I thought I'd try a trail run this morning on the 4 mile East trail. I quickly realized that parts of the trail were challenging to find. I was grateful for the piles of rocks/stacked rocks marking the trail. Needles to say it's not a great trail running 'trail' in several spots, but it was a great trail! I'll be back when I have more time to wander in there. I'd definitely recommend it as a hike. I'm adding a few pictures that look like landscape when they are actually part of the trail (they're obviously not the ones with a paved sidewalk or view of the canyon). I also added a quick video from under the bridge, I thought it was cool how they made space to go under the highway. The stacked rocks were my guide! I got a little lost in one area and noticed when I backtracked that the stacked rocks were toppled over, so I really did depend on them. If you hike this trail, watch for the trail markers and give yourself plenty of time, and most of all enjoy the journey!

Fantastic area to hike and run. There's a good amount of parking there, with a few restrooms/portas at the lots. A big loop will take you around 6-7 miles, but you can go smaller loops or even a simple out and back - the scenery is pretty regardless. Enjoy some quality outdoors time out here.

Pros: Really, really beautiful scenery. Plenty of hikes. There is a dam and you can hike parallel to a creek. At one point you have to cross the creek which makes it a little adventurous. Overall, the hikes are mild to moderate and kids of all ages can do it easily. There are plenty of picnic area, some spots have sheds, and plenty of parking. Dog friendly. Cons: Most of the hiking trails are in open so if it's sunny, you will feel the sun. Carry plenty of water.

One of the most beautiful places that I've been in a really long time. My boyfriend took me for my birthday he is so amazing he knows exactly what I love to do it took an hour for us the hike through the canyon and I absolutely loved it I would recommend it to anyone it's a little dangerous for someone who's not familiar with hiking or has the proper Footwear so make sure you get ready before you go

Both sides of the park have scenic trails but you cannot access the whole park from one entrance. The north side has trails that are more woodsy and rugged. The east entrance has the visitor center as well as fully accessible (wheelchair) trails.

This was my favorite place to hike out of the many places I explored while in CO. My friend and I tried every trail they had and really enjoyed the longest trail. Everything is marked with stacks of rocks to prevent you from getting lost. Great views. We even saw a herd of deer running free as we hiked!

We decided to visit this park after driving over it on 83 and marveling at it's beauty. We looked up the web site for information, but were in for a surprise when we got there. No where on the site, or maybe we missed it, does it mention the $10 fee to get in to the park (not a huge issue, but we would have taken one vehicle had we known). Then, AFTER taking our money, we were informed that all of the bridges in the park had been washed out in the storms, so none of the trails were able to be fully completed as they all have bridges. We were welcome to hike as far as we could before having to turn around and head back the way we came because the bridge was out. In it's defense, the area is gorgeous! We thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent and the areas we were able to get to. I would love to come back when the bridges have been repaired and do some more exploring, but I have to give it a low rating right now due to the lack of communication.

Beautiful state park with tons of history, geology, and nature to explore! The visitor center is great, and I got to see some beautiful wild turkeys on my last visit!

Great State park with nice concrete trails leading up to the overlooks. The history is great too with the old homestead and the dam that broke in the early 1900’s.

This is an amazing trek around the cherry creek canyon. The trail is known for bird sightings and a great hike. Entry will cost you $10 and they have plenty of parking space and restrooms near the visitor center. Compared to other great trails across the region it may not the best but worth visiting once for an early morning hike. Do not carry your bikes or skateboard.

Beautiful area for some easy hikes. Cannot currently cross the creek because the water is too high and the bridge is washed out, but you can still do all the smaller hikes.

It's amazing that there are so many state parks so close to the city of Denver. We just got chance to explore only two of them. This is a unique place in that you will be on flat land one minute and the next you are seeing these beautiful canyon made by cherry creek. We had a great time hiking some beautiful trails within the park and saw lots of birds, wild flowers and some nice people along the way.

Our family loves this place. Great trail with wildlife and greenery. Dog friendly and family friendly. With picnic areas and public restroom. Lovely creek and educational posts along the trail way. Watch out for cactus, mountain lions, poison ivy, and snakes.

