Castlewood Canyon

Castlewood Canyon SP https://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/castlewoodcanyon https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castlewood_Canyon_State_Park Castlewood Canyon State Park is a Colorado state park near Franktown, Colorado. The park retains a unique part of Colorado's history, the remains of Castlewood Canyon Dam. Visitors can still see the remnants and damage from that dam which burst in 1933. The event sent a 15-foot (5 m) wave of water all the way to downtown Denver resulting in a flood. Also contained within the park is the historic Cherry Creek Bridge.

Facilities on the east side include a Visitor Center, a spectacular handicap accessible Canyon View Nature Trail, 12 miles of hiking trails, flush toilets, picnic areas, as well as a group picnic area. Most facilities on the east side of the park are accessible and barrier free. The east gate is open at 8:00 a.m. daily. West side facilities include parking, one pit toilet and 20 picnic tables. Parking at the ruins of the dam is prohibited. For more information call (303) 688-5242. West Facilities Facilities A complete copy of park regulations is available at the entrance station. • Ground fires are prohibited (cook stoves and self-contained grills are allowed). • Vehicles must remain on designated roadways. • Pets must be on a leash not exceeding six feet in length. Dispose of pet waste in garbage. • No hunting is allowed in the park. • Camping is prohibited. • Gathering of artifacts, vegetation and timber is prohibited. • Only 3.2 alcohol is allowed. Regulations LEGEND East Facilities C astlewood Canyon State Park offers splendid Like all of us, opportunities for hiking, picnicking, rock climbing, sightCastlewood Canyon seeing, photography and nature State Park needs friends study. The park preserves 2,634 acres of the ecologically unique too! The Friends of Black Forest region of Colorado. Visitors will also enjoy spectacular Castlewood Canyon panoramic views of the Front Range and Pikes Peak. State Park is a nonTrails along the Cherry Creek wind profit group that raises past the ruins of the Castlewood Dam (circa 1890). Exhibits and a funds for special slide show in the Visitor Center retell the dramatic events of August projects and provides 3, 1933, when the dam broke and support in many ways. caused the second worst flood in Denver’s history. Activities From sunrise to sunset, Castlewood Canyon State Park is open for: sightseeing, picnicking, hiking, photography, nature study and technical rock climbing. Hiking and trail use:  stay on • Please designated trails.  bike use is • Mountain restricted to roads and Cherry Creek Regional Trail.  orseback riding is only •H permitted on the Cherry Creek Regional Trail.  ets must be kept on a leash •P no longer than six feet. Pet waste must be disposed of in garbage can.  ets are not permitted on the •P East Canyon Trail. Rock climbing:  e installation of bolts and fixed • Th protection is prohibited.  lease use designated trails •P for access.  limbing and bouldering are •C not permitted in the East Canyon Preservation Area. Their work enhances the experience of every visitor and helps protect and preserve this special place. Like to join us? Applications for membership are Passes and Permits All visitors entering Castlewood Canyon State Park are required to display a current Colorado State Parks’ Pass, issued by vehicle. A daily pass is valid from the day purchased until noon the following day. An annual pass is valid at any Colorado State Park. For annual pass holders who own more than one vehicle, multiple passes are available at a reduced fee. Passes are available at main park entrances and self-service dispensers. Colorado disabled veterans displaying Colorado Disabled Veteran (DV) license plates are admitted free without a pass. Colorado residents 64 years of age or older qualify for a special Aspen Leaf annual pass, available at a discounted rate. C O L O R A D O PA R K S & W I L D L I F E Castlewood Canyon State Park ENJOY YOUR STATE PARKS Directions To get to Castlewood Canyon State Park, take 1-25 to Castle Rock. Take the Founders Parkway exit on Hwy 86. Take Hwy 86 into Franktown. At the stoplight turn south to Hwy 83. Go five miles to the park entrance. There are two entrances to Castlewood Canyon State Park. The main (or east) entrance is off of Hwy 83, five miles south of Franktown. The east entrance facilities include a visitor center, flush restrooms, event facilities, picnic areas with grills and a paved roadway. The west entrance is accessed from Castlewood Canyon Road off of Hwy 86. The west entrance is a lessdeveloped portion of the park, including a gravel road, gravel parking lots, a few picnic tables and vault toilets. available at the Park Visitor Center or by visiting castlewoodfriends.org Castlewood Canyon State Park 2989 South Highway 83 • Franktown, CO 80116 (303) 688-5242 E-mail: castlewood.canyon@state.co.us cpw.state.co.us Funded in part by Great Outdoors Colorado through Colorado Lottery proceeds. CPW_HPCA_45K_3/18 cpw.state.co.us Trail Map Castlewood Canyon State Park To Castle Rock FRANKTOWN 86 CAST LE W OOD CAN YON ROA D To Cherry Creek State Park D C 6200 Ch err yC ree k WEST ENTRY 6300 6200 Lucas Homestead Historic Site 6400 6500 6300 J D G M 6400 6500 D F G F B N E M O Westside Trailhead 4.0 E Falls Area I East Canyon Preservation Area Due to the fragile nature of this area, the following regulations are strictly enforced: To Parker M 6600 Dam

C O L O R A D O P A R K S & W I L D L I F E Castlewood Canyon State Park FACT SHEET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 Who we are Castlewood Canyon State Park offers a beautiful natural setting with hiking, picnicking, rock climbing, sightseeing and nature study. Visitors enjoy spectacular panoramic views that stretch more than 100 miles along the Colorado Front Range. Designated as a Colorado Natural Area, the park preserves 2,634 acres of the ecologically unique Black Forest Region, including a number of rare and endangered plant species. Trails lead to historical landmarks such as the Castlewood Dam and the Lucas Homestead. Visitors to Castlewood Canyon State Park spend about $1.5 million annually at local businesses.1 Top attractions • • • • Several popular bouldering and rock climbing areas Popular destinations for weddings and other special events, including The Bridge Canyon Overlook and Pike’s Peak Amphitheater A wide array of volunteer-led public programs One of Colorado’s summer roosting sites of the turkey vulture. Birders often report sightings of rare or unexpected bird species at the park Our partners • • • • The Friends of Castlewood Canyon Castlewood Canyon State Park Volunteers Douglas County Parks and Open Space Douglas County • • • • Strong population growth along the Front Range is driving ever-increasing visitation, and this is predicted to continue past 2050. Managing this increase through public education, preventative maintenance and best stewardship practices will be critical for the park’s natural resource integrity and availability for future generations to enjoy. Community outreach is important for park success. The park will continue strong relationships with park visitors, park volunteers and the Friends of Castlewood Canyon. Ensuring natural resource health projects, including fuel mitigation, noxious weed resource management and white nose fungus, are funded and completed through coordinated efforts between park staff, Denver office staff, Colorado State Forest Service staff and volunteers. With over 90% of park visitors using our trails, the park continues to work with volunteers and youth corps groups to keep 13 miles of trails safe and enjoyable. Volunteer activities • Volunteers and community groups help with most trail maintenance projects. Last year, the park welcomed work crews from TEENS, Inc., the Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, and Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado to improve the sustainability of our trail system. • Three dozen volunteers received their “48 hour pass.” (10 of the volunteers donated over 100 hours and 2 of them donated over 300 hours.) 