Castlewood Canyon State Park

Trail Difficulty: Easy-Moderate hike over rocky terrain and canyon.

Trail Length:
Approximately 2 mile loop.

Trail Description:
Begin at the Westside parking lot and trail head. Start your hike on the Cherry Creek Trail north to the Lucas Homestead site. From there, take the Homestead trail until you meet up with the Creek Bottom Trail where you will go right (you may want to stop and take a look at the water while you are at this intersection- a great place for throwing stones into the water). After that section of the Creek Bottom Trail, you will go right onto the Cherry Creek Trail again back to the parking lot.

The trail offers hiking through scrub oak, small hills, and eventually down into the canyon itself. The scenery is quite beautiful. The canyon walls are covered in trees and lush vegetation, and the bottom of the canyon is covered in huge boulders and the creek itself. There is plenty of foot traffic on the trails throughout the park. It is well maintained and has areas of gradual incline that may cause you to take a few rest stops in the shade of the huge pines.

Restrooms available at trailhead.

Picnic Recommendations:
We enjoyed packing a lunch and eating on the side of the trail once we found a large rock to call our table. There are many such areas along the trail – down near the water is open and there is a lot to see. Or, you may choose to have your picnic at one of the many picnic tables provided at the trailhead.

Travel time:
Travel time from I-25 and C-470 Junction: approximately 30 minutes.

How to get there:
Go south out of Denver to Castle Rock. At Exit 182 (Co 86/Castle Rock/Franktown) turn right onto ramp. Then take left over bridge and merge right onto Wilcox St. for almost ½ mile until you reach SR 86 (5th St.). Go left (east) on SR 86. Follow it about 6 miles until you reach CR 51 (Castlewood Canyon Rd.) Go right on CR 51 for approximately 3 miles to the entrance of the park.

Special Attractions nearby:
Downtown Castle Rock offers a good coffee stop – Crow Foot Valley Coffee located at Perry St. and 4th St.. Get your morning coffee on the way to the park.

On the way home after a day of hiking stop back by Perry St. and 4th St. for a delicious homemade ice cream at Olde Towne Creamery. You can also get healthy smoothies, and several flavors of hot cocoa in this quaint little ice cream shop that sits next door to the fire station.