It can be tough to find an easy hike for the kids, aging parents and/or visiting family, but Mount Falcon has a great trail to the ruins of a castle.
Mount Falcon Park in Jefferson County has two very different sides. The east parking lot near Morrison has steep trails that climb 1,700 feet up the front side of the foothills to the main park. The west parking lot off Parmalee Gulch Road features several hiking trails with low to moderate elevation gains.
For this hike, take the scenic drive to the west parking lots (directions below). From either of the west lots, hike the trail closest to the lot for a short distance until you come to a sign board. At the sign board, pick up a map and head east on the Castle Trail. The Castle Trail is an old road, so it's very wide. Just make room for cyclists and runners who share these trails and who may be moving quickly.
About a half mile from the parking lot, you'll come to a trail split that says Castle Trail and Meadow Trail. Meadow Trail winds through the meadow and connects to several other trails. For now, let's stay on the Castle Trail. There's not a lot of shade here, but enjoy the meadow views as you walk the path. You may notice the trail dropping in elevation. Make sure you save some energy for the hike back out.
Just under a mile from the parking lot, you'll see a side trail to the left with a sign for the castle ruins. Walk over to the fence and into the enclosure. These twisty, brick spires and walls were John Brisben Walker's home in 1910. A sign tells how Walker made a fortune as a real estate promoter. He also worked as a newspaper man and served in the military. He was in his 60s when he bought 4,000 acres in the Morrison area.
At this spot, Walker built a castle that included a library, music room and observation deck. Walker had a big dream of building a summer home for the Presidents of the United States on a hill about a mile away. A foundation was laid, then a marble cornerstone, and thousands of Colorado school children each donated 10 cents. But in 1916, Walker's wife died. In 1918, Walker's mansion was hit by lighting and burned. With America joining World War I, Walker's dream ended.
Visitors to the castle ruins will still see the foundation of the castle. Ask the kids to look for a fireplace and count how many windows they can see. While you can not go inside the rooms, you can see quite a bit and your imagination can fill in the rest. There are two benches at the ruins if you'd like to rest and maybe enjoy a snack or lunch.
When you're done imaging life here in 1910, return the way you came from or use the map you picked up earlier to take the Castle Trail further east to the Summer White House. Visitors to those ruins will still find part of the foundation and the marble cornerstone.
Details: From the parking lot to the castle ruins and back is about 1.8 miles with 120 feet of elevation gain on the way out. Hiking to the Summer White House adds about 2 miles more roundtrip.
Directions: To get to the west trailhead, google 21004 Mount Falcon Road, Indian Hills, Co. 80454. Or from C-470, exit U.S Highway 285. Drive about 4 miles to Parmalee Gulch Road and turn right. Follow the windy road 2.7 miles to Picutis Road, then follow the signs another 2 miles to the west parking lots.
Learn more about the history of Mount Falcon Park here. Visit the website for Mount Falcon here. Check out this list of great places to hike in Colorado and throughout the west.
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