A hiker was missing overnight in the area of Fishers Peak State Park after splitting ways with their hiking group.

According to a press release from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, CPW personnel along with local first responders launched a search effort in the area of Fishers Peak State Park near Trinidad on Thursday night (March 5) after receiving a 911 call about a missing hiker at about 6 p.m.

The call came from people the missing hiker been climbing Fishers Peak with. According to the callers, the missing hiker opted leave the group behind during the descent at about 4 p.m. to travel back to the trailhead via an off-trail route. The hiker was reported as overdue when the hiker didn’t arrive at the trailhead, as planned.

Crews were on-scene to search for the hiker by about 6:15 p.m. – about 15 minutes after the call for help was received. Part of the search involved the use of a drone with a thermal camera and voice-broadcast capability, which was operated by firefighters. Without success, search and rescue efforts were paused around midnight, set to resume on Friday morning (March 6) at about 7 a.m.

Temperatures in the park dropped to 28 degrees overnight, but thankfully, before the search resumed on Friday morning, the missing hiker was spotted walking along I-25 at 6 a.m. The hiker was uninjured, but cold.

“This is the best possible outcome, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife is grateful to our community first responders who were at our side throughout this response,” said Crystal Dreiling, Fishers Peak State Park Manager. “While the hiker was found safe, this incident is an important reminder to stay on marked trails and to plan outdoor activities with consideration for weather, communications, and food and water requirements.”

Those who get lost on a hike should always stay on the trail, as leaving the trail makes the search and rescue effort much more difficult. It’s also strongly recommended to stay with a hiking group opposed to setting out alone or splitting up.

At Fishers Peak, staying on designated trails is required.

Fishers Peak is the second-largest state park in Colorado at 19,200 acres, located east of I-25 and near the southern Colorado state line. It’s home to the 9,633-foot Fishers Peak.

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