The Incline at Castle Rock is a 0.6 mile loop that begins with a 200 step climb up the Challenge Hill to the top of a promontory. From the top, a trail winds down the side of the mesa for 1/2 a mile back to the bottom. It makes for a great workout in the outdoors, and is about 30 minutes south of the center of Denver. Explore the full Castle Rock Incline hike profile below for trail map, driving directions, and more tips and details to help you get active and enjoy the beauty of Colorado
Trail Snapshot: Incline at Castle Rock
Hike Distance | 0.6 Mile |
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Difficulty | Moderate |
Duration | Approx 30 min |
Trail Type | Loop |
Starting Elevation | Approx 6400′ |
Elevation Gain | Approx +178′ |
Seasons | Year Round |
Dogs | Dogs Prohibited on Challenge Hill |
Hike Trail Map | Click for a Map of Trails at Phillip S Miller Park |
Denver Drive Time | 35 min |
Driving Directions to Challenge Hill Parking Area | Click for Google Map |
Town Nearest Hike | Castle Rock, Colorado |
Beauty | Views of Pikes Peak to the South and Longs Peak and the Front Range to the North, Great Sunsets, Deer in Valley below. |
Activities | Hiking and Trail Running, nearby playground and Zipline Tours. |
Parking & Trailhead Information for Incline at Castle Rock
Take interstate 25 south from Denver to the town of Castle Rock, exiting at Wilcox/Wolfensberger exit, taking a right onto Wolfensberger. At the roundabout, go around and take the left-hand exit (3rd option on the roundabout) onto West Plum Creek Parkway. Go 0.7 mile on West Plum Creek Parkway and the Phillip S. Miller Park entrance will be on the right. After entering the park, go left to the area behind the MAC facility and the parking area for the incline will be at the base of the incline.
The Hike: Incline at Castle Rock
Officially, these 200 steps are called The Challenge Hill, but the locals call it “the incline,” and rightly so, because it’s inspired by the Manitou Incline near Colorado Springs. Because it’s just 5 minutes down the road, we’ve turned this into a regular family workout. It’s a perfect place to get in some exercise and take in amazing sunsets over the Colorado Front Range.
The first segment of the Castle Rock Incline is a 1/10th of a mile climb up 200 steps with close to 200′ of elevation gain. This will kick your butt, especially if you take the steps back down. We prefer to run down the 1/2 mile loop trail, usually doing the loop a couple times. We’ve categorized this as a moderate trail because it has under 500′ of total elevation gain and is only 0.6 miles, but many will find it difficult because of the grade of the ascent.
At the top of the Challenge Hill, you can take in views to the north and west of Longs Peak and Devil’s Head. There’s a wood bench if you want to rest or use it for stretching your legs after the climb. If you decide to descend via the steps be aware that the late afternoon sun can make it very difficult to see the steps.
A Zipline platform stands at the peak of this promontory. It’s fun to watch zipliners fly through the air across the park. The Zipline tours are operated by Castle Rock Zipline Tours. But don’t keep your eyes on the sky because the trail down has a lot of loose gravel and the trail demands your attention.
The trail wraps around the mesa back to the West facing side. Snow and ice can take a while to melt free from the trail, especially in shaded spots. You can check on the trail conditions using the Castle Rock Trail Conditions Map online.
On the back side of the hill, you’ll find panoramic views of Pikes Peak and the broad rolling country to the South of Castle Rock. This segment starts out rock then gives way to a gravel trail.
Trail Etiquette at the Castle Rock Incline
- The trail is popular with trail runners, so be aware of approaching runners and keep right to allow them to pass.
- Dogs are prohibited on the challenge hill, because–well, you can imagine why.
- Keep to the right on steps and in single file, especially when others are trying to pass or are coming the opposite direction.
- Let others know when you intend to pass them.
- Descent via the steps is not discourage by the park signage because it’s easier to get injured.
- Hours are Dawn to Dusk
From the photo above, you can get a feel for the scale of the Challenge Hill. Much of the lower trail is in scrub oaks, and this next part may seem a bit overly cautious, but after reading a ton mountain lions, I always keep my kids close. As a local ranger told me, “On the Front Range, where there are deer, there are mountain lions.” And a kid running fast through an area like this can incite the instincts of a lion. That I know of, we’ve not had any attacks in this area, but this is just a protocol our family follows on any hike or run–kids and adults always stay together.
Speaking of the kids, the Phillip Miller park complex recently added (2019) a workout playground that looks like something out of Ninja Warrior competitions. After running the loop a couple times, we spend some time with the kids catching our breath and stretching at the playground.
Tips & Resources for Hiking the Incline at Castle Rock
- Check out Trail Conditions: Before going, check the trail conditions at the Challenge Hill at the Castle Rock Trail Conditions page.
- Pace Yourself: On the ascent, start with a sustainable pace. It gets way more steep and challenging at step 140.
- Trail Map: Incline at Castle Rock
- Packing List: Always pack the 10 Essentials. Download our Hiking Guide to get the list and dayhiking packing checklist.
- Colorado Road Conditions: Colorado Road Conditions
- After the Hike: Since I’m a local, I’ve got two absolute favorite spots for after the hike. The first is CRAVE Burgers. We love the Love Stinks Burger and the Not Yo Mamma’s Burger (on the hidden menu) Crave Burgers in Castle Rock. The second is Manna, a a restaurant in the local hospital. But this is by no means hospital food! It’s locally sourced food at great prices. Manna in Castle Rock
Weather
Map & Driving Directions
Click for Driving Directions
Aaron Johnson has been hiking in Colorado for over 20 years. The owner and editor of Dayhikes Near Denver, Aaron writes every trail profile as a local guide who has hiked hundreds of miles of trails along the Front Range and deep in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.