Rock Park Trail
Castle Rock, CO
"Climb the Rock (not really, don't do that, people have died)"
đź“Ť Base Camp & Provisions
Castle Rock Outlet Malls
[Starbuds / Arapahoe Rd (SE Aurora)]
Wear proper foot attire, mind the weather; This trail will be very muddy for a day or so after a storm. Also, be aware that it will likely be about 5-10 degrees cooler at the top of the trail than the bottom, with more drastic changes around dawn/dusk; usually this is very tolerable in Colorado weather, but always plan for the unplanned. Bring a light jacket just to be sure. Colorado altitude necessitates maintaining hydration, so bring a cold beverage with you; drinkables are okay, but plenty of water/ice is highly recommended.
đźš— Transit Data
Set your GPS for the Rock Park Parking Lot, the entrance is off Front St just south of Canyon Dr. Parking is free, and the start of the trail is right on the south side of the lot.
- Mind the weather and wear proper attire. This trail will be very muddy after recent storms, with puddles of standing water. On dry hot days, there will be very little shade, even at the top during the height of the day.
- Altitude sickness is a real thing. If you're not from the area, take care to drink extra water and pay attention to your breathing.
- This area is home to a variety of wildlife. Black Widow and Brown Recluse Spiders among the less visible, but the real danger here comes from Rattlesnakes. Stick to the trail and avoid common pitfalls like taking off shoes or putting down hats. These creatures usually leave people alone, respect their home and leave them alone too. Do not tempt fate, a bite from any of these creatures will end your space vacation and leave you very unhappy for weeks or months.
The Ascent
This hike is pretty straight-forward, but don't let that phase you. This is a quick elevation change of almost 400 feet, with only one real switchback, so your calves are gonna work. Head out and you will quickly begin the uphill journey. I recommend trying to pay attention to the volume of the surroundings. Notice how at the start of the trail, the sounds of the interstate, the town below, and even things like crickets and birds is very prominent. It shouldn't take too long for you to reach the switchback, and thats a great time to turn and see how far you've come, and take a glimpse up the mountain at how far you have left to go. Don't be intimidated, just keep your steady pace and enjoy that elevated heart rate (if thats your thing, anyway). Happy steps and a lot of weeds and bushes later, you'll be coming around the final bend up at the top as the trail opens up to the nice flat walking area around the base of the town's eponymous rock.
The Destination
The top of the mountain and the base of the rock is serene, remarkably peaceful. Take your time to walk around and view the town below. These kind of views are what make many of Colorado's mountain destinations so desirable. For real though, don't try to climb the rest of the way up the rock, kids really do that, and on at least one occasion, one of them actually fell off the rock and broke their spine, its a nasty story, don't make me retell it. Just stick to the marked obseravation area. Get that weed ready and celebrate your victory!
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding
[5 things to see] - Notice the vegetation, Colorado is not known for the kinds of grasses and flowers typically found in other lower elevations, so much of the plant life here is weeds and bushes, built to survive in extreme drought, high summer temperatures, and long freezing winters. Pay attention to the Earth below your feet; hard clay, and dirt and small rocks and pebbles that dash the landscape, the very reddish soil is what the state of Colorado gets its name from (Rojo, being the spanish word for "Red"). Look up at the sky, what kind of day is it? Colorado is noted for having 300+ days of sunshine per year (although just because the sun is out doesn't mean the temperature is above 0°), and if you're lucky, you might see one of Colorado's birds of prey circling above, looking for prey down in the underbrush below you. Keep an eye out for I-25 down below you to the west: do you see how small the cars look? Do they even look real to you from the top? Finally, look to the mountains to the west, the Rocky Mountains are Colorado's pride and joy, they play a prominent role and are ubiquitous in many facets of Colorado life, from the name of the local Baseball team to the murals at the Airport, most Coloradans will even tell you that there are only two directions you need to know in the state: "towards the mountains and away from the mountains", will get you everywhere you need to go. The most prominent mountains you see are Mt. Evans, to the north, and Pikes Peak is the big purple mountain you see off to the south.
[4 sounds] - First, at the bottom, make sure you're hearing all the noise. The traffic, the insects, the birds, all competing for your aural attention, drowning each other out. As you ascend the trail, do you hear the traffic fade away? Listen to the sound of your foot steps, the crunching of the ground under your feet. I think the most important thing you hear on this trail is what you don't hear at the top: the sounds of the world all seem to mute. You can hear very little, and even the wind makes less sound here. Peace, serenity. This is what it sounds like.
[3 textures/sensations] - Invariably, you will feel a weed or a plant brush against your leg; the plant life here is very much full of thorns and thistles. Pay attention to the varying terrain, does the constant change in elevation make your legs hurt? At the top, feel the wind. Pay attention to how it blows, not in gusts, but smooth, very flowing air, moving all around you.
[2 scents] - Get that fresh Colorado air in you! Do you smell flowers, or weeds, or can you smell the increasing pollution from the growing traffic in a town like Castle Rock? Does the air smell the same to you at the top as it does at the bottom? What does it smell like at the top, can you smell anything at all up there?
[1 taste] - Did you bring your beverage with you? Give it a good swig. Is it refreshing? How satisfying is it?
Appreciation
The town of Castle Rock was settled out of the Homestead Act of 1862, to support the Rhyolite quarry, and as a railroad stop for the Denver and Rio Grande Railway. The star on top of Castle Rock was erected in 1936 and has been lit every year except for 1941-1945. It is lit in a city ceremony traditionally on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and remains alight until the end of the Western Stock Show in January.
The Extraction
The way out is back down the same way you came in. Beware, going downhill can be a little trickier than going uphill, so watch your step and be careful not to lose your footing or pick up too much speed. A slip here is gonna skin your knee or elbow a good one, so take your time and watch where you're walking. It will probably take about half of the time it took you to walk up the mountain to get back down, which shouldn't be very long at all. As you get back to Rock Park, take one last step to turn around and look back at the way you came, and just appreciate the little journey you've been on.