Ridgeline Open Space
Park
363 acres10.9 mi of trail
Green Loop TrailRed Loop TrailBlue Loop TrailYellow Loop Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Ridgeline Trailhead Parking (Coachline Road)
Photo: Jared Winkler · CC BY-SA 4.0AOutdoors
Outdoors in Castle Rock
Castle Rock has 79 miles of mapped trails, 2.3 for every square mile of land
12% of Castle Rock’s land is conserved, about 2,579 acres. 91% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Ridgeline Open Space (10.9 mi), Philip S. Miller Park (9.8 mi), Metzler Family Open Space (4.3 mi).
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns · #40 of 159 in Colorado. What drives it
Conserved land
12%
2,579 acres · of 34.7 sq mi of land
Trails
79 mi
2.3 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,766 ac
35 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
91%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
95 mi
24 mi lanes · 71 mi paths
What kind of outdoors town is Castle Rock?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Castle Rock have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Castle Rock is ahead of 94% of U.S. towns, #40 of 159 in Colorado. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; trail miles rank highest, park acres per resident lowest.
A
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Castle Rock’s overall grade.
Conserved land12% of the land · typical CO town 7% · U.S. 4%A−Trails2.3 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (79 mi) · CO 1.3 · U.S. 0.4APark land35 acres of park per 1,000 residents (2,766 acres) · CO 14 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to home91% of residents within a half mile of a park · CO 97% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 94%
LessMore
Colorado towns of 2,500+ (159)Ahead of 75%
Colorado towns conserve more land than most (a typical one, 7%; the U.S., 4%), so Castle Rock’s 12% is ahead of 67% of Colorado towns, while its trails per square mile lead 73% of them.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would still be A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Ridgeline Open Space, with 10.9 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Philip S. Miller Park
Managed by Town of Castle Rock
283 acres9.8 mi of trail
Gold Loop TrailRed Loop TrailGreen Loop TrailPurple Loop Trail+1
Dogs allowed
Directionsto the parking lot
Metzler Family Open Space
Park
116 acres4.3 mi of trail
Gus' Gultch TrailBob's TrailRancher's Ridge TrailFounder's Vista Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Hidden Mesa Open Space
Managed by Douglas County, Colorado
631 acres4.2 mi of trail
Hidden Mesa - Mesa Rim LoopHidden Mesa TrailPleasant Pass Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Pleasant View Entrance
Rock Park
Park
65 acres1.9 mi of trail
John Emerson Summit TrailPaul Hill Trail (East Trail)Paul Hill Trail (Rock Street)
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Rock Park Trailhead
Memmen Ridge Open Space
Park
45 acres1.8 mi of trail
Memmen Ridge Open Space Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Memmen Ridge Open Space Trailhead
Rhyolite Regional Park
Park
53 acres1.4 mi of trail
Cyclocross Course TrailQuarry Mesa Trail (Madge Trail)Rhyolite Bike Park Trail Pump TrackRhyolite Bike Park Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto Rhyolite Regional Park
Cobblestone Ranch Park
Park
60 acres0.8 mi of trail
Access Path owned by Castle Rock
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
All 33 parks & preserves
Ridgeline Open Space363 acres · 10.9 mi of trail
DirectionsPhilip S. Miller Park283 acres · 9.8 mi of trail · Town of Castle Rock
DirectionsMetzler Family Open Space116 acres · 4.3 mi of trail
DirectionsHidden Mesa Open Space631 acres · 4.2 mi of trail · Douglas County, Colorado
DirectionsRock Park65 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsMemmen Ridge Open Space45 acres · 1.8 mi of trail
DirectionsRhyolite Regional Park53 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsCobblestone Ranch Park60 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
Wrangler Park14 acres · 0.7 mi of trail
DirectionsMatney Park10 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsDeputy Zack S. Parrish III Memorial Park5 acres · 0.6 mi of trail · Town of Castle Rock
DirectionsQuarry Mesa Open Space132 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsDouglas County Fairgrounds52 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsGemstone Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsButterfield Crossing Park25 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsFireman's Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Mercantile Park2 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Town of Castle Rock
DirectionsDouglas County Fairgrounds Fields32 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsFounders Park24 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsPaintbrush Park19 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsFestival Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsMetzler Park40 acres
DirectionsThe Grange15 acres
DirectionsCentennial Park14 acres
DirectionsBison Park13 acres
DirectionsWiggly Field10 acres
DirectionsMitchell Gultch Park8 acres
Plum Creek North Park6 acres
DirectionsCastle Highlands Park4 acres
DirectionsCastle North Park2 acres
DirectionsSuncatcher Park1 acres
Tyler Park1 acres · HOA in the Meadows
DirectionsNew Haven Neighborhood Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,579 conserved acres
12% of Castle Rock’s land. Who manages Castle Rock’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
