued a series of tribal engagements that Fishers Peak State Park Manager Crystal Dreiling began hosting in 2021. Tribal guests explore plants and cultural resources, consider gathering areas for future large group visits, and help park staff understand how tribal histories, traditions and language might one day be shared with visitors.

The engagement came shortly after CPW opened nine miles of new trails at Fishers Peak. Work continues in other areas as the park gradually expands public access.

“It’s priceless to be a part of this,” Fred Mosqueda said. “In this park, you’ve got the history, the culture is still here, and you have people who know this area, and they know the grounds.”

Dreiling described the relationship as an informal partnership that she hopes will evolve into a long-term friendship between park staff and tribal communities. Her staff hosts weeklong engagements and also welcomes tribal representatives who may be passing through the area.

“This will continue indefinitely,” Dreiling said. “It’s my sincere hope that our partnerships with the tribes will be a major part of the spirit of this park forever.”

Jonathan Hedlund, Senior ERO Resources Corporation Archeologist, and Russo joined the visit to connect cultural knowledge with archaeological sites, landscapes and plants. Working with tribal representatives, they document plants of cultural significance, their location, and other crucial information so tribal guests and other visitors can locate them in the future.

Fred Mosqueda also discussed how certain rocks on the park have historically been selected for sweat lodge use because they hold heat and are less likely to shatter.

The group toured areas where park crews are completing cleanup work and installing trail signs in preparation for public access. Park staff also provided a picnic lunch on a high ridgeline near land burned by the Post Fire.

The lightning-caused fire began in August 2026 on the neighboring James M. John State Wildlife Area and burned more than 4,200 acres across the wildlife area and Fishers Peak State Park before firefighters suppressed it.

Mosqueda also met with consultants working on possible interpretive elements for a future visitor center and other areas of the park. Among the concepts discussed was a directional marker showing distance and direction from Fishers Peak to the present-day headquarters of tribes with connections to the land. The concepts remain preliminary.

Park Resource Technician Rachel Bentz noted that the tribal engagement process gives guests the room to decide what they want to teach and share.

“They are welcomed to visit, be inspired, and decide, ‘We should teach this, and share a story about that’,” Bentz said. “So I think it’s really unique for them to be a part of this.”

Mosqueda shared tribal names, language and stories that could become part of future interpretation. He said that work could help visitors better understand the continued connection between tribal communities and the Fishers Peak landscape. He hopes future visits include Southern Arapaho children who know, through tribal history, that their people came from Colorado, though many have never previously visited the state.

“It would be very special to bring children here,” Mosqueda said. “Just to watch them begin to realize that they’re walking on land that their forefathers did.”

Areas of the park undergoing development remain closed to the public. Visitors should follow posted signs and remain on designated trails. Dreiling shared a longstanding reminder for anyone exploring the park: At Fishers Peak, the trail is the shortcut. Leaving designated trails can quickly lead visitors into steep, rugged terrain and can result in becoming lost or requiring a search-and-rescue response.

Fishers Peak State Park is open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. A valid CPW parks pass or Keep Colorado Wild Pass is required for entry. For current park information, trail maps and conditions, visit the Fishers Peak State Park webpage.

By Dean Miller, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southeast Region Public Information Officer