Castlewood Canyon State Park is a hidden canyon on the Palmer Divide near Franktown, where Cherry Creek has carved a rugged gorge through the Black Forest region. Hike past a waterfall, scramble around the ruins of the 1890 Castlewood Dam and soak in views of Pikes Peak, all less than an hour from Denver.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife protects 2,628 acres here, with about 12 miles of trails, climbing walls up to 60 feet high and roughly 100 species of birds. The canyon walls are made of Castle Rock Conglomerate, a rough rock that climbers love. The park’s most famous landmark is the Castlewood Dam, built in 1890 to store water for farms. On August 3, 1933, after heavy rains, the dam burst and sent a wall of water down Cherry Creek into Denver. Its broken stone walls still stand in the canyon. Nearby, the ruins of the 1894 Lucas Homestead tell the story of ranching life. Castlewood Canyon became a state park in 1964 and was named a Leave No Trace Gold Standard Site in 2020.

Most visitors start at the main east entrance off Highway 83, five miles south of Franktown, where the visitor center sits. Take the paved, accessible Canyon View Nature Trail to the Bridge Canyon Overlook, loop through the Inner Canyon, or follow the Creek Bottom Trail to the waterfall and the short Dam Trail to the ruins. The Rimrock Trail climbs along the canyon edge for big views. Leashed dogs are welcome on most trails. For more Front Range red rock and canyon adventures, visit Roxborough State Park or the colorful hoodoos of Paint Mines Interpretive Park.

The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and the visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The East Canyon Preservation Trail closes each year from Nov. 1 to May 1 to protect wildlife. Check fire restrictions and trail conditions at cpw.state.co.us before you go.