The Rock and the Star: A Visitor’s Guide to Castle Rock’s Landmark

Why a butte named a town

You can see Castle Rock from the highway long before you reach the exit, and that is no accident. The butte is a flat-topped formation of stone, and the Town lists a 370-foot difference between the trailhead at 6,220 feet and the top at 6,590. According to the Town's history, a gold seeker named David Kellogg gave it the name in 1859 because it looked like a castle, and the settlement that grew around it in the 1870s kept the name.

That history is easy to feel on foot. Philip Wilcox platted the area south of the base in 1871, and the Craig and Gould addition followed in 1874. Walk downtown with the butte at your back and you are on streets laid out in the shadow of the landmark itself.

The 1936 star, explained

The star was born in hard times. The Town's account says the 1936 project aimed to light the side of what is now Interstate 25 and persuade travelers to stop in Castle Rock. It was a team effort. Castle Rock Hose Company No. 1, which was the original name of the fire department, hauled the materials up the Rock. The Town Council helped with funds, a local motor company donated welding gas, and William Sloan of Schweiger Motor Co. did much of the design and welding. George P. Stewart donated the land, and Mountain States Telephone gave used electrical wire.

Today the star has 100 bulbs, and Castle Rock Fire and Rescue still maintains it. The wiring has been replaced, but the type of wire and the light sockets are the same. CORE Electric Cooperative has supplied the power at no cost to the Town for many years.

The Chamber of Commerce hosts the Starlighting celebration every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. After that first lighting, a sensor turns the star on each night around sunset, and it goes dark for the season at the end of the National Western Stock Show.

When the star changes color

The traditional lights are white, and the Town notes that the star has changed only a few times. After World War II it showed a V for victory. In 1998 and 2014 it glowed blue and orange when the Denver Broncos played in the Super Bowl. It was lit as a symbol of hope during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently it carried red, white and blue for the celebration of America's 250th and Colorado's 150th birthdays.

That is a useful reminder when you plan a visit: the star is a community symbol first, and the Town reserves special lighting for moments that matter locally. If you want to catch a special color, follow the Town and the fire department for announcements.

Visiting Rock Park

Rock Park sits at 1470 Front Street, and entry is free. The trail is a looped, unpaved single track of 1.5 miles that the Town rates difficult. Hikers reach the base of the Rock and get views of downtown, the Interstate 25 corridor, Pikes Peak and the Front Range. Bikes are prohibited, and the Town warns of uneven terrain and the possibility of falling rocks and rockslides, so stay on the signed trail and do not scramble on the rock itself.

• Park at the main trailhead lot on Front Street, where a portable restroom is available. More parking is at Castle North Park, and on-street parking is allowed on Canyon and Sunset drives.
• Bring at least a liter of water per person, since the loop has little shade.
• Start early in summer, when the exposed rock holds heat into the afternoon.
• Pack a layer. Wind on the exposed side can feel cold even on a warm day.

Where to see the star without the crowd

You do not need to hike to enjoy the landmark. The butte is visible from many downtown streets, and Festival Park gives a wide, clear look at the Rock. At night, a stroll through the downtown blocks shows the star above the roofline. Broader views exist from lots outside town, but never stop on the highway shoulder to take a photo.