1Source: Corona Research, Colorado State Parks Marketing Assessment, “Visitor Spending Analysis 2008-2009” (adjusted for inflation). COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1192 cpw.state.co.us KEN PAPALEO//HIGH COUNTRY COLORING/CPW Challenges we face 2989 South State Highway 83, Franktown, CO, 80116-8612 (303) 688-5242 • Email: castlewood.canyon@state.co.us Park Manager: Brent Lounsbury As of June 30, 2017 Manager’s Message Walden Fort Collins Craig Hayden Steamboat Springs Sterling Estes Loveland Park Greeley Oak Creek Fort Brush Morgan Meeker Kremmling Wray Brighton Denver Golden Avon Vail Rifle Frisco Glenwood Springs Castlewood Canyon Breckenridge Collbran Fruita Aspen Leadville Castle Rock Limon Burlington Fairplay Grand Junction Delta Paonia Hotchkiss Buena Vista Crawford Colorado Springs Kit Carson Cripple Creek Olathe Gunnison Montrose Salida Canon City Pueblo Ridgway Ouray Lamar La Junta Dove Creek Walsenburg Monte Vista Dolores Cortez Mancos Durango Alamosa La Veta Springfield Pagosa Springs Trinidad COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216 (303) 297-1192 cpw.state.co.us VIC SCHENDEL/CPW Castlewood Canyon State Park’s rich natural landscape and diverse wildlife habitats, along with its proximity to the burgeoning greater Denver metro area, make it a unique and precious place. It is a sanctuary for raptors, deer and elk, as well as for the quiet renewal of the human spirit. This value is reflected in our strong and increasing visitation, the ongoing commitments of our volunteers and partners and the dedication of our staff. It is essential that all these stakeholders work together for the future, long-term sustainability of Castlewood Canyon as a space for people and nature to coexist. Employees Trails Geography Permanent: 4 Total: 12.9 miles Region: Northeast Temporary: 6 Total Operating: 13 County: Douglas Volunteers: 517 Year Acquired: 1979 Volunteer Hours: 9,306 Roads Elevation: 6,300 ft Paved: 2 miles Miles From Denver: 30 Annual Visitation 168,775 Recreation Acreage Ranger/Nature Programs Total Acres: 2,585 Facilities Rock Climbing Group Picnic Area Wildlife/Bird Viewing Governmental th 55 Picnic Sites US Cong Dist: 4 th Visitor Center CO Senate: 4 th CO House: 39 VIC SCHENDEL/CPW Castlewood Canyon St

Park Highlights To Get There • Four ecosystems within walking distance of one another–Grasslands, Montane Shrublands, Montane Forest and Riparian (living near water). Castlewood Canyon State Park • A wide variety of birds, flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees. Watch for mountain bluebirds arriving in March and black turkey vultures soaring over the canyons from April through September. Sniff the thick, scaly, yellow-brown bark of the ponderosa pine to reveal the scent of butterscotch. A Brief History • 12 miles of trails, each with their own “personality”, including the calm, cool Inner Canyon Trail and the exciting warm Rim Rock Trail. • Ruins of an 1890 dam that burst in 1933, sending a wall of water that floods downtown Denver. • Castle Rock Conglomerate–the signature rock of the canyon walls. Look for the rocks imbedded in the conglomerate, like chocolate chips in cookie dough. Why are some of those rocks smooth and round while others are rough and angular? • A Visitor Center with a video presentation about the park and a gift shop with nature-themed books, apparel, postcards and other items for adults and children. Castlewood Canyon State Park 2989 S. State Highway 83 Franktown, CO 80116 303-688-5242 Email: castlewood.canyon@state.co.us www.parks.state.co.us CSP-CAST-200-4/07 Photo by Benjamin Shipley • An 1894 homestead with walls still standing from the family’s concrete home built in the 1920s. What clues about their life can you discover as you walk around the site? Did they have livestock? The First People A $10 land purchase... In 1961, Lawrence P. Brown deeded 87 acres of the Lucas Homestead land, located north of the Castlewood Dam ruins, to the state park system, receiving a payment of $10. The area officially became Castlewood Canyon State Park in 1964. Our story begins with the land... Human history in the park begins relatively recently in geologic time–only about 5,000 years ago. Beginning about 2,000 years ago, groups of hunter-gathers lived in shelter caves in the area. They were not a tribe or nation. They were small family groups consisting of perhaps 15 to 30 individuals. Evidence of winter camps of Plains Indians such as the Arapaho, Ute, Pawnee and Cheyenne have been found in the canyons of the park. These sites date back to the 1700s and early 1800s. The story of Castlewood Canyon State Park begins more than 60 million years ago, when the area was a tropical rainforest. The rising of the Rockies, the down cutting of the ancient rivers, the massive eruption of a prehistoric volcano, and the rushing torrents of floods carved the landscape that is the park today. How do we know these events occurred? No human being saw them. Logging and gold brought the first white settlers to the Castlewood Canyon area in the 1860s. They called it Wildcat Canyon. Homesteading began in the 1880s, as ranchers and farmers, including the family of Patrick and Margaret Lucas, were lured to the area by the promise of readily accessible irrigation water from the Castlewood Canyon Dam, completed in 1890. We know they occurred because we can read them in the rocks. Look for patterns. Can you imagine a flowing river creating that pattern? Look at that piece of rock–the one with the sharp, clear edges. Can you imagine the superheated volcanic ash that turned into that rock? The canyon itself is relatively young, maybe only about 100,000 years old. But still no human being saw it forming. Scraper Point The park bought 792 acres at the end of the 1970s, growing to almost 900 acres of unique riparian, canyon, forest and grassland. This area borders County Road 51 on the west side of the park. Planning and construction of much of the park’s infrastructure began in the late 1980s. Trails were built, often with significant support from Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado. The Visitor Center and east entrance of the park (from Highway 83) opened to the public in August of 1993. The park has continued to expand into the 21st Century. The most recent land acquisition completes the circle of the park’s story to date. The original Lucas Homestead site totaled 160 acres. The first land donation for the park in 1961 was just over half of these acres. In 2002, the remaining 73 acres were purchased and the park now owns the total site–and an important piece of its human history. The park currently preserves 2,303 acres of this unique landscape. 

