Home Care In Castle Rock, CO

Whether you're relocating for work, seeking a family-friendly locale or looking for a place to retire, this Colorado city offers many advantages.

By Livability on September 26, 2023

On the south side of metro Denver, Castle Rock, CO, is a thriving community, known for offering easy access to Denver and Colorado Springs, a supportive business community for entrepreneurs and a vibrant downtown. Whether you’re considering a move for your personal or professional life, here are a few reasons why you should think about making the move to Castle Rock.

In This Article

1. You’ll Love the Climate in Castle Rock

Residents have the luxury of experiencing four distinct seasons in Castle Rock. The area offers more than 300 sunny days a year, making it easy to view and enjoy the Rocky Mountains and all the outdoor activities this Colorado region has to offer.

2. The Rocky Mountains Are in Your Backyard

Castle Rock is a natural playground surrounded by national and state parks that are internationally recognized for their scenic views, pristine mountains and unique recreational opportunities. Outdoor lovers can easily access a trail or bike path after work, and families can take their pick of play at one of over 50 public parks. The Philip S. Miller Park is a popular choice, offering a Challenge Hill incline and 300 acres decked out with an amphitheater, splash pad, playground, ziplines and miles of trails.

Food Scenes

Meet the Fabulous Foodpreneurs of Castle Rock, CO

3. The Food and Drinks Scene Is Fulfilling

Regional and international flavors are sure to spice up your palate, with so many locally owned restaurants nearby. Try the renowned fried chicken at Castle Cafe, located in an 1890s hotel. Vista Vino Modern Grill, a well-known Italian staple, features an extensive wine list and offers patio seating near downtown. A new food hall, Ecclesia Market, is housed in a former church and offers themed stalls that include gourmet hot dogs, Cuban food, classic British eats, tacos and a bar called Sinners & Saints, plus lots of fun community events.

4. Castle Rock Is a Huge Draw for All Ages

Young professionals and growing families move to Castle Rock for its job opportunities and recreation. A number of tech savvy, cutting edge companies call the region home. And once individuals are done working for the day, they can enjoy the numerous outdoor activities and events. Millennials, especially, enjoy the town’s growing nightlife, as it boasts great breweries, restaurants and bars. Living in Castle Rock is also attractive to retirees. It offers an award-winning Red Hawk Ridge golf course, an 84,000-square-foot Castle Rock Community Recreation Center, and several 55-plus communities. Also, the Castle Rock Senior Activity Center recently celebrated its 50th anniversary.

Where to Live Now

Castle Rock: Live, Work and Play in One Place

5. Build Your Career Here

The median household income is over $125,000, significantly higher than the national average. This means people who move to Castle Rock have more money to do what they love, whether that means decorating the mountain home of their dreams or investing in outdoor experiences.

6. Art Aficionados Will Discover Delightful Displays

More than 20 public sculptures are on display throughout Castle Rock, with public art paid for by the town’s Philip S. Miller Trust Fund, which aims to support social and human services in Castle Rock. About $25,000 is spent from the fund per year.

7. Get Your Retail Fix

The Emporium features the products of around 60 local artisans and makers, who craft home goods, clothing, jewelry and food items. At The Barn, there’s always something new and different to see from the various antique vendors inside. And for well-known name brands, visit the Outlets at Castle Rock, a modern mall with tenants like Lululemon, Arc’teryx and Eddie Bauer.

8. In Castle Rock, You Are in the Middle of It All

Just 33 minutes to Denver and 37 minutes to Colorado Springs, Castle Rock is centrally located next to the state’s major cities. Plus, the Town of Castle Rock prioritizes mobility. Projects like the construction of the Crystal Valley Interchange and the expansion and widening at Plum Creek Parkway are making commutes easier for drivers, whether they’re coming or going.

9. Launch Your Next Great Idea in Castle Rock

Local business owners’ efforts are bolstered by the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce and the Castle Rock Economic Development Council and Downtown Alliance. There are more than 2,000 locally owned, independent businesses listed in the town’s business directory.

– Rebecca Treon contributed to this article.

Cities in the arid West are not going to get more water any time soon. So they need to squeeze every last drop out of the supply they already have. Water-strapped communities along the Colorado River are trying to make it possible to turn treated wastewater into drinkable tap water. Take Castle Rock, Colorado.

“We pay a lot of money to get a water supply,” said Mark Marlowe, Castle Rock’s water director. “The last thing we want to do is just put it back in the river after we use it and let it go downstream for someone else to use it for free.”

The suburb between Denver and Colorado Springs is growing fast. Castle Rock and cities around the region are increasingly stressed about keeping the taps flowing. Marlowe said technology has come far enough that wastewater doesn’t have to get pumped into rivers or the ocean once it’s cleaned.

