Lake Gulch Trail

Lake Gulch Trail is the most comprehensive hike in Castlewood Canyon State Park, linking multiple trail segments to create a 5-mile circuit that tours the full range of the park's landscapes. The route passes through open grassland prairies on the canyon rim, descends into the shaded canyon bottom along Cherry Creek, visits the historic dam ruins, and traverses ponderosa pine forests before completing the loop — essentially combining the park's greatest hits into a single satisfying outing.

The name refers to the broad gulch that once held a reservoir impounded by the Castlewood Dam, now drained and returned to riparian meadow. This area supports diverse wildlife including white-tailed and mule deer, coyotes, and a remarkable variety of songbirds attracted to the creek corridor. Raptors frequently patrol the rim edges in search of the prairie dogs that colonize the grassland sections. The full circuit gains 500 feet spread across multiple moderate climbs, making it suitable for hikers of average fitness. Leashed dogs are welcome throughout. The park entrance fee is $10 per vehicle, and the trailhead has ample parking on weekdays with overflow filling quickly on weekends.