To Get There Castlewood Canyon State Park The Castlewood Dam The Bridge That Was There was no modern machinery in 1889, so the Castlewood Dam was built by man, mule, and horse power alone – and was considered quite an engineering achievement. The dam had two walls set several feet apart. The wall facing the reservoir was masonry laid up with cement. The downstream wall, acting as a brace, was angled at 45 degrees, creating a pleasing “step” appearance. The space between the walls was filled with large stones laid in place by hand. Broken rock and dirt were hammered into spaces between the big stones. At its base, the dam was 83 feet thick. Eight valves in the center of the wall could be opened to release water for irrigation, or to relieve pressure on the dam when the reservoir was full. The dam is located about halfway between the Canyon Point parking lot and the Falls parking lot of Castlewood Canyon State Park. It is approximately one mile from either lot. You can see the dam if you drive along Castlewood Canyon Road (Douglas County Highway 51). There is no parking on the road at the dam. Castlewood Canyon State Park 2989 S. State Highway 83 Franktown, CO 80116 303-688-5242 Email: castlewood.canyon@state.co.us www.parks.state.co.us CSP-CAST-200-4/07 It Leaked from the Beginning Image Courtesy of Colorado Historical Society Luring Settlers With Water Imagine yourself a land owner in the late 1880s. Your land lies on the high plains east of the Rocky Mountains and south of the city of Denver. What would you do to attract buyers for your land? You know that the most likely buyers are farmers and ranchers because Denver needs nearby sources of food supplies for its growing population. But there was something very important missing from your land – enough water to grow the crops and water the livestock of all the new settlers. You can’t make more water flow in Cherry Creek and the many springs that feed it, but you could store the water... in a big reservoir, behind a big dam. So you get together with other land owners, form the Denver Water Storage Company, and build the Castlewood Dam. Even with 1880s knowledge and technology, it only took 11 months to build the 600-foot-long dam, which was 70 feet high and eight feet wide at the top. An estimated 85 men and many teams of horses and mules wrestled the rocks into place according to the design of Chief Engineer AM. Welles. Total cost: $350,000. The dam, completed in October of 1890, began to leak almost immediately. Denver citizens worried the dam would break, sending flood waters rushing downstream to their city. Ominously, heavy rains in 1897 washed out about 100 feet of the dam, but it was repaired. After severe rainfall in spring 1900, Chief Engineer Welles responded to rumors that the dam was about to break by writing a letter to the Denver Times newspaper, which read: “The Castlewood Dam will never, in the life of any person now living or in generations to come, break to an extent that will do any great damage either to itself or others from the volume of water impounded, and never in all time to the city of Denver.” Ownership of the dam changed eight times between 1890 and 1933. Each new owner tried different financial schemes to attract buyers to downstream properties and different ways to shore up confidence in the dam, but every one failed. The dam continued to leak. From the photo below, it’s clear there was a large leak on the west side of the dam. But look closely at the very bottom of the dam. See that small stream of water? Look at the dam ruins in the park today. The west side of the dam still stands. It was the middle that collapsed. Could that small leak have weakened the George Engle had homesteaded a ranch south of the dam site in 1860. His wife Louisa cooked and delivered two meals a day to the men building the dam. Some stories say the reservoir behind the dam was named Lake Louisa in her honor. footings of the dam enough to fail? Walk below the dam ruins and look for the type of rock it was built on. Would you have built a dam on that rock? The Night the Dam Failed It rained hard the first two days of August in 1933. The reservoir was full and water poured over the top of the dam. Dam caretaker, Hugh Paine, was uneasy the night of August 2. Lightning crackled, thunder rumbled, and rain fell in buckets. At 1:20 a.m. on August 3, Paine heard the first rumbling of the flood loosened by the broken dam. An estimated 1.7 BILLION gallons of water was released in a raging torrent that scoured the canyon walls and headed for Denver. Hugh Paine made it to Castle Rock and called the Parker phone exchange. Telephone operator Nettie Driskill’s efforts to alert people downstream no doubt saved many lives that night. The wall of water grew higher as it approached Denver and reached the city about 7:00 a.m. It traveled down the concrete canal that follows Speer Boulevard. Reports vary about the depth of the water, but aerial photos show that

To Get There Castlewood Canyon State Park Bridge to Nowhere The View from Under the Bridge As part of the 2003 bridge reconstruction, a walkway was built under the south end of the bridge. Take a naturalist-led hike that includes the walkway and you’ll enjoy the views from this unique vantage point. As you look up the canyon to the east and down canyon, past the Bridge Canyon Overlook, see if you can spot any animals or birds. Beaver, porcupine and mountain lion have all been sighted in the canyon below the bridge. If you look closely, you may see a kingfisher hunting or a great horned owl taking a daytime nap. Directly under the bridge are two plaques that commemorate the bridge’s construction in 1946 and its reconstruction in 2003. Exposed bedrock below the plaques gives budding geologists a chance to examine two of the defining rocks of the park – Castle Rock conglomerate and ignimbrite (rhyolite). Castlewood Canyon State Park 2989 S. State Highway 83 Franktown, CO 80116 303-688-5242 Email: castlewood.canyon@state.co.us www.parks.state.co.us CSP-CAST-200-4/07 In the 1920s, the State of Colorado decided to take action and build a safer route. Rather than improve the existing road, state engineers decided to build a new one. They chose a route farther east, perhaps finding it fitting that Colorado’s newest road would follow some of the state’s oldest “roads”, including the Cherokee Trail, Miner’s Trail and Trappers Trail. The Story of