“It’s safe, and it also makes us much more reliable in a drought because we don’t lose water to the environment through evaporation or having it soak into a dry creek bed,” Marlowe said.

Engineers can set up filters and pump it from the treatment plant right back into the pipes that go to homes and businesses. It’s called “direct potable reuse.”

Scientists say it’s safe, and in Colorado, the state put out rules for cities that want to try it out.

“There’s a finite amount of water on the planet, so we already know that it’s going to be recycled and be reused,” said Tyson Ingels, an engineer with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

This isn’t that different from treating water from a creek or reservoir, he said. “You are pulling water in understanding that it’s been contaminated by geese, elk or another community.”

No Colorado city is converting wastewater into drinking water quite yet. But it’s an idea that’s picking up steam across the region. California just proposed new rules, and water managers near Los Angeles are developing a massive water reuse facility — one with a price tag of $3.4 billion.

“If you’re looking for resilience and economic prosperity in the face of climate change, you really need to do belt, suspenders, flying monkeys, you know, whatever it’ll take to have the redundancy that you need in water supply,” said Felicia Marcus, former of chair California’s water control board and former head of Los Angeles’ public works department.

But setting up water reuse systems takes more than just money. One of the biggest hurdles? Convincing people to trust it.

“They told me it’s the ick factor,” said Birgit Landon, who ran a public outreach campaign for Colorado Springs Utilities. “Really, it’s just the visual, it’s the idea, it’s the ick factor that makes them go, ‘No way.’”

She traveled around the city demonstrating how exactly the technology works with an educational trailer full of pipes and filters. And at the beginning, people were pretty hesitant.

“Are you willing to use recycled water for lawn, watering your lawn?” Landon would ask. “‘Oh, yes, absolutely.’ How about for the water in your toilet? ‘Yeah, no doubt.’”

The same went for washing clothes and dishes. “’How about for drinking?’” she would ask. “And then they started to hesitate. ‘Well …’”

But Landon has some good news: Those folks can be converted. By seeing, touching and tasting treated wastewater, she said that holdouts mostly got on board. And with a growing gap between water supply and water demand, people in the West might not have a choice.

Castle Rock, CO, manages to strike that elusive balance of truly having a small-town feel with big-city amenities, which, combined, make it one of the best places to live in the U.S.

Castle Rock is known for being a midway point between Denver and Colorado Springs and also for drawing shoppers looking to score killer deals at its outlet malls. But the more than 75,000 residents who call Castle Rock home know there’s much more to make this community special. Castle Rock fosters a tight-knit community, and residents have several opportunities to gather together throughout the year at events like the annual Starlighting ceremony with cameos by Santa Claus and a summer concert series at The Amphitheater at Philip S. Miller Park, where Grammy-award-winning musicians rock out.

Ranking high in the health care category, the Centura Castle Rock Adventist Hospital provides care for the community and has been recognized as having a leading birth center and 3D mammography in Colorado’s first sensory suite, which makes for a more calming experience for those doing cancer screenings. And forget bland cafeteria food; the hospital’s lobby-level restaurant, Manna, serves gourmet dishes like cola-braised short rib, cauliflower tacos and pizzas with inventive toppings. (The food is so good, residents come to dine here — no medical appointments needed).

Great schools are also a significant draw in Castle Rock, which is home to the innovative ACC Sturm Collaboration Campus, allowing residents to conveniently earn an associate degree from Arapahoe Community College and a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University. Programs include marketing, management, cybersecurity, software development and more.

Castle Rock residents are also spoiled with outdoor amenities, including 5,800 acres of open space and nearly 75 miles of trails. The 300-acre Philip S. Miller Park is a crown jewel of the community, with the Miller Activity Complex (or MAC, as residents know it) packed with ways to have fun and stay fit. There are batting cages, trampolines, lap lanes for swimming, a leisure pool with a slide, a BEAM interactive projector game system for kids, plus a functional fitness area for adults that’s stocked with kettlebells, dumbbells, plyometric boxes, tires and ropes. Oh, and did we mention that the park also has zipline tours and an adventure park, as well as a plaza with splash pads and outdoor fireplaces? There are infinite ways to have fun.

How We Calculate Our Data

Castle Rock ranks highest for health, safety and economy.

Weather and Outdoor Activities in Castle Rock, CO

Things To Do in Castle Rock, CO

The Local and State Economy in Castle Rock, CO

Castle Rock’s amenities, health care options and good schools make it one of the best places to live in the U.S. Learn how to pick the best neighborhood for you and your family in Castle Rock and discover its excellent startup scene. Another good resource as you consider a move: The Ultimate Guide To Finding Your Best Place To Live.

Beginning later this month, motorists traveling along the 18-mile stretch of Interstate 25 between Monument and Castle Rock will have to pay to use the new express lanes built on the northbound and southbound directions of the corridor.

