Frances Xavier Cabrini Day Office Closures
Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices, including park visitor centers, will be closed for the state holiday, Monday, Oct. 6. Some offices may have limited operations for the hunting season. Call ahead and plan accordingly.
State Park in Franktown, CO
Hours:
Park: Sunrise to Sunset.
Office: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
2989 South State Highway 83
Franktown, CO 80116
United States
State Park in Franktown, CO
Hours:
Park: Sunrise to Sunset.
Office: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day.
Entrance Fees:
Daily Vehicle Pass: $10
Individual Daily Pass: $4
Animals Permitted:
Park Address:
2989 South State Highway 83
Franktown, CO 80116
United States
Scenic view of Castlewood Canyon State Park
Castlewood Canyon State Park is a memorable spot for outdoor activities like hiking, picnicking, rock climbing, sightseeing, photography and nature study. The park preserves 2,628 acres of the unique Black Forest region of Colorado. Visitors will also enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the Front Range and Pikes Peak.
2,628
acres
100
species of birds
12
miles of trails
60
foot rock-climbing walls
The Castlewood Canyon Visitor Center is located northeast of the main entrance.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Closed Monday and Tuesday.
There are no closures at this time.
Pass |
Description |
Duration |
Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Daily Vehicle Pass |
Single vehicle and its occupants |
1 Day |
$10-$12 |
|
Individual Daily Pass |
For individual entry on foot, bicycle, horseback, etc at select parks |
1 Day |
$4 |
|
DMV vehicle registration renewal option for Colorado residents |
12 Months |
$29 |
|
|
Annual Vehicle Pass (Affixed) |
Pass for a single vehicle and its occupants |
12 Months |
$80 |
|
Family Annual Pass (Hang Tag) |
Members of the same household |
12 Months |
$120 |
|
Aspen Leaf Annual Pass |
Colorado residents 64+ |
12 Months |
$70 |
|
Centennial Pass |
Income-eligible Colorado residents |
12 Months |
$14 |
|
Columbine Pass |
Colorado residents with disabilities |
12 Months |
$14 |
|
Veterans License Plate |
DMV vehicle registration renewal option for military veterans (disabled veterans or purple heart plates) |
Lifetime |
Free |
|
Independence Lifetime Pass |
Colorado resident veterans with disabilities |
Lifetime |
Free |
|
Blue Spruce Pass |
Colorado resident first responders with disabilities |
Lifetime |
$10 |
Castlewood Canyon is a Colorado Natural Area. There are many fantastic opportunities for viewing wildlife, plants and rock features.
Be on the Lookout for Birds
Can you spot all one 100+ bird species? Download the Bird List Brochure (PDF).
From Castlewood Canyon visitors have excellent views of the upper Dawson Formation and Castle Rock Conglomerate, which show the geologic history of the Front Range. The conglomerate is a coarse, erosion-resistant cobble held together by volcanic ash. In the northwestern part of the park, a loose alluvium known as the Dawson Formation is exposed. This was deposited by water traveling out of the mountains and onto the plains below. The canyon looks the way it does because of the rocks underneath. What is now Cherry Creek carved into the hard Castle Rock conglomerate, making tall cliffs. The softer Dawson Formation on the upper slopes eroded more easily, creating the wider, lower slopes of the canyon.
Mixed foothill shrublands occupy drier slopes and openings within the forest community, where Gambel’s oak, mountain mahogany, skunkbrush and snowberry are the dominant species. Along drainages, chokecherry and American plum commonly grow with Gambel’s oak. Grasslands are an interesting association of short grass prairie, tall grass prairie, montane grassland and introduced species. Barren rock outcrops and cliffs support lichen and moss communities. A variety of riparian and wetland communities are present along Cherry Creek, tributary drainages, and on seeps and springs. Wetlands support healthy and diverse plant and animal communities by filtering contaminants and anchoring shorelines. Unique grotto (hanging garden wetlands) occupy ceilings and floors of dissolution caverns along the western canyon walls. They contain mosses, liverworts, ferns and vascular plant species representative of the last ice age.
Nov
11
Tuesday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
As a thank you to U.S. military members, Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers veterans, active-duty military and the National...
Nov
11
Tuesday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
As a thank you to U.S. military members, Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers veterans, active-duty military and the National...
Nov
11
Tuesday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
As a thank you to U.S. military members, Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers veterans, active-duty military and the National...
Nov
11
Tuesday, Nov 11
Arkansas Headwaters Recreation Area
As a thank you to U.S. military members, Colorado Parks and Wildlife offers veterans, active-duty military and the National...
Smoke marks can be seen on caves and overhangs throughout Castlewood Canyon.
Rock shelters in the canyon date back as far as 5,000 years. Reliable water and south-facing shelters would have made harsh, ancient winters tolerable for early North Americans. The tradition of wintering in the canyon continued under indigenous tribes. Archaeological finds suggest the Jicarilla Apache occupied eastern Colorado from around 1200 to 1750 CE. The Comanche and Mouache Ute, among others, controlled parts of the region during this period as well.
