We drive by Castle Rock often on our treks between Colorado Springs and Denver, and recently decided to stop and see how close we could get to the rock. We were pleasantly surprised to find that there is a set of trails that lead right to the base of the massive rock, with terrific views of the surrounding areas! There is a bit of an elevation gain, a couple of small scrambles for younger kids, but overall a really easy hike. We always see people running up and down the trail!