Here's why I like hiking in Cheyenne Mountain State Park: the little moments of discovery.

On one winter walk, I came across the perfected etched tracks of wild turkeys on the snow-covered trail. Then, I came across the turkeys, their beautiful burnished feathers gleaming in the sun and their warty faces startled at my intrusion. I stopped and watched, trying in vain to remember what the heck you call a group of turkeys. A flock? No. A herd? Definitely not.

Anyway, more on that later.

I happened upon the turkeys and I was allowed to linger on the trail uninterrupted to watch their comical trek through the scrub oak because I was hiking in a park that is brand new. Cheyenne Mountain is the newest park in the state park system. (For you history buffs, Cherry Creek is the oldest, opened in 1959.) Sprawling beneath its namesake, Cheyenne Mountain, the park offers 21 miles of trails that wind through 1,680 acres.

It was dedicated by then-Gov. Bill Owens in October 2000 and set to open in 2003. But it took much longer than that, finally opening to limited use in late 2006 and opening with daily hours Aug. 13.

That limited use, and the fact its trails are open to only hikers and mountain bikers, means encounters with wild turkeys and the park's other residents - black bears, mountain lions, skittering earless lizards and prairie rattlesnakes - are much more likely than in the more established parks with higher visitor numbers.

That will change. More people will discover the delights of this park that transitions from prairie to foothills, and the animals and birds will become more elusive. But right now, Cheyenne Mountain offers relative solitude, which is surprising when you consider its location - just south of NORAD and west of Fort Carson.

On the park's outer reaches, closest to Fort Carson, hikers might glimpse military vehicles winding along roads in the army post. On its northern edge, it butts up to the famous mountain that holds NORAD's operations center, and the foothills next door hold a collection of homes. Busy Colorado 115 glimmers on the eastern boundary.

But trails in the park are surprisingly quiet, with stretches through arches of leggy scrub oak trees, overlooks that offer sweeping views of the plains, and single-track paths under the shade of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir.

I tend to favor some foothills terrain mixed with open prairie or scrub oak areas, so I often head to the park's southern trails - Talon and its siblings, South Talon and North Talon. This trio of trails covers about five miles, with stretches of prairie and some welcome shade in stands of pine and spruce.

But other trails in the park have their own appeal. Blackmer (3 1/2 miles) might be the most memorable because of a courageous ponderosa that has grown from a crack in a granite boulder. Zook (one mile) was one of the first trails built in the park, and it's easy for first-time hikers.

Then there's Medicine Wheel, a trail built by a local mountain bike advocacy group. The Medicine Wheel Trail is only a half-mile long and serves as a connector between Zook and Blackmer. It's obvious that mountain bikers built this trail - it offers rock hopping, straightaway uphill stretches and speed- inducing curves on the downhill.

Sundance Trail (3.3 miles) is in the park's southwest corner, where a thriving prairie dog town provides the entertainment. Sundance offers a roll along an easy trail that's perfect for runners, and promises to be a popular trail in the winter when the warmth of the sun is more welcome.

The park has all the amenities that we've come to expect from state park properties - a visitor center, restrooms and ample parking - and work is continuing on campgrounds and cabins. Negotiations to purchase Cheyenne Mountain itself (with the exception of NORAD) show promise. That would entice a whole different breed of hikers and backpackers.

But for now, the park is the domain of day-hikers and bikers . . . and those turkeys, a whole "rafter" of them.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park

• Where: South of Colorado Springs, near Fort Carson.

• Watch for: Black bears, turkeys, mountain lions, earless lizards, prairie rattlesnakes, peregrine falcons, black-tailed prairie dogs, golden eagles, mule deer, porcupine.

• Best part: Wildlife sightings are frequent; during spring, wildflowers blanket the stretches of prairie.

• Difficulty of hike: Easy to moderate, depending on length.

• Details: Not handicapped accessible; dogs and horses are not allowed on trails. Visitor center is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; park is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. $5 entry fee per car.

• To get there: From Denver, go south on Interstate-25 to Colorado Springs. Take the South Nevada Avenue/Colorado 115 exit. Go south on 115. Look for South Academy Boulevard exit; park entrance is next exit. Watch for park sign and turn right. Pick up map at entrance station or visitor center and take road to trailhead parking.

• Information: 1-719-576-2016; e-mail cheyenne.park@state.co http://parks.state.co.us/parks/ cheyennemountain