the Bridge to Nowhere Whether you’ve driven over the bridge one time or a hundred, you may not have known that you were driving over the “Bridge to Nowhere” We’re referring to the bridge that is approximately five miles south of Franktown on Highway 83. From the bridge crossing over Castlewood Canyon, you can see the flagpole of the Castlewood Canyon Visitor Center and the timbered structure that is the park’s Bridge Canyon Overlook. Just how did this bridge, which clearly goes somewhere today, get that name? Like many things in and near Castlewood Canyon State Park, there’s an interesting story about it. This story starts over 80 years ago. Replacing the “Ribbon of Death” Before there was Interstate 25 linking Denver and Colorado Springs, there was a dirt road between the two cities. The old road generally followed the same path as today’s interstate highway, but so many accidents occurred that locals began calling it the “ribbon of death.” By the 1930s, the new Colorado Highway 83 had been paved form Denver to Franktown. Just south of Franktown was the road builders’ biggest obstacle: the 232-foot-wide Wildcat Canyon. (The canyon was renamed Castlewood Canyon in the 1920s). A graceful, arched bridge was designed and built to span the canyon – one of only six such bridges in Colorado at the time. Construction was completed in 1946, according to a plaque under the south end of the bridge. It seemed clear sailing now for the road to be completed to Colorado Springs. But plans changed. State engineers were told to abandon further work on the road. It had been decided, based on politics of the time, that the “ribbon of death” route was once again to be the preferred one between Denver and Colorado Springs. The pavement of Highway 83 came to an abrupt end at the north end of the sparkling new bridge, leading to the nickname, “The Bridge to Nowhere.” Actually, the road continued south to Colorado Springs, but it was an unimproved dirt road – and stayed that way for two decades. In the mid-1960s, the dirt road was finally paved. Even Bridges to Nowhere Wear Out Ironically, the bridge over Castlewood Canyon, once the “Bridge to Nowhere,” has been so heavily traveled since its completion in 1946, and has suffered such deterioration, that it eventually needed attention. To minimize cost, save time and preserve the now historic character of the bridge, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) decided to repair and enlarge it instead of replacing it. Construction began in summer 2003 and was completed in four months. If the bridge doesn’t look different, you’re right. The graceful arch of the original bridge still spans the canyon, while the deck and columns were replaced with new ones to make a safer and wider road surface by nine feet. The new foundation was placed on the bridge’s old foundation. 

To Get There Castlewood Canyon State Park Geology The Journey of the Rocks Notice the large boulders in Cherry Creek as you walk the Inner Canyon Trail. Where did they come from? They began eons ago as molten rock deep under the surface of the earth and were raised with the Rocky Mountains. Erosion wore them down to grains of sand and washed them downstream to the area of the park, where they became part of the caprock. Some millions of years ago, they were broken off from the caprock by the forces of nature and fell to the canyon bottom. This is not the end of their journey. Erosion continues to work on them, and over the millennia, will wear them down to grains of sand and wash them further downstream– ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico. Castlewood Canyon State Park 2989 S. State Highway 83 Franktown, CO 80116 303-688-5242 Email: castlewood.canyon@state.co.us www.parks.state.co.us CSP-CAST-200-4/07 Building a Rock Layer Cake The Layer Worn by Water Millions of years ago, a tropical rainforest covered what is now Castlewood Canyon State Park. How do we know? Because plant and animal fossils from those tropical forests have been found in the oldest visible rocks in the park, called Dawson Arkose. This approximately 55-million-year-old rock layer can best be seen on the west side of the park downstream from the dam, brought to light by the scouring action of the flood waters unleashed when the dam collapsed in 1933. The “icing” on the park’s rock layer cake of Dawson Arkose and rhyolite, and its most distinguishing geologic feature, is Castle Rock Conglomerate. These 34 million-year-old rocks, washed down from the eroding Rocky Mountains, form the park’s canyon walls and caprock. Conglomerate rocks are easy to identify–they’re like cookie dough with bits of chocolate chips sticking out. The “dough” is sedimentary rock and the chips are pebbles and boulders that are smoothed and rounded in ancient rivers and cemented into the rock by the water’s high concentration of silicates–nature’s concrete. Petrified wood is one of the most common fossils found in the Dawson Arkose. You may come across a beautiful butter-scotch-colored rock that is, in fact, petrified wood from an ancient tropical tree. This type of fossil is so common in the area that it is often called “Parker wood.” Be sure to leave fossils and rocks where you find them so others may enjoy discovering them too. Let’s see what we can find in the layers above the Dawson Arkose. The rocks in these layers are younger by many millions of years, and they are harder–more resistant to the forces of wind and weather. Dawson Arkose Late Eocene The Layer Forged in Fire Although the rocks above the Dawson Arkose cannot speak they tell the story of a tremendous volcanic eruption that occurred precisely 36.7 million years ago. The eruption, which happened about 90 miles away near present-day Salida, filled the air with a glowing cloud of 2,000 degree molten rock, ash and poisonous gases. It reached the area of the park in just a few minutes. The liquid rock and superheated ash welded into a thick layer of solid rock as they hit the ground cooled, and were buried. This rock has several names: ignimbrite (Latin for “fiery cloud”, Wall Mountain Tuff (named for the mountain northeast of Salida where it was first discovered), and rhyolite. You can find pieces of this once liquid rock laying all over the park. Look for rocks with sharp angles and edges, tiny air holes, and shiny specs. It can be pink, purple, gray or brown in color. Rhyolite has been mined in this area as a decorative building material for more than 100 years. Rhyolite blocks were used to build the outside walls of the park Visitor Center and picnic shelters and those of the famous Molly Brown House in Denver. As you walk the paved trail between Canyon Point Parking Lot and the Inner Canyon Trailhead on the park’s east side, do you see anything that makes you think this area was once covered by water? Do the rock patterns remind you of the patterns the surf makes in the sand? Water formed these telltale cross beds millions of years ago and deposited sand, grave, pebbles, cobbles and stones. Do you wonder why many of the stones are smooth while the rhyolite stays angular? Think about the time each spent in the streams and rivers. The stones were tossed and turned in the water as they traveled many miles out of the mountains onto the plains. The rhyolite came by air, so it was not as worn down by the action of the water. Cross Beds 