Toll charges along the so-called I-25 South Gap will go into effect at 6 a.m. Jan. 17, Colorado Department of Transportation spokesman Tim Hoover said Thursday. From that day on, drivers in each direction will have the option to use the express lane in exchange for a toll or use the other two general purpose lanes for free.

The Colorado Transportation Investment Office recently approved the rates, using an adjustable pricing system so express lane users will pay different prices depending on the time of day.

Traffic

"These are very basic time-of-day tolls tied to historic traffic levels at those times on those days. Higher the traffic, higher the toll. Lower the traffic, lower the toll," Hoover said.

The tolls will go live a little more than two years after the state transportation department opened the new express lanes in early December 2021 and implemented a testing period in 2022 and 2023, during which toll fees were temporarily waived.

For vehicles traveling both segments of the corridor — the first from Monument to Larkspur and the second from Larkspur to Castle Rock — trips will range from $1.50-$9.46 each, depending on the time of day and whether the vehicle is registered under an Express Toll account, an all-electronic toll collection system available for Colorado's express lanes as well as E-470 and Northwest Parkway.

Motorcyclists and vehicles with three or more people can use the express lanes for free. Carpooling vehicles must have a driver plus at least two additional passengers, an Express Toll account and a switchable HOV transponder to use the express lanes for free, Hoover said.

Drivers can visit ExpressToll.com to create an account and/or purchase a switchable HOV transponder.

Trucks with four or more axles may also use the express lanes, but must pay a $25 surcharge on top of the tolls. The agency charges large trucks more because they're slower-moving, put greater wear and tear on road infrastructure and can create visibility issues when traveling on the left side of the roadway, which can make it more difficult for other vehicles trying to pass, Hoover said.

Motorists who have an Express Toll account will save about 40% more when using the express lanes than motorists who don't have an account, he said. Vehicles not registered with an Express Toll account pay the toll plus a surcharge to process the license plate.

The express lane rates for the I-25 South Gap are the lowest rate per mile in Colorado and are also among the lowest in the country, Hoover said.

Express Toll rates along the I-25 South Gap range between 70 cents to $2, depending on the time of day and which segment or segments of the corridor a vehicle travels.

That's compared with, for example, express toll rates to use east- and westbound Central 70 between I-25 and Chambers Road in Aurora, which range from $1.50 to $4.50, depending on the time of day. Another example is the Express Toll rates on I-25 Central, from downtown Denver to U.S. 36, which range from $1.25 to $7.15, depending on the time of day.

Hoover said drivers using the I-25 South Gap express lanes can expect a time savings of between 20%-50%.

"If it was going to be a 40-minute trip, maybe it's now just going to be a 30-minute trip or a 20-minute trip. It can make a huge difference," he said.

Hoover reminded drivers that speed limits are no higher in the express lanes than in the general purpose lanes. Travelers should always adhere to posted speeds.

"Just because you're going the speed limit doesn't mean you're not going faster than traffic in other lanes. The point of the express lanes is to give you a reliable trip time," he said.

Hoover also reminded motorists the express lanes are not passing lanes and should not be used as such. Drivers can enter and exit the express lanes through the dashed lines only. Passing the solid white lines is illegal and dangerous due to the differences in speed between the express lanes and general purpose lanes, he said.

Drivers who cross the solid white lines into and out of the express lanes will receive a civil penalty and a $75 fine for the violation. The Colorado Department of Transportation has anti-weaving equipment to catch vehicles weaving in and out of the express lanes, Hoover said.

For more information on Colorado express lanes and how to use them, to see a map of Colorado's express lanes and for more toll information, visit codot.gov/programs/expresslanes.

Motorists who use Interstate 25 to travel to, or through, Colorado Springs should plan on overnight lane closures and reduced speed limits as Colorado Department of Transportation crews work to fix guardrails and potholes between Highway 24 and Fillmore Street this week, according to a Monday news release.

The nighttime repairs are scheduled to take place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Monday through Thursday, CDOT officials said. During those hours, crews will be working in the north- and southbound lanes. The speed limit, which is typically 65 mph, will be reduced to 55 mph in the work zone.

Major road closures in and around Colorado Springs in the coming days

Drivers are advised to exercise patience with fellow drivers, watch for road workers, and use caution while traveling through the work zone, which has several curves.

The state agency expects the repairs to be completed by Thursday, according to the release.

Looking for fun things to do in Castle Rock? Check out these great outdoor adventures.

Even though Castle Rock, CO, is located off Interstate 25 and less than an hour from downtown Denver, it offers plenty of ways to explore the outdoors.

After all, that’s why so many people flock to Colorado – the ability to enjoy the breathtaking landscapes of one of the most scenic states in the country.

Castle Rock’s distinct advantage is that you don’t need to drive for hours to hike, mountain bike or even zipline. Being active is a part of everyday life.