County2,380 ac
Town or city962 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits247 ac
Regional agency55 ac
Local Park · 1,170 acLocal Recreation Area · 1,150 acLocal Other or Unknown · 754 acOther Easement · 239 acConservation Easement · 195 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 36 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 47 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hidden Mesa Local Recreation Area | County | 1,271 | Open |
| Ridgeline Open Space Local Park | County | 417 | Open |
| Philip S. Miller Park Local Park | County | 271 | Open |
| Red Hawk Ridge Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 198 | Open |
| Gateway Mesa Local Recreation Area | County | 196 | Open |
| East Plum Creek Trail Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 103 | Open |
| Bowl Open Space Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 91 | Open |
| Hidden Mesa (Castle Rock) Local Other or Unknown | Town or city | 76 | Open |
| Rock Park Local Park | County | 63 | Open |
| Paintbrush Park Local Park | Town or city | 52 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
119 places to go in Castle Rock
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Castle Rock
Centennial Park PoolIn Centennial Park
DirectionsMAC Indoor PoolIn Philip S. Miller Park
DirectionsTerrain Pool
DirectionsPlus 1 public pool without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Playgrounds in Castle Rock
Indoor PlaygroundIn Philip S. Miller Park
Directions86 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Castle Rock
Douglas County Off-leash AreaIn Douglas County Fairgrounds Fields
DirectionsTerrain Dog Bone Park
DirectionsWiggly FieldIn Wiggly Field
DirectionsPlus 5 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Scenic views in Castle Rock
Interpretive Station
DirectionsInterpretive Station
DirectionsInterpretive Station
DirectionsInterpretive Station
DirectionsOutdoor Classroom
DirectionsPicnic areas in Castle Rock
16 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Trails & water
25 named trails
Named trails
Open to bikes · 48.7 miHorses · 4.5 miUnpaved · 58.7 mi
Green Loop Trail5.8 mi
Red Loop Trail3.6 mi
Santa Fe Quarry Trail2.5 mi
Blue Loop Trail2.4 mi
Gold Loop Trail2.0 mi
Memmen Ridge Open Space Trail1.8 mi
Legacy Trail1.7 mi
Hidden Mesa - Mesa Rim Loop1.7 mi
Chuck's Loop Trail1.6 mi
Hidden Mesa Trail1.6 mi
15 more trails
Yellow Loop Trail
1.3 miPleasant Pass Trail
1.2 miGus' Gultch Trail
1.0 miCyclocross Course Trail
1.0 miPurple Loop Trail
0.9 miMitchell Creek Canyon Trail
0.7 miBob's Trail
0.6 miCastle Rock Elementary Trail
0.6 miAccess Path owned by Castle Rock
0.6 miMadge Trail
0.5 miRancher's Ridge Trail
0.5 miJohn Emerson Summit Trail
0.5 miFounder's Vista Trail
0.5 miLucas' Trail
0.5 miSnooty Fox Loop
0.4 miBiking & sports
95 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
24 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
71 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
30Tennis
26Soccer
23Basketball
20Baseball
13Pickleball
6Tracks
3Football
2Volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →6 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service).
Castle Rock DepotBuilding · listed 1974
About itCastle Rock Elementary SchoolBuilding · listed 1984
About itBenjamin Hammar HouseBuilding · listed 1993
About itFirst National Bank of Douglas CountyBuilding · listed 1995
About itKeystone HotelBuilding · listed 1997
About itSamuel Dyer HouseBuilding · listed 2016
About itWhen to get out
The best walking months in Castle Rock: May to August
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.7 | 10.7 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.3 | 14.9 | 14.7 | 13.7 | 12.4 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 9.4 |
| High (°F) | 45 | 46 | 53 | 59 | 68 | 80 | 85 | 83 | 76 | 64 | 53 | 44 |
| Rain (in) | 0.6 | 0.7 | 1.5 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
January is the driest month (0.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 2.3 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Castle Rock →
Next door
Castle Rock and its neighbors
Castle Rock has the most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Rock | 12% | 2.3 | 35 | 91% | A |
| Castle Pines Village | 2% | 2.6 | under 1 | 10% | C |
| Castle Pines | 6% | 1.8 | 27 | 99% | A |
| The Pinery | 11% | 1.6 | 52 | 96% | A+ |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Castle Rock
Where can I hike in Castle Rock?
The longest trail networks: Ridgeline Open Space, 10.9 miles; Philip S. Miller Park, 9.8 miles; Metzler Family Open Space, 4.3 miles; Hidden Mesa Open Space, 4.2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Castle Rock is conserved land?
12% of its land, against a typical 7% for a Colorado town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Castle Rock’s trails?
OpenStreetMap records dogs as welcome at Philip S. Miller Park. For the rest, check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Castle Rock?
95 miles of bike routes are on the map: 24 of painted or protected lanes and 71 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Castle Rock?
33,411 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Castle Rock or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,766 of them inside the town line.
How much outdoors does Castle Rock have?
Ahead of 94% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #40 of 159 in Colorado. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Castle Rock neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →