Entry No. 98 — the Denver file — filed under: history
Castlewood Canyon Lucas Homestead Ruins
Most people drive out to Castlewood Canyon for the collapsed-dam ruins, never realizing a second, weirder ruin sits a five-minute walk from a different parking lot. Patrick and Margaret Lucas — Irish immigrants who met in Arizona and married in 1889 — homesteaded here and in 1898 built a two-story house out of poured concrete, a bizarre choice for a residence at the time, to shelter their eight kids. The family kept it up until a fire gutted it in the early 1960s; now the bare concrete shell rises straight out of the canyon floor. The 0.35-mile spur to it is short, flat, and almost always empty.
The story
Most hikers head into Castlewood Canyon to stare at the remnants of the 1890 dam that burst in 1933, completely unaware that a stranger ruin sits tucked away on the park's west side. Patrick and Margaret Lucas—Irish immigrants who met in Arizona during the 1880s and married in 1889—filed homestead papers on 160 acres here in September 1894. Lured by the promise of Cherry Creek irrigation, they built a standard wood frame house first, but Patrick soon had bigger, stranger plans for their permanent shelter.
In 1898, Patrick bypassed traditional timber and stone to pour a two-story residence out of solid concrete—a bizarre, ultra-industrial choice for a homestead on the turn-of-the-century Colorado prairie. The fortress-like walls sheltered the couple and their eight children for decades, and family descendants maintained the property long after. A fire finally gutted the interior in the early 1960s, leaving behind the hollow, windowless concrete shell that still emerges unexpectedly from the canyon floor today.
What it's like
Approach via the gravel Castlewood Canyon Road south of Highway 86 near Franktown, bypassing the busy main park entrance. Park at the rough Homestead lot on the west side, buy a state parks pass at the self-serve pay station, and follow the flat, ~0.35-mile spur trail. You'll quickly hit the roofless two-story shell, complete with window cutouts and a covered basement entrance on the south wall. It's quiet, fast, and almost always empty compared to the main dam loop, making it an easy pit stop before the gravel road gate closes at sunset.
The move: Pair the easy 0.35-mile walk to the homestead shell with the dam-ruins loop, bring a picnic, and split off to the concrete shell when the dam crowd thins out — quiet, photogenic, and over in an afternoon.
📍 Before you go The homestead shell sits on the park's quieter west side, not the main developed entrance where most dam-ruins traffic goes. Approach via Castlewood Canyon Road south of Highway 86 near Franktown; it's a less-built, gravel side of the park with rough lots and vault toilets. Park at the Homestead lot just inside that west entrance and follow the short, flat spur to the concrete ruin. You'll need a Colorado state-parks vehicle pass (a self-serve dispenser sits near the lot). It's daytime-only and best in fair weather — the gravel road and gate times shift seasonally, so check ahead. Bring water and a picnic, and pair it with the collapsed-dam loop on the main side.
- 📍 Franktown (Douglas County)
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: Castlewood Canyon State Park, near Franktown / Castle Rock; the Lucas Homestead sits on the west side of the park (Wildcat Canyon area), reached by a ~0.35-mile trail from a nearby parking area.
Hours: Inside Castlewood Canyon State Park — requires a Colorado state-parks vehicle pass / day fee. Park is open daytime hours; check Colorado Parks & Wildlife for seasonal gate times.
Pair it with
- Castlewood Canyon Dam Ruins — They sit inside the same state park, making it simple to pair this quiet west-side homestead shell with the massive 1933 collapsed dam ruins across Cherry Creek.
- Mount Falcon 'Summer White House' Ruins — If you want another short trail leading to historic concrete and stone ruins, drive west to the turn-of-the-century presidential dream house site on Mount Falcon.
- Rattlesnake Gulch Trail — For another state-park canyon walk featuring quiet turn-of-the-century structural remains, head north to Eldorado Canyon.
Good to know
How do I reach the Lucas Homestead ruins?
Drive to the west entrance of Castlewood Canyon State Park via Castlewood Canyon Road south of Highway 86. Park at the Homestead lot and walk the flat 0.35-mile spur trail directly to the concrete shell.
Is there a fee to visit?
Yes. A valid Colorado State Parks vehicle pass is required, which you can purchase at the self-serve kiosk near the Homestead parking lot.
Why was the house built out of poured concrete?
Patrick Lucas chose poured concrete in 1898 because it was exceptionally durable and fire-resistant, creating an unusually solid two-story structure for a rural prairie homestead.
Can I combine this with the Castlewood Dam ruins?
Yes. The homestead rests on the park's unpaved west side, but you can link up with the trail system or drive across the park to explore the collapsed dam ruins on the same outing.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · coloradooutdoorsmag.com · trails.colorado.gov · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-07