For younger geocachers: Fishers of the Pond
This cache is named to make you think about fly fishing—both by people and by wildlife! Keep an eye out for the belted kingfisher, a blue-and-white bird that loves to hunt fish by diving headfirst into ponds and streams. You might see one perched near the water or hear its loud, rattling call.
Nearby are the Davis Ponds, which were rebuilt so families can enjoy fishing and picnics. These ponds were carefully redesigned to be safe and fun for visitors. To find this cache, you’ll need to gently use a simple mechanism—just be careful and leave it the way you found it. Enjoy watching the water, the birds, and this special "fly" fishing spot.
The Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) is a very distinctive bird that can be found in this area year-round, but needs open water, either ponds or creeks from which to get its food. It eats fish, and gets them by plunge-diving headfirst into the water, often after hovering above the surface. Look especially for the white belt around its throat. The most common way to see this brightly colored blue and white, 13” long bird (Photo of female shown at left by Teddy Llovet from Wikipedia) is when it perches on branches near the water, and flies back and forth relatively low trying to spot fish. It nests in excavated holes in mud banks. It can also be heard making a territorial unsteady chattering sound, or a shorter, more musical trill. The sound can be heard at http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Belted_Kingfisher/sounds
The adjacent site was previously a set of three farm ponds along Black Mountain Creek that was part of the Davis Ranch. This property was acquired from the private owner in 2006 as part of a 1000-acre parcel using a Greater Outdoors Colorado Legacy Grant. While the original farm ponds were suitable for private ranch use, they did not meet the current 100-year flood standards for dams suitable for public access. Therefore, a year-long project was undertaken, shortly after Staunton State Park opened to the public in May 2013, to rebuild two dams to recreate the lower two ponds, while creating a creek bed where the upper pond had been located. Additional amenities including a fishing pier, vault toilet, and covered picnic area are available at the ponds for family enjoyment. (Update as of April 2015 - The pond dams have been completed, and they are full of water. Some fish have been stocked, and the ponds are open for fishing, but be sure you are following Colorado rules, and have a license if 16 or older.)
This cache is located within Staunton State Park, which has one public entrance along S. Elk Creek Road, six miles west of Conifer, about 1.5 miles off U.S. Highway 285. Parking along either side of S. Elk Creek Road and Upper Ranch Road adjacent to the park boundary is prohibited. All vehicles entering the park must have a daily park pass ($10) or a CO state park annual or special pass.
The Park is open year-round, and day use hours at 6:00 am to 10:00 pm. A walk-in campground (up to ¼ mile from parking) is open for public use, and overnight parking is currently permitted only for those staying in the campground. During summer and autumn weekends, the park may reach capacity, and cars are allowed to enter only if a parking space is available. Horse trailers are admitted if space is available for parking trailers in a new, dedicated, unpaved parking area. All Park trails are natural surface, some trails are hiker-only, but other trails are multiuse for bicycles and horses also. Information about the park can be found at Staunton State Park website
All visitors must follow park rules and regulations. These include dogs on leash at all times, clean up after pets, travel on developed trails to the extent feasible, leave no trace, respect areas closed for resource management, and be careful around wildlife (especially mountain lions, coyotes, and black bears). Fires are strictly prohibited, except for camp stoves with an on/off switch in the designated campsites and grilles found in the picnic areas. No motorized vehicles are allowed on trails within the Park. An exception is the special tracked chairs that the Park offers to visitors who cannot access selected trails on their own mobility. Pack your own trash out of the back country, and trash receptacles are located near the parking areas. Also, be prepared for changing weather, bring adequate water and footwear, and trails may be snow-covered or icy in winter.