Castlewood Canyon State Park is a hiker and history lovers dream! Miles of trails lead one through jaw dropping beauty, with several historic stops along the way...including the "Dam" that broke, sending a wall of water toward Denver, and the former Lucas Homestead ruins. For rock climbers, there is some sweet climbing to be had...dozens of sport routes! Highly recommend visiting Castlewood Canyon State Park.💯

Unexpectedly came here and loved it!!! We came on dam day ( first week of August ) they had free food and background on the how the dam failed. I didn’t even know there was a dam! Made the trail much more interesting! Unfortunately I didn’t get to go by the canyon. But everything was fascinating!!!

We loved this hike! Girls are 10 & 11 we did about 4.5 miles over all. Climbing and exploring. Beautiful landscape and views. Really mucky but we knew it would be with melting snow. We will be back in the summer to explore more!

What a great place to go for easy hiking and viewing the wonders of Colorado scenery. On the East side entrance there is a nice visitors center, great parking with nice paved pathways winding though the rocky landscape. We saw a lot of beautiful wildflowers, magnificent rock formations, cactus, and interesting trees. One of my favorites was the large grasses lining the pathways. some of them were still green, but some of them were turning fall colors of purple, red, pink, orange, & yellow. Take the time to look closely at the natural little rock gardens.

Very near to centennial Colorado. It took me and my son 2hrs 30min to do a loop from castlewood state park parking towards the mountain in middle you see one side of dam and then post looping down and back you see other end of the dam. We also came across a rattle snake on the trail so took pictures and maneuvered around it. It was hot but it rained a bit that kept the temperatures down. Loop is around 6 miles and runs around many bridges with flowing water. Scenes down hill are also amazing. Nice to do this trails over weekend.

A hidden gem! From the road you catch yourself thinking “there’s no way there’s anything good out there. Its flat for miles!” WRONG. As soon as you enter the park, you drive into a lovely canyon! Wonderful trails and views! Don’t skip out on this State Park!

Nice place to visit, walk and hike around. Saw several people with dogs, beautiful birds and completely brush and trees. I could see this as a great place for a wedding, with beautiful views all around. Misty people stop at the first two parking lots to see the gazebo you can see from the highway. But make sure you go ask the way back further to the west. Great place for picnics with places for covered gatherings

Awesome trails....canyon rim hikes and creek bottom hikes. Really great giews from the canyon rim and views of a waterfall in the creek bottom. Family friendly, including dogs. Great for kids of all ages. Parking areas are clean and have privvies.

This is a beautiful park with a lot of history. My daughter loves looking at the old buildings and the plaques describing what they were used for. There are a lot of trails criss-crossing around so be careful not to get lost. I also love the way the park smells in the spring there are so many wildflowers and Russian olive trees and it smells amazing here. The trails are very easy with slight changes to elevation and only a few trip hazards here and there. Just take care not to go off trail because there are cacti.

This state park is the scene of a dam failure in 1933. The canyon is filled with rock formations with Cherry Creek running below, it provides a great habitat for a variety of wildlife. There is a viewing platform near the bridge. There are two accesses to the park, the main one off CO 83 and the 2nd off CO 86 coming out of Franktown. From CO83 you can really explore the Canyon. From the CO86 side, you can see the failed Dam and the homestead. There are several beautiful trails on this side also. Both sides have plenty to explore. You can't drive from one side to the other, but you can hike.

Castlewood Canyon State Park is an explorer and history sweethearts dream! Miles of trails lead one through stunning magnificence, with a few noteworthy stops along the way...including the "Dam" that broke, sending a surge of water toward Denver, and the previous Lucas Estate ruins. For rock climbers, there is a sweet moving to be had...dozens of game courses! Strongly suggest visiting Castlewood Ravine State Park.

Beautiful state park! We explored mostly the surface because our daughter is still fairly small. But she enjoyed the playground and managed to walk down and back up from the creek. There were mosquitoes at the bottom so plan accordingly. Parking is $10 but definitely worth stopping to see all the natural beauty this spot has to offer.

Great low-key hiking spot with some sweet canyon views. Very dog friendly. Kids would do great on most spots, but I personally wouldn't take small kids up the ridge unless they're great listeners.