Discover The Lucas Homestead At Castlewood Canyon State Park Castlewood Canyon State Park 2989 S. Highway 83 Franktown, CO 80116 303-688-5242 www.parks.state.co Sketch by Bob Metzler, grandson of Patrick and Margaret Lucas www.castlewoodfriends.org The Lucas Homestead is located on the west side of Castlewood Canyon State Park. To visit it, turn south on Castlewood Canyon Road which is 1/2-mile west of the intersection of Highways 83 and 86 in Franktown. Travel 2.1 miles to the Homestead Parking Lot on the east side of the road. The lot is 1/10-mile past the park entrance station. Acknowledgments We are very grateful to Bob Metzler, grandson of Patrick and Margaret Lucas, and John Ames, who fished in Cherry Creek near the Lucas Homestead as a young boy, for sharing their memories with us and helping us recreate the story of this historic property. We also wish to thank Castlewood Canyon State Park volunteers Susan Permut and Linda Pohle for their assistance with this booklet. Ron Claussen, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Interpreter, ably directed the project. The park is grateful to Bruce Papich and Lynda Lou Greeley of the Toyota Denver Region Sales office who helped organize Toyota's participation in National Public Lands Day. They and 80 colleagues built and performed maintenance of the Lucas Homestead trail. Brice Foland of Pioneer Sand & Gravel for their donation of trail material for the new segments of trail and trail maintenance. Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park for their generous financial support.  Now walk back toward the spring house until you see, on your right, one of the most remarkable, and mysterious, structures on the homestead—a concrete, six-foothigh, L-shaped wall embedded with beautiful rocks. We call it the “fancy wall.” Notice the bolts on the top of the wall. Those suggest something might have been nailed to the top to create a roof over the two-sided structure, creating a shelter. Milk cows are valuable property and dairy farmers today play music for their cows and paint their barns and milking parlors in pleasant colors. Do you think the Lucases built this wall to please their cows and give them a particularly fine shelter? The tour of the Lucas homestead ends here, but, as you walk back to the concrete house, we invite you to imagine what life might have been like on the homestead over 100 years ago. Imagine… It’s four a.m. at the start of a cold winter day in 1900. The fire in the only source of heat in the home had burned down overnight. Brrr! But the rooster is crowing and it’s time to get up. The first Lucas family members up restarted the fire in the kitchen stove. Lacking flashlights, Patrick and his sons, who were responsible for the outside chores, dressed warmly, grabbed kerosene barn lamps, and headed outside to feed the animals, milk the cows, store the milk in the spring house, gather eggs, and do countless other chores. Margaret and her daughters put on water for tea and had a hot, hearty breakfast ready when the boys returned from their early morning chores about 6 a.m. Now that it’s light outside and everyone has their inner fires stoked by a hot breakfast, there’s still more work to do…perhaps dig out from a recent snowstorm, split wood, tend to the animals, carry milk to the Franktown creamery to sell. In the spring and summer there was even more work—cultivating, weeding, and irrigating the fields. So, do you think these were the good old days? Patrick Lucas died in the concrete house in 1936 and Margaret moved to Denver in 1941. The concrete house was never lived in again. Fire swept the property in the late 1950s/early 1960s. The homestead acres were divided up over the years. In 1979, Colorado State Parks began purchasing the homestead from Lucas grandson Bob Metzler and his sister Rosemary, who wished to honor the memories of their grandparents. The final acres were purchased in 2002 by Friends of Castlewood Canyon State Park. For more information about this historic homestead, visit the Castlewood Canyon State Park Visitor Center and ask to look at the Discover Book, which contains detailed information about the park’s geology, history, flora, and fauna. 6 Discover the Lucas Homestead: A Self-Guided Tour Patrick and Margaret Lucas were born in Ireland, but met and married in Arizona in 1889. In 1894, they were among the area’s first homesteaders, settling 160 acres on this site in the park. By 1910, they had eight children, ranging in age from 3 to 18. Some evidence of the family’s presence is obvious, like the two-story concrete house before you. Other evidence is harder to find…and is still being found. Be sure to bring your imagination along on this approximately half-mile walk around the Lucas homestead and back in time. If you do happen to find an artifact, please leave it where you found it and notify park staff. Thank you for helping us protect the story of the Lucas Homestead in Castlewood Canyon State Park.  We begin at the fro

