An Underrated Colorado Canyon State Park With Hikes For Every Skill Level Is A Quick Trip From Denver

While state parks like Lake Pueblo, Golden Gate Canyon, and Cherry Creek are considered among the best destinations to visit in Colorado, there's a lesser-known (but no less worthy) park less than an hour's drive from Denver. Castlewood Canyon State Park comprises 2,628 acres that stretch across a prairie and mountain. In fact, it's that prairie-mountain combo that gives Castlewood Canyon its unique character: it's an "ecotone," or a transitional area between two different biomes. Here, you'll find a mixture of flora and fauna that belong both to mountains and prairies, which you can see for yourself on the park's trails, which span about 12 miles and pass by waterfalls, caves, cliffs, and bridges. Castlewood Canyon has something for hikers of all skill levels.

It's not just the natural elements that set Castlewood Canyon State Park apart; this wilderness area was also once home to a large reservoir that broke and flooded Denver in the 1930s, and visitors can hike to the ruins of the dam today. So this state park really does have it all: nature, history, and smaller crowds too. According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Castlewood Canyon sees about 200,000 visitors per year, putting it far behind the millions that head to the state's most popular park, Lake Pueblo. That means that even at its busiest, you can still find some peace and quiet on the trails that make Castlewood Canyon one of Colorado's best under-the-radar spots.

Castlewood Canyon State Park offers history and hikes in equal measures, thanks to its most well-known feature: the ruins of Castlewood Dam. This structure was built in 1890 but failed on August 3, 1933, when a heavy storm caused the dam to break and unleash 1.5 billion gallons of water and a 15-foot wave onto Denver, according to the Denver Post (via the Denver Public Library Special Collections and Archives). The remains of Castlewood Dam are just 1.4 miles from the West Entrance, and it takes about 30 minutes to hike there. 

History buffs can hike the Castlewood Canyon Ruins Loop, a moderate 4.75-mile trail that brings you to the dam and the Lucas Homestead, located near the West Entrance. The Lucas family were among the first homesteaders in the area in the late 1800s. Their unusual concrete home, built in 1898, still stands today, along with various relics like a livestock loading chute and a spring house to keep milk fresh.

Those looking for an extra adrenaline rush can grab their rock-climbing gear to scale the canyon's steep walls. The Castlewood Canyon website has an excellent trail map, so travelers can plan their trip in advance. The Creek Bottom trail is an ideal destination for bird-watching, and aviary enthusiasts can keep an eye out for turkey vultures, white-throated swifts, great blue herons, and several species of hawks. Rimrock trail offers sweeping views of the canyon and the dam, while you can see the summit of Pikes Peak from the Lake Gulch trail. The Canyon View Nature trail has disabled access and takes you along the rim of the canyon for stellar views.

While a variety of hikes, wildlife, and ruins would be enough to put Castlewood Canyon State Park on anyone's map, perhaps it's the park's proximity to Denver that makes it most attractive. Denver Airport is about 50 minutes to an hour away by car, making this state park a perfect getaway for a day trip or even a half-day trip from Denver. The park has two entrances: The West Entrance is on the north side, and the East Entrance is about 15 minutes away on the south side.

The park is not only family-friendly, but dog-friendly too. Dogs on-leash are welcome to enjoy a sniffari on most of the trails, excluding the East Canyon one. Just be sure to bring some paw wipes or a towel, since the dirt trails can get a bit muddy during rainy seasons.

Castlewood Canyon is open year-round from sunrise to sunset, although the best time to visit is in the spring and fall when the temperatures are lower. Day passes are under $5, while vehicle passes are about $10. Colorado residents can purchase a "Keep Colorado Wild" pass, which costs about $30 and can be purchased yearly when you register your vehicle. The Keep Colorado Wild pass gives you access to all state parks and saves the time and money of having to get a new pass with each visit.