Castlewood Canyon Dam Ruins

The crumbling concrete shell of the 1890 Castlewood Dam still stands in two massive broken halves, the gap between them marking the exact point where a 15-foot wall of water tore loose at 1 a.m. on August 3, 1933, and roared 40 miles down Cherry Creek to flood downtown Denver. You can walk right through that breach on established trails while the canyon walls and stunted pines make it feel genuinely remote and eerie.

The move: Hike the Castlewood Canyon Ruins Loop (roughly 2 miles) at dusk — pick your way through the broken dam gap, scramble up to the top of the standing east abutment for a panoramic view of the canyon, then find a quiet ledge along Cherry Creek below the ruins to sit with a thermos and watch the light fade over the same streambed that carried the flood.

• 📍 Franktown
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 2989 S State Hwy 83, Franktown, CO 80116

Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Proof: source 1 · source 2 · source 3

Verified 2026-06-07.