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Tucked behind pine trees off of State Highway 165 stands a structure made of stone and iron. Sixty years in the making, this castle in the woods located in Rye, Colorado, has been featured on the Travel Channel and CNN. Bridges, spiral staircases and a wire sphere adorn this magical structure.
Oh, and when you think of castles you may think of dragons; don't worry, it has that too.
Built entirely by one man, Bishop Castle is by far one of the most impressive man-made structures in Colorado. In 1959, Jim Bishop was 15-years-old and paid $450 for two and a half acres of land in the heart of San Isabel National Forest. With rocks gathered from his newly purchased property, Jim started building a family cabin. It wasn't until family members, local ranchers and friends commented on the cabin's resemblance to a castle that young Jim's imagination overtook him. By 1972 he was determined to make his cabin a castle.
Jake and I parked a little further down the road from the castle on a chilly Saturday. As we walked, we could see towers peeking through the branches. When we stepped onto Jim's property, we were greeted by a three story castle with turrets, staircases, balconies and a fire-breathing, stainless steel dragon guarding the property. We were like kids on a playground and raced to the stairs. It wasn't until I was halfway up the staircase that I realized just how BIG this castle was and how HIGH I was climbing.
Once inside, we explored the second floor which is considered the ballroom. Arched windows with accents of stained glass let in natural light that filled the room. We then made our way to the first floor where we saw more beautiful handmade stained glass and arched, stone doorways. In each tower were either iron or stone spiral staircases. Disclaimer: if you are at all afraid of heights or seeing the ground below your feet as you climb stairs, getting to the top of the towers may not be for you. Visitors can climb to the very top of the tower and cross the iron bridge and stand in the sphere, that is, if you have the courage. Jake and I both could not even make it up the staircases due to our fear of heights, but that didn't stop us from exploring the grounds.
The best part about Bishop Castle is that you can explore everything and go anywhere. There really are no limits to your adventure. After we finished exploring the inside of the castle, we retreated to a smaller shack that sits next to the gift shop. We struck up conversation with one of Jim's best friends, who told us about Jim's extraordinary determination and skill. He then directed us to Jim himself, who to our surprise, IS STILL BUILDING. He was a humble man with callused hands and an obvious love for his work. Jim is to this day, still building towers and is working on a moat that will surround the castle.
We left feeling inspired. Bishop Castle is one-of-a-kind and each stone tells the story of one man's imagination and perseverance to make his dream come true.
The castle is free to the public and is always open. Wedding ceremonies can also be held at Bishop Castle. Click here for more information, directions to the castle or to donate.