Ty Seufer is a Colorado native who owns The EDGE Ziplines & Adventures in Castle Rock as well as Cañon City whitewater rafting outfit Royal Gorge Rafting. As a self-described adrenaline junkie and outdoorsman, Seufer highlights his favorite outdoor things to do in Castle Rock.

“It’s super gorgeous up there – you can see everything from Pikes Peak all the way to Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s truly amazing.”

Explore Rock Park

Castle Rock, the town’s namesake butte, has an easy 1.4-mile loop that leads hikers to the base of the rock. Though you can’t climb the actual remaining 40-ish feet of the butte itself, the view at the top of the trail is more than satisfying.

“It’s super gorgeous up there – you can see everything from Pikes Peak all the way to Rocky Mountain National Park. It’s truly amazing,” Seufer says.

Since it’s the city’s main landmark, hiking the trail to the top is a must-do activity for every newcomer and longtime local alike.

Climb Challenge Hill

Challenge Hill – locally referred to as “The Incline” – is located at Philip S. Miller Park, a hub of Castle Rock activity. The incline offers a steep, roughly 200-foot elevation gain with unforgettable panoramic views at the summit.

Across the street from Challenge Hill, the park is also home to FitGround, an outdoor fitness area with body-weight and free-form tools for performing resistance exercises.

“There are multiple different stations for adults to get in shape – everything from a pull up bar to a push up bar to ropes. It’s like a well-built mini outdoor gym, where people can do all sorts of cool exercises,” Seufer says.

Traverse the Trails

With the abundance of paved or single-track gravel trails in Castle Rock, finding a place to ride is easy to do. Rhyolite Regional Park is a 55-acre recreation area that features a bike park, with miles of challenging bike-only trails, multiuse trails and a 2-mile cyclocross course.

Ridgeline Open Space has 370 protected acres designated for public use, including more than 13 miles of paved and unpaved multiuse trails with several short and long loop single-track rides. Philip S. Miller Park also features an 8-mile network of single-track trails divided into four different but interconnected loops.

“There are just endless miles of single-track, off-road style mountain biking trails, and they connect everything from Philip S. Miller Park to downtown, up and down Plum Creek and over to Festival Park,” Seufer says.

Take a Hike or Make a Splash

Like mountain biking, hiking is easy to access in Castle Rock. While there are miles of multiuse trails throughout town, another local resource is Castlewood Canyon State Park. Located just 10 minutes from town, it offers numerous trails, a canyon, waterfalls and the remains of a dam.

Closer to town, the Rueter-Hess Reservoir has an incline challenge plus a reservoir open seasonally for paddleboarding, kayaking and canoeing.

Venture Through the Sky

Those in Castle Rock in search of an adrenaline rush don’t have to go far. The EDGE Ziplines & Adventures has 10 ziplines that together stretch more than 2 miles and 110 feet above Philip S. Miller Park, offering stellar panoramic views zipping through the air.

Sky Trek is an aerial trekking course with three levels and 110 challenge elements that’s like a jungle gym for all ages. The Adventure Tower offers a 50-foot climbing wall to summit and rappel off, and the Ninja Course offers six challenges (featured on the American Ninja Warrior reality show).

“The great thing is we have all these different challenges that are absolutely awesome for kids and adults alike to get outside and just have a really, really good time,” Seufer says. “Everybody in the town of Castle Rock is so lucky to have this group of people that are so passionate about building amazing parks everyone can enjoy.”

Discover Endless Possibilities

When it came time to update and renovate the 30-year-old Butterfield Crossing Park, Castle Rock’s Parks and Recreation Department decided to do something that had never been done before: Instead of replacing the playground, parks officials partnered with the Castle Rock Parks and Trails Foundation to design an inclusive playground for children of all abilities.

Possibilities Playground opened in summer 2023, adding to the roster of parks throughout the city.

“When the Parks and Rec Department did a survey, about 65% of residents said they wanted an inclusive playground,” says Marne Hansen, executive director of the Castle Rock Parks and Trails Foundation. “It was out of budget for municipal funds, so we partnered with them and have done fundraising of almost $1.3 million in the community to make it happen – the town got really involved.”

The new playground will serve families not only in Castle Rock but surrounding communities in need of a place where their children can play together, whether they have a disability or not, enhancing the community’s overall quality of life. Among the new play features are a sensory wall with tactile elements, a roller table, numerous swings, a we-go-round and musical instruments.

“It’s really neat that everyone will be included, and this will be right in our backyard,” Hansen says. “I think one thing that gets missed in this story, too, is for families whose kids don’t have disabilities to be able to be at the playground with kids who are different than them – the growth in your mind of being able to play side by side with people who are different than them is pretty impressive.”

Want to learn more about living and working in Castle Rock, CO? Check out the latest edition of Livability Castle Rock, Colorado.