OBSERVATION RECORD FOR BIRDING AT CASTLEWOOD CANYON STATE PARK Date: Field Time: Weather: to Total Species: Y S F W M u Birds of Castlewood Canyon State Park Total Individuals: KEY Locality/Trail: Observers: FIELD NOTES: = = = = = = Year-Round Spring & Summer Fall Winter Migration Unusual (outside usual habitat or range) Names of frequently seen or abundant species appear bold. * Species known to NEST in park appear with an asterisk* ^ = Look for these species near the selfinterpretive Canyon View Nature Trail and Visitor Center. Geese & Ducks ___ ___ ___ ___ Canada Goose * ^ Gadwall u Mallard * ^ Green-winged Teal Wild Turkey Herons & Ibis ___ ___ ___ SHARING BIRDING EXPERIENCES: Please share your bird lists and post your sightings at the Visitor Center. We appreciate your input and observations for future updates of this list and for Park records. The Park’s Interpretive Ranger welcomes written details (date, time, location, behavior and field marks observed) of birds listed here as “Unusual” and those species not listed at all. Responsible Birding • Respect birds’ habitats, nests, and displayand feeding areas. • Avoid stressing and exposing birds to danger. • Keep well back and, in sensitive areas, take advantage of natural cover. • Exercise restraint and caution during observation and photography, and when using sound and video recording devices. Castlewood Canyon State Park Attn: Park Naturalist 2989 S. Highway 83 • Franktown, CO 80116 E-mail: castlewood.canyon@state.co.us Phone: (303) 688-5242 Web site: parks@state.co.us CSP-CAST-5K-1/07 • Please stay on trails and paths. Great Blue Heron * ^ Black-crowned Night Heron White-faced Ibis M New World Vultures ___ Turkey Vulture * ^ “Eagles, Hawks & Falcons” ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Osprey Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Sharp-shinned Hawk ^ Cooper’s Hawk * ^ Northern Goshawk Broad-winged Hawk Swainson’s Hawk Red-tailed Hawk * ^ Ferruginous Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Golden Eagle American Kestrel * ^ Merlin Peregrine Falcon Prairie Falcon * ___ ___ ___ Virginia Rail Sora Sandhill Crane S S M Plovers & Sandpipers ___ ___ ___ Killdeer * Spotted Sandpiper Long-billed Curlew S S M Franklin’s Gull Ring-billed Gull California Gull M Y M Gulls ___ ___ ___ “Pigeons & Doves, Cuckoos” S SF u Turkeys ___ Rails & Cranes Y S S ___ ___ ___ Great Horned Owl * ^ Northern Pygmy-Owl Long-eared Owl Northern Saw-whet Owl * Y FW S Y Goatsuckers Common Nighthawk * Common Poorwill * S S White-throated Swift * S Swifts ___ M M Y Y Y Y M S Y u FW Y Y M M Y Y S u Owls ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S Rock Pigeon * Mourning Dove * ^ Black-billed Cuckoo Hummingbirds ___ ___ ___ ___ Black-chinned Hummingbird ^ S Calliope Hummingbird ^ M Broad-tailed Hummingbird * ^ S Rufous Hummingbird ^ M Kingfishers ___ Belted Kingfisher *^ SF Broad-Tailed Hummingbird Yellow-rumped Warbler Jays & Crows ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Steller’s Jay * ^ Blue Jay * ^ Western Scrub-Jay * ^ Pinyon Jay Clark’s Nutcracker Black-billed Magpie * ^ American Crow * ^ Common Raven * ^ Y Y Y u u Y Y Y Horned Lark * Y Larks ___ Woodpeckers ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Lewis’s Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Williamson’s Sapsucker Red-naped Sapsucker Downy Woodpecker * ^ Hairy Woodpecker * ^ Northern Flicker * ^ Olive-sided Flycatcher Western Wood-Pewee * Willow Flycatcher Hammond’s Flycatcher Gray Flycatcher u Dusky Flycatcher Cordilleran Flycatcher * Eastern Phoebe Say’s Phoebe * ^ Ash-throated Flycatcher Cassin’s Kingbird Western Kingbird Eastern Kingbird M S M S M S M S M u S S Loggerhead Shrike Northern Shrike White-eyed Vireo Plumbeous Vireo * ^ Cassin’s Vireo Blue-headed Vireo Warbling Vireo * Red-eyed Vireo * S S S u S S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S FW u S M u S S ___ Rock Wren * ^ Canyon Wren * ^ House Wren * ^ Winter Wren SF Y S u Y ___ Kinglets & Gnatcatchers ___ ___ ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher * ^ Eastern Bluebird Western Bluebird * ^ Mountain Bluebird * ^ S S M Y Bohemian Waxwing Cedar Waxwing * W Y Blue-winged Warbler Tennessee Warbler Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Virginia’s Warbler * Northern Parula Yellow Warbler * ^ Yellow-rumped Warbler Black-throated Gray Warbler Townsend’s Warbler Blackpoll Warbler Black-and-White Warbler American Redstart Ovenbird Kentucky Warbler MacGillivray’s Warbler Common Yellowthroat Wilson’s Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat * u M M M S u S M M M u S M S u M S M S Tanagers Western Tanager * S FW M S u SF Y ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Green-tailed Towhee Spotted Towhee * ^ American Tree Sparrow ^ Chipping Sparrow * Clay-colored Sparrow Brewer’s Sparrow Vesper Sparrow * Lark Sparrow * ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Sage Sparrow Lark Bunting Savannah Sparrow Song Sparrow * ^ Lincoln’s Sparrow White-throated Sparrow Harris’s Sparrow White-crowned Sparrow ^ Dark-eyed Junco * ^ “Cardinals, Grosbeaks

COLORADO PA R K S & WILDLIFE Your Guide to Colorado’s 41 State Parks 2018 Edition cpw.state.co.us CAMPING RESERVATIONS • 1-800-244-5613 • cpw.state.co.us i Welcome to Your State Parks! Wherever you go in Colorado, there’s Cheyenne Mountain a state park waiting to welcome State Park you. Mountains or prairies, rivers or forests, out in the country or next to the city… Colorado’s 41 state parks are as diverse as the state itself, and they offer something for everyone. Take a hair-raising whitewater river trip, or kick back in a lawn chair and watch the sunset. Enjoy a family picnic, cast a line in the water, take a hike, ride a horse, try snowshoeing or discover geocaching. From Eastern Plains parks at 3,800 feet to high-mountain parks at 9,500, the network of state parks offers a wealth of activities for busy people of all ages, or the chance to do nothing at all. You can play on land or on water. On a high peak or on the prairie. In the country or the city. In spring, summer, winter or fall. Golden Gate Canyon State Park State parks are great places for families. There are plenty of activities for families to enjoy together such as boating, hiking or picnicking, as well as organized nature walks, talks and events. Junior Ranger programs, activity backpacks, kid-friendly hikes and fishing ponds for kids are among the many offerings for youth. From toddler to teen and adult to senior, every family member can enjoy their activity of choice, then come together to share a meal and stories around the campfire. Whether you’re an active outdoor recreationist or prefer to spend time watching clouds go by, you’ll enjoy the special moments waiting for you in the state parks. Rifle Gap State Park Cover photos: Large photo: State Forest State Park; lower left: Pearl Lake State Park; lower