Located 30 miles from Denver and 41 miles from Colorado Springs, Castle Rock is a quickly growing little town, named for a unique, castle-like rock formation. Its claim to fame is outlet malls, but the town has much more to offer than that. Thinking about buying Castle Rock real estate? Check out what the town has to offer:
Castle Rock takes its name from a large rock formation. Situated high on a mountain, this rock formation is visible from almost everywhere in Castle Rock, and its distinctive size and shape has made it a trail marker since the Arapaho and Cheyenne tribes lived in the area and likely even long before that. Castle Rock was founded in 1874, sixteen years after the founding of Denver. People began arriving in the area a few years prior to that because of the brief and relatively unsatisfactory Rocky Mountain Gold Rush. However, those not seeking gold took advantage of the government's homesteading offers and set up farms in the area.
For decades, farming and ranching continued to be the predominant industries in the area, but rock quarrying also jockeyed to be the area's top industry, and the trade drew many Swedish immigrants to Castle Rock real estate.
One hundred years after its founding, the population of Castle Rock still had not topped 4,000, but that was to change quickly. During the 1990s and 2000s, an unprecedented number of people moved to Colorado, and from 1980 to 2000, Castle Rock's population jumped from 3,921 to 20,224. Over the next ten years, it grow to 48,000, and by 2014, the population was over 55,000.
These trends are reflected in the area's architecture and Castle Rock real estate offerings. Over half of the homes in the area were built after 2000, and almost all the homes in the town were built after the 1980s. If you love new homes, full of modern amenities and built for contemporary living, almost all of Castle Rock's inventory is likely to make the cut.
Colorado is often ranked as one of the top states in the nation for fitness, and if you love to be active, Castle Rock has the exercise outlets you need. The area has a massive range of cycling trails. You can find easy trails through the parks and neighborhoods in town, or for a challenge, you can take a winding trail 30 or 40 miles through the foothills, into one of the nearby towns, around a picturesque lake and back home.
Ski enthusiasts can reach the mountains quickly from Castle Rock, and Echo Mountain, a popular ski resort near Idaho Springs, is less than an hour and a half drive from most Castle Rock real estate.
Golfers can enjoy pristine world class courses such as the Castle Pines Golf Club, the Red Hawk Ridge and the Plum Creek Golf Club. As you golf, you can enjoy views of the mountains and the rock that inspired this town's name.
Almost all of the schools in Castle Rock are ranked at medium to high levels, and children have the choice of public schools or charter schools such as Renaissance Expedition Learn Outward Bound School or Aspen View Academy, as well as private schools such as The Rock Christian Academy.
To keep kids active, Castle Rock has over 20 developed parks and lots of open natural spaces. The town's parks and rec district hosts a range of activities as well as maintaining area parks, and in 2012, it won a national medal for excellence.
While Colorado has a relatively temperate climate, the winters can get long and if you have kids, you can take them to the Castle Rock Recreation Center to get rid of some energy during the winter. Offering affordable prices for families, this rec center features an indoor pool with water slides, a basketball court and racquetball courts. It also has yoga studios, weightlifting rooms, and fitness classes for adults as well.
Best of all, you can let the kids play without worrying thanks to the safety offered in Castle Rock. The town is safer than 70 percent of all American cities, and it has less than one violent crime per person for every 1,000 residents. Even property crime is low with rates of 10.48 per 1,000 residents.
In Castle Rock, residents have a 1 in 1,179 chance of becoming the victim of a crime. This is significantly lower than the risk in the rest of Colorado. On average, Colorado residents have a 1 in 325 chance of becoming the victim of property crime. The relative safety of Castle Rock draws many families to its embrace, and whether you are looking for family fun or something else, the town has a lot of entertainment options.
Entertainment options in Castle Rock include shopping, dining and annual festivals, and for sports lovers, the town is a 30 minute drive from Denver, home base of the Denver Broncos, the Colorado Avalanche, the Denver Nuggets and the Colorado Rapids.
Shopping, however, is what makes Castle Rock famous. The town has the largest outdoor outlet mall in Colorado. Featuring over 100 shops full of deeply discounted merchandise, the Castle Rock outlets attract visitors from all over the state, and its stores include Eddie Bauer, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein and similar options as well as small boutiques and big box stores.
When it comes to fine dining, Castle Rock holds its own. The Old Stone Church and Union are American bistros serving classic upscale fare and tapas with an emphasis on natural ingredients. You can find homemade pizza, Middle Eastern treats or Mexican dishes at places such as Manna Restaurant, Damasus Grill or El Korita. Most of the restaurants huddle in downtown Castle Rock or near the outlet malls, making them easily accessible.
Annually, locals and tourists gather for events such as the Castle Rock WineFest, showcasing over two dozen wineries, and the Colorado Artfest.
