Inside Perspective

What started as a small enclave south of Denver, Castle Rock is now a thriving community of over 60,000 people in Douglas County and has been ranked by Money Magazine as one of the top places to live in the nation.

Home to “The Rock,” its signature formation comprised of rhyolite that sits in the middle of town, Castle Rock is 33 square miles and is the county seat. Situated on both sides of I-25, the town has many new homes and a plethora of housing developments. The state was prompted to construct a new interstate exchange on I-25 to accommodate growth on the north end and alleviate bottleneck traffic at the Meadows Parkway. This new exit also allows better traffic flow in and out of the Outlets at Castle Rock shopping mall.

A full assortment of housing options are available in Castle Rock, ranging from apartments to townhomes to single-family homes. New construction homes in the area start in the high $300,000 and go up to $700,000. Multi-million dollar homes are scattered throughout the region, too.

Original settlers in Castle Rock were drawn to the area by gold and land available through the Homestead Act of 1864. Soon, a new train depot brought the Denver and Rio Grande Railways to the community and thus, supplies for ranchers were delivered via train, and rhyolite from the three local quarries and cheese from dairy farms in the surrounding area were shipped out. The depot is now home to the Castle Rock Historical Museum on Elbert Street, where visitors can relive the 125 years since the town’s inception.

Castle Rock is home to the beautiful Castlewood Canyon State Park and 75 miles of hiking trails. There are 20 developed parks, 5,800 acres of open space, an 84,000 square foot recreation center, and the 60,000 square foot Miller Activity Complex at Philip S. Miller Park.

The stunning Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course is a public course that features incredible elevation changes, panoramic rolling vistas, and meticulously manicured greens.

Check out the Rockyard American Grill and Brewing Company, 105 West End Brewing Company, and the Iron Mule Brewery for some exceptional craft beers and food (trucks).