Directions (From Official Trail Map):

From I-70, take the Founders Parkway/Meadows Parkway exit, Exit 184. Turn east at the ramp and follow Founders Pkwy for 1.5 miles. Turn left onto East Allen St. The trailhead parking lot will be on the northeast side of the intersection.

Hike Description:

The Metzler Family Open Space is one of the newer additions to the Castle Rock Open Space System and it’s a welcome one. The park provides access to rolling hills and sandstone cliffs overlooking the Town of Castle Rock. The hikes are relatively short and grouped into basically two loops with spurs and connections branching off. This description is for part of the Red Loop and the connecting loop on the western end of the park. We hiked this trail with the kids and their grandparents, so the terrain is suitable and satisfying for all levels of hikers.

From the main parking area, jump onto the Gus’s Gulch Trail, the royal blue trail on the map, I will say that the colors and names get a bit confusing on this hike. Gus’s Gulch Trail weaves you through the scrub oaks and gentle hills until you reach the large boulder and the trail junction for the Rosemary’s Ridge Trail. The Rosemary’s Ridge Trail starts climbing up the slopes of the cliff wall and the views really open up on this part of the trail. The vegetation quickly changes to include spruce and conifer trees as you traverse the side of the cliffs. 

When you reach the junction with the Lucas’s Trail and Bob’s Trail, you need to pay attention. Turn right onto Bob’s Trail and at the next trail marker, also for Lucas’s Trail and Bob’s Trail, turn right again on the Bob’s Trail. Very soon you’ll see another trail marker, this one for the Rancher’s Ridge Trail. This is where you should take a short detour on the steep and rocky trail up to the Overlook. Turn left on Rancher’s Ridge (you will come back to this spot after you visit the overlook) and go a short distance until you turn off the trail onto the steep switchbacks. This section of trail gets a bit loose and rocky, but not too difficult. At the top is a wonderful overlook of Castle Rock and the Front Range. This is a great destination and a good place to relax for a few minutes before heading back down.

After the overlook, return to the Rancher’s Ridge Trail marker and this time turn left to continue on the loop. The trail again cuts across the cliffside, a bit higher than the Rosemary’s Ridge Trail with more scenic views, some nice tree cover and an easy trail. After 0.6 miles, the Rancher’s Ridge Trail meets up with the Gus’s Gulch Trail to return you to the trailhead. You can make this a longer loop by turning left on Gus’s Gulch but turning right takes you back to the start of the hike. On your way back you can take a connector trail to the Founder’s Vista Trail which takes you past the old historic homestead to catch a glimpse of the history of this ranch.  

Metzger Family Open Space is a great place for some easy hiking with a bit of elevation change and some wide-open views. I look forward to returning and exploring the Yellow Loop.