center: Elkhead State Park; lower right: Lory State Park Plan Your Visit Colorado’s state parks are open every day of the year, weather permitting. Day-use areas are generally open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., and some parks may have closed gates after hours. Campgrounds are open 24 hours a day. Contact individual parks for hours of operation. Check our website for seasonal or maintenance closures: cpw.state.co.us Entrance Passes All Colorado state parks charge an entrance fee. Cost of a daily pass may vary by park ($7–$9). A pass covers all occupants of a vehicle and is valid until noon the day after purchase. Some parks may charge a per-person fee for cyclists and walk-ins. Fees are used to help pay operating costs. Cherry Creek State Park charges an additional fee for the Cherry Creek Basin Water Quality Authority. Annual Pass Who doesn’t love a deal? And the state parks annual pass is a great one. For just one low price, the annual pass lets you enjoy all 41 state parks for unlimited visits for 12 months from date of purchase. That’s all the parks. That’s unlimited times. The annual pass pays for itself in as few as 10 visits. If you’re a Colorado resident who’s 64 years or older, there’s even a further discounted Aspen Leaf annual pass. There are also passes for disabled and income-eligible residents. For details and to purchase a pass, visit a Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) office, state park or buy online: cpw.state.co.us Extend Your Stay Make more of your state park visit by staying overnight. Bring your tent or RV, spend a cozy night in a cabin, camp in a tipi or discover a comfortable, year-round alternative State Forest State Park to traditional camping with a yurt. All together, the state parks have more than 4,000 campsites and 58 cabins and yurts. Almost 300 campsites are ADA accessible. Many parks offer campsites or cabins for large groups. Heated cabins and yurts make a park getaway suitable any season of the year. Camping Reservations Summer weekends fill up quickly so advance reservations for overnight stays are recommended. Reservations can be made six months to three days ahead of arrival. Reserve online: cpw.state.co.us Toll Free: 1-800-244-5613 A nonrefundable reservation fee applies to bookings, and visitors must purchase a daily or annual entrance pass in addition to paying camping and reservation fees. Unreserved sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. 1 What Can I Do There? Colorado’s state parks are places to have fun, get away, recreate and re-create. Here are some park activities to help you do that: Fishing Top-notch fishing awaits anglers in 37 state parks across Colorado. Think Gold Medal Waters and trophy fish. A valid fishing license is required for all anglers 16 years and older. Licenses and our annual Colorado Fishing regulations brochure are available online, at most parks and at CPW authorized sales agents. Water Sports Many state parks are built around a lake or Crawford waterway, which means boating and other water State Park sports are among the headliners. Larger parks offer boat rentals and full-service marinas. Any boat with a motor or sail operated in Col

C O L O R A D O P A R K S & W I L D L I F E 2020 Colorado State Recreation Lands INSIDE: STATE FISH UNITS, STATE WILDLIFE AREAS, STATE TRUST LANDS, STATE PARKS cpw.state.co.us ONLINE FEATURES Check out more Colorado Parks & Wildlife on our VIMEO & YOUTUBE CHANNELS LINKS TO MAPS MAKE CAMPING & HUNTING RESERVATIONS ONLINE! STATE WILDLIFE AREAS STATE FISHING WATERS STATE TRUST LANDS STATE PARKS Cherry Creek State Park © Nora Logue VIDEOS CHECK OUT THE 360 VIDEOS OF COLORADO’S STATE PARKS! 101 PLACES TO TAKE A KID FISHING #TAKEAKIDFISHING G.E.M. TRAIL NOW OPEN IN STEAMBOAT SPRINGS! CONTENTS CONTENTS Printed for free distribution by: WHAT’S NEW: 2020................................................1 cpw.state.co.us COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE (CPW) 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216 ■ 303-297-1192 RESERVATIONS......................................................1 OUR MISSION: The mission of Colorado Parks and Wildlife is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources. ■ Abbreviation key................................................................................1 STATE FISH UNITS (SFUs)........................................2 ■ What is an SFU?..................................................................................2 ■ SFU properties & regulations..............................................................2 COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE DIRECTOR Dan Prenzlow COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE COMMISSION MEMBERS, as of July 2020 STATE WILDLIFE AREAS (SWAs)......................... 3–29 Marvin McDaniel, Chair Carrie Besnette Hauser, Vice-Chair Marie Haskett, Secretary Taishya Adams Betsy Blecha Charles Garcia Dallas May ■ What is an SWA?.................................................................................3 ■ SWA access rules................................................................................3 ■ SWA properties & regulations..................................................... 4–29 STATE TRUST LANDS (STLs) PUBLIC ACCESS PROGRAM.............................. 30–51 ■ What are trust lands? What is the STL public access program?.............30 ■ State trust lands FAQs/access rules...................................................30 ■ State trust lands public access properties & regulations............ 31–51 REGULATION BROCHURE EDITOR Chelsea Harlan PRINTED STATE PARKS................................................. 