Outdoors
Day-use and picnic areas near Castle Rock on public land, from quick drives to full-day outings.
Good to know: Group picnic sites can often be reserved; fire rules change with the season, so check before bringing a grill.
13 mi west · USDA Forest Service
The Rampart Range Recreation Area's Designated Dispersed Camping is operated by ExplorUS LLC. Camping is only allowed in numbered campsites and requires a fee. Trailhead parking within the Rampart Range Recreation Area is free.
17 mi northwest · US Army Corps of Engineers
Chatfield Dam, located southwest of Denver on the South Platte River, was the second of three dams built to protect the Denver region from floods.
19 mi north · US Army Corps of Engineers
Cherry Creek Dam, located at the southeast edge of Denver in Aurora, CO, was the first of the three dams to be built to protect the Denver region from catastrophic South Platte River floodwaters that plagued the area for more than 100…
Map of 16 places loads as you scroll.
The Rampart Range Recreation Area's Designated Dispersed Camping is operated by ExplorUS LLC. Camping is only allowed in numbered campsites and requires a fee. Trailhead parking within the Rampart Range Recreation Area is free.
Chatfield Dam, located southwest of Denver on the South Platte River, was the second of three dams built to protect the Denver region from floods.
Cherry Creek Dam, located at the southeast edge of Denver in Aurora, CO, was the first of the three dams to be built to protect the Denver region from catastrophic South Platte River floodwaters that plagued the area for more than 100…
Bear Creek Dam, the last of three dams built to protect the Denver region from floods, is located on the southwest edge of suburban Lakewood at the confluence of Bear Creek and Turkey Creek.
The Gold Belt Tour Back Country Byway retraces the historic travel routes for the World’s Greatest Gold Camp, Cripple Creek. Travel on a historic, narrow-gauge railroad bed, an old stage road, and a county road on the Byway.
Developments include 5 campgrounds with 151 campsites and 3 boat-launch ramps. A concession-operated public marina located at the north end of the lake (970.667.1062).
Flatiron Dam and Reservoir are located on Chimney Hollow Creek 8 miles southwest of Loveland, Colorado. The dam and reservoir are features of the Colorado - Big Thompson Project . One campground with 41 campsites. Access is good.
Pinewood Lake is located about 12 miles southwest of Loveland, Colorado. The Lake and Dam are a small part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project , one of the largest and most complex ever constructed by Reclamation.
Peaks to Prairies - Tracks to Trails Pike and San Isabel National Forests & Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands ( forest locator map ) cover nearly 3 million acres, between the prairies of western Kansas and some of Colorado's…
East Portal Reservoir is a feature of the Colorado - Big Thompson Project. This charming campground sits at the base of a mountain in the midst of a pine forest.
Marys Lake is part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project. There are 2 dikes on the shoreline of Marys Lake, located approximately 2 miles from Estes Park, Colorado.
Lake Estes, a feature of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project , is formed by Olympus Dam constructed across the Big Thompson River.
Granby Dam and Lake Granby, features of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project are on the Colorado River near Granby, Colorado. Developments include 260 campsites and 3 boat-launch ramps.
Recreation at Pueblo Reservoir is managed by the Colorado State Parks under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation, Eastern Colorado Area Office, Loveland, Colorado.Pueblo Reservoir was created by Pueblo Dam which crosses the Arkansas…
Shadow Mountain Dam and Reservoir, Colorado-Big Thompson Project , are on the Colorado River below its confluence with the Grand Lake outlet. Developments include 1 campground with 80 campsites and 2 boat-launch ramps. Good access exists.
Willow Creek, a tributary on the Colorado River near Granby, Colorado, is diverted by Willow Creek Dam and Canal, features of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown Castle Rock. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
The short climb in Rock Park toward the butte that gives the town its name, with views over downtown. A Short shared by Espi Agency | Colorado Real Estate.
Watch on YouTube ↗
THINGS TO DO · YOUTUBE SHORT
Climbing Challenge Hill, the steep staircase nicknamed the miniature incline, at Philip S. Miller Park. A Short shared by DadandAshton.
Watch on YouTube ↗Rampart Range Recreation Area Designated Dispersed Camping (USDA Forest Service), about 13 miles west of Castle Rock as the crow flies. Next are Chatfield Lake (17 mi) and Cherry Creek Lake (19 mi).
Based on Castle Rock’s average highs, May–October. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including Bureau of Reclamation, US Army Corps of Engineers, USDA Forest Service. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.