Mount Falcon via Castle Trail
Date Hiked: February 11, 2018
Length: 7.9 mi
Elevation Gain: 1669 ft
Starting Elevation: 6060
Difficulty: Intermediate
Distance from Denver: 30 min
Sarah’s Ranking: 8/10
Total Hike Time: 3.5 hrs
Parking: free, large lot
Best Time: early spring to late fall
Features: castle ruins, views
Additional Information: All Trails
About the Area:
Mount Falcon is located in Morrison, CO, just south of the Red Rocks Amphitheater and marks the beginning of the Rocky Mountains. Mount Falcon contains numerous hiking trails, among the most popular, the Castle Trail, leads to the ruins of the Walker Mansion. Because of its popularity, this is a year-round, heavily trafficked trail that is both bicycle and dog-friendly. There are numerous benches, picnic tables, and covered areas along the trail as well as a few informational signs.
The Walker Mansion was a large, stone home that was built in 1909. It was owned by businessman John Brisben Walker. He was a millionaire working in agriculture, real estate, and was an owner of Cosmopolitan magazine. He also owned the land of what is now Mount Falcon Park and large parts of Denver Mountain Parks and Jefferson County Open Space.
In addition, the building itself was one of a kind. It was built mainly from stone and looked out to beautiful views of Denver. Unfortunately, this home was built right at the peak of a large hill, leading to its destruction. In 1918, it was struck by lightning and burnt down, leading to the ruins of what we see today.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.
How to Get There:
The trailhead is located here. From downtown take US-6 West until Golden. Next, take the exit for I-70 West, then take the exit 260 soon after for CO-470 East towards Colorado Springs. Then, take the Morrison Road exit and take a right onto Morrison Road. After that, follow this road just passed the cute town of Morrison. Take a left at CO-8 West. Next, follow this for about a half mile and take a right onto Forest Ave, then a right onto Vine Street until you reach the parking lot.
Pin this post for later!
What to Bring:
For every hike, I am always sure to bring the ten hiking essentials and a good pair of sturdy hiking boots. The ten essentials are crucial to a comfortable and safe day of hiking and have saved me in a few extreme cases!
For this hike, in addition to the ten essentials, you should also consider bringing:
- Day Backpack
- Windbreaker
- A drone to better explore the ruins!
Our Experience:
We used to prefer early morning hikes, but lately, we have been loving evening hikes.The weather was great, chilly yet sunny. We got to the parking lot at 2 pm and just snagged a parking spot.
Once on the hike, it was incredibly clear that there were quite a few different trails in this area. They are all well labeled and easy to navigate. We ran into quite a few people, dogs, bicyclists, families, and individual hikers. The trail is quite large and well maintained, so having many people on the trail wasn’t a problem.
The first half mile is incredibly easy, little elevation gain. Once we reached the base of the hills, the trail began to steepen. However, the switchbacks make it incredibly manageable. We were able to climb pretty quickly. At the top of the first set of switchbacks, there are incredible views of Morrison, Dakota Ridge, and the Denver area.
Pin this post for later!
The second half of the hike in has much less elevation gain, but fewer views as well. It curves through forests and runs along the top of the ridge until it reaches the castle ruins.
The ruins are breathtaking. The history is so interesting and it is incredible to think how such an amazing structure was built so far away from town! There is the main viewing area with trails surrounding the ruins. Also, the ruins are surrounded by a fence to allow further preservation.
If you walk around the eastern side of the castle, you can catch the views of the surrounding mountains and valleys which are breathtaking.
As always, the hike back down was quicker. But the views on the way down were incredible! This hike was such a great workout with quite a few views and a quick history lesson! Well worth the trip!
Tips:
- Arrive early or later in the afternoon to ensure a parking spot! This lot fills up quickly in the mornings!
- Wildlife is active in this area including bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes. Just be cautious of your surroundings. We didn’t even see a squirrel so I wouldn’t be too worried.
- Prepare for the weather. The temperatures at the top of the ridge were much colder than below for a winter hike. I am sure this area will heat up quickly in the summer as well.
- Pin this post to reference for later.
Check out other nearby hikes at Dinosaur Ridge and South Table Mountain as well as my Ultimate Colorado Bucket List.
Comments are closed.