52–59 The Colorado Division of Parks and Wildlife (CPW) receives federal financial assistance from multiple bureaus within the U.S. Department of the Interior. Under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act (as amended), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (as amended), the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the U.S. Department of the Interior and its bureaus prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, disability or age. In addition, CPW adheres to all antidiscrimination laws of the state of Colorado. For more information on how to request an accommodation or to file a grievance, please visit cpw.state.co.us/accessibility. MAPS............................................................ 60–65 ■ State fish units, wildlife areas, trust lands & parks — Northeast ..........60 ■ State fish units, wildlife areas, trust lands & parks — Southeast ..........61 ■ State fish units, wildlife areas, trust lands & parks — Northwest .........62 ■ State fish units, wildlife areas, trust lands & parks — Southwest ........63 ■ NEW State fish units, wildlife areas, trust lands & parks — Central close-up.............................64 ■ Game management units (GMUs)....................................................65 NOTICE: Laws and regulations in this brochure are paraphrased for easier understanding and are intended only as a guide. Complete Colorado wildlife statutes and regulations are available at CPW offices listed below and online: cpw.state.co.us/regulations CPW REGIONAL AND AREA OFFICE LOCATIONS ADMINISTRATION 1313 Sherman St., #618 Denver, 80203 303-297-1192 (M–F, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. MT) LANDS INDEX BY COUNTY............................... 66–73 ■ State fish units, state wildlife areas, state trust lands, state parks GET THE BROCHURE ONLINE: cpw.state.co.us/rec-lands Send us your outdoor photos and stories for a chance to be featured on a brochure cover or CPW's online blog! HUNTER.TESTIMONIALS@STATE.CO.US COVER: ▶ Gone fishing at Sylvan Lake State Park. © Dustin Doskocil for CPW OTHER PHOTOS, LEFT TO RIGHT: ▶ Mountain biking at Trinidad Lake State Park. © Thomas Kimmell for CPW C O L O R A D O P A R K S & INSIDE: STATE FISH UNITS, STAT

WHAT'S NEW C O L O R A D O P A R K S & LICENSES W I L D L I F E 2021 Colorado Fishing SEASON: MARCH 1, 2021–MARCH 31, 2022 cpw.state.co.us 2021 FISHING BROCHURE CORRECTION UPDATED: APRIL 19, 2021 Please see the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website at cpw.state.co.us/regulations for complete regulation information. NOTE: THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE BROCHURE HAS THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, INCLUDING ANY CORRECTIONS. PAGE(S) CORRECTION AS PRINTED IN BROCHURE LICENSE REQUIREMENTS PAGE 1 The qualifying age for applying for a senior lifetime low-income fishing license was incorrectly listed as 65 and older at the time of publication. The correct information is: Senior lifetime low-income fishing licenses are available for Colorado residents age 64 and older. Go online for full eligibility requirements: cpw.state. co.us The online version of the brochure has been updated with this correction. page 1 2021 FISHING BROCHURE CORRECTION UPDATED: MARCH 12, 2021 Please see the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website at cpw.state.co.us/regulations for complete regulation information. NOTE: THE ONLINE VERSION OF THE BROCHURE HAS THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION, INCLUDING ANY CORRECTIONS. PAGE(S) CORRECTION AS PRINTED IN BROCHURE BACK PAGE BACK COVER The contest start date for Take a Friend Fishing was incorrect at the time of publication. The correct information is: The contest starts APRIL 1, 2021! Go online for contest rules and how to enter: cpw.state.co.us/ takeafriend The online version of the brochure has been updated with this correction. back cover ONLINE FEATURES Check out more Colorado Parks & Wildlife on our VIMEO & YOUTUBE CHANNELS VIDEOS FISHING FOR HIP HOP: COLORADO STYLE FISHING FUNDS CONSERVATION 101 PLACES TO TAKE A KID FISHING © CPW GET THE CPW FISHING APPS: The CPW Fishing app can help you discover over 1,300 fishing locations, check local conditions, read up on regulations and more! The CPW Match a Hatch app can help you match your fly to the same insects where you’re fishing! CO OUTDOORS “QUICK TIP”: SPINCAST REELS CONTENTS CONTENTS Printed for free distribution by: WHAT’S NEW: 2021................................................ 1 cpw.state.co.us LICENSE INFORMATION...................................... 1–2 COLORADO PARKS AND WILDLIFE (CPW) 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216 ■ 303-297-1192 ■ License & Habitat Stamp fees........................................................................1 ■ What you need to buy a fishing license; license requirements......................1 ■ Residency requirements; Habitat Stamps; anglers with disabilities..............2 OUR MISSION: The mission of Colorado Parks and Wildlife is to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado’s natural resources. GENERAL INFORMATION.................................... 3–7 Dan Prenzlow ■ Fishery programs: Gold Medal Waters; Wild Trout; stream surveys.................3 ■ State records program: Records by Weight; Records by Length......................4 ■ State Records by Weight award table.............................................................4 ■ Master Angler program; award lengths.........................................................5 ■ Help improve your fisheries............................................................................5 ■ Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS).....................................................................6 ■ Fishing terms glossary...................................................................................7 ■ Online fishing information resources.............................................................7 FISHING LAWS................................................. 8–10 ■ Legal fishing methods....................................................................................8 ■ Special conditions & restrictions...............................................................8−9 ■ Statewide bag & possession limits...............................................................10 ■ MAP: Wiper/white bass & walleye/saugeye bag limits................................10 SPECIAL REGULATIONS: FISHING WATERS........11–39 ■ MAP: Upper Arkansas River.........................................................................12 ■ MAP: Blue River Basin.................................................................................13 ■ MAP: Middle Colorado & Eagle Rivers..........................................................15 ■ MAP: Upper Colorado River — Headwaters to Radium...............................16 ■ MAP: Conejos & Alamosa River Drainages...................................................18 ■ MAP: Upper Gunnison Basin — Taylor Park Res. to Blue Mesa Res..............19 ■ MAP: NEW North Fork Gunnison Basin — Hotchkiss to McClure