Castlewood Canyon

Lake Gulch + Inner Canyon Trail

Type … Hike

Highlights … Canyon, Creek, Rock Formations

Seasons … Spring, Summer + Fall

Difficulty with Kids … Easy to Moderate as there are a few rocks to traverse + uphill section at end

Trail Details … 1.8 Miles, Loop (AllTrails)

Closest Town … Castle Rock

Shade … Some

Parking Situation … Plenty but $10 state park fee required if not an annual pass holder

Potty Situation … Pit Toilets at Trailhead, Flush Toilets at Visitor’s Center

My daughter and I went to Castlewood Canyon State Park on a bit of a whim last weekend - what was supposed to be a sunny day at home turned rainy so we went on the hunt for some sunshine! I’m SO glad we gave this lesser-known state park near Castle Rock a shot. If you haven’t noticed ;), we absolutely love water on our hikes and this short, easy loop totally delivered in terms of ample areas to splash around.

The hike starts at the Lake Gulch Trailhead which is a cool spot in and of itself with a huge covered pavilion and a little playground - the perfect place to stop after your hike for a picnic. Having not been here before we started the loop counter clockwise which ended up being a huge win because we were already into the canyon and right by the water in ¼ mile. (More on this in Trail Tips).

When we went in the spring, there were several small waterfalls, deeper pools, and plenty of sandy areas to hang on inside the canyon. The canyon loop itself is gorgeous (the pics don’t really do it justice) and a great mix of bridges, dirt + paved path with some fun rock hopping thrown in! We can’t wait to go back with little brother and swimsuits in tow.

TRAIL TIPS

Go Counter Clockwise on the loop (see below). Going in this direction will get you down to the water quicker in case your crew doesn’t have it in the tank to do the full loop (i.e. you’ll hit the fun stuff first!) Either way you go, you’ll start downhill and end uphill - the only downside of hiking down into a canyon!
Bring swimsuits. If going on a warm day, I would definitely bring swimsuits! It looks like an awesome place to swim.
Stop in the Visitor’s Center. It was raining when we arrived so we stopped in the Visitor’s Center at the entrance. While it’s not huge, they do have a pair of bull snake brothers and a lizard your kiddo can take a peak at. When we were there, they took a snake out and let my daughter pet it. They also gave her a cute state park “passport” for her to get stamped at the state parks we visit.
Snakes + Poison Ivy. This is NOT AT ALL uncommon for this area but there are both snakes and poison ivy present at the park. They had poison ivy clearly marked on the trail so it was easy to avoid.