Bishop Castle in Colorado: free entry, dragon and Roy's tower

Bishop Castle was built by one man. Jim Bishop started construction in 1969 and kept at it for exactly half a century, until 2019.

The stone towers stand in the Wet Mountains, at an elevation of just over 9,000 feet, far from major cities (as of 09/2026, castle's official website). Admission is free.

Getting here is simple: you get in the car, drive along Highway 165, and soon you're standing by the dragon above the entrance. Below you'll find hours of operation, safety rules, the drive from Denver, and the honest catch of this trip.

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What Bishop Castle is

💡 In short:

• Admission is free, the castle is open year-round.
• There are no guides: you explore the towers on your own and at your own risk.
• Hours and admission: 09/2026, verified on the official website.

Bishop Castle is a stone structure on Highway 165 between Rye and Westcliffe, on the edge of the San Isabel National Forest (as of 09/2026, according to the owners). The 2.5-acre site is surrounded by forest on three sides, and the owners themselves call the structure the largest one-man project in the world (as of 09/2026, about the castle).

Today you'll see tall towers, wrought-iron bridges and balconies, stained glass, a chapel, and a bell tower. Part of the masonry holds together without mortar: the stones are laid by hand, one against another. A wrought-iron dragon sits above the main entrance.

How one man built the castle

In 1959, fifteen-year-old Jim Bishop found a 2.5-acre plot in the mountains that was selling for $450 (as of 09/2026, purchasing the land). He had no money: he raised the sum by mowing lawns, delivering newspapers, and working in his father's workshop. The purchase was put in his parents' names, because at fifteen he couldn't buy land himself yet.

Jim and his father Willard spent ten summer seasons on the site with a tent, preparing the ground for a family cabin. In June 1969 they began laying a stone cottage: a water tank, a boulder wall, and arched windows (as of 09/2026, early years of construction).

Guests who came up to the site all said the same thing: it's turning out not to be a cabin, but a castle. In 1972, word of a castle near San Isabel spread through the nearby towns, and one couple drove out in a storm specifically to find the construction site. In 1973, Jim began digging the foundation down to bedrock and told his father: "People want a castle, and I'll build them a castle." His father refused to help, and from then on Bishop worked alone.

Nobody had any blueprints. The shapes of the towers, the layout, and the decor first appeared in Jim's head, and only then in stone and iron. He dropped out of school after a falling-out with a teacher who told him he would never amount to anything (as of 09/2026, builder's biography). Construction ran from 1969 to 2019: the final work was the small stones along the Great Wall, laid without concrete.

Bishop never charged admission. Materials were paid for by visitors: some left a donation, and that money funded the construction (as of 09/2026, donation policy). He didn't want to turn the place into a tourist trap, so admission remained free for everyone.

Unusual facts about Bishop Castle

A wrought-iron dragon sits above the main entrance. Its nostrils work as a chimney, and flames shoot from its mouth when a fire is lit inside. The dragon has been there since the castle was still under construction.

Bishop Castle is named in memory of the builder's son. In 1988, four-year-old Roy died on the property in a logging accident (as of 09/2026, article about the castle). After that, Jim stopped letting family members near the construction site and worked alone. In 2016, he explained why he didn't abandon the castle: his son loved this place.

© Hustvedt · CC BY-SAPhoto: Hustvedt, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0), Wikimedia Commons

Bishop had long-running disputes with the authorities. He took stones from the national forest around the property, and the government demanded payment for every truckload (as of 09/2026, history of the disputes). The case ended peacefully. In 1996, the dispute was already about homemade signs pointing to the castle: in the end, the authorities installed official road signs.

On March 28, 2018, the gift shop and guest house on the property burned down. Faulty wiring was named as the likely cause, and the stone castle itself was not damaged: visitors were allowed back in just a week later (as of 09/2026, about the 2018 fire). In the summer of 2026, the castle made the news again: on June 29 it was evacuated due to the Aspen Acres fire, and on August 7, 2026, it reopened to visitors.

Jim Bishop died on November 21, 2024, at the age of 80 (as of 09/2026, about Jim Bishop). His son Daniel became the castle's caretaker (as of 09/2026, about the castle caretaker).

Bishop Castle in numbers

The numbers are easier to see in a table.

All links were opened and checked on 09/15/2026. If any value changes, the owners will update the information on their own site first.

Admission, hours, and safety

Admission is free, and there is no ticket office on the property. The castle is open every day of the year, from sunrise to sunset, and that is the only schedule you need to remember (as of 09/2026, Wet Mountain Valley tourism office). Donations are welcome: they go toward materials and maintaining the grounds.

Safety here works in an unusual way. The owners state plainly that you enter at your own risk and are responsible for yourself, your children, and your pets (as of 09/2026, owners' warning). The castle was built without blueprints or contractors, there is no insurance for visitors, so you look after yourself.

What to bring. Choose footwear for rock and iron, not asphalt: the steps here are uneven. At an elevation above 9,000 feet, the weather changes quickly, so a jacket in the car won't hurt. Bring water and a snack with you too.

• The catch: there are no guided tours and no insurance; you explore on your own and at your own risk (as of 09/2026, visiting terms).

How to get there and what to see nearby

The castle sits on Highway 165 between Rye and Westcliffe. Address for your GPS: 12705 Highway 165, Rye, CO 81069 (as of 09/2026, address and directions). From Colorado Springs it's about an hour and a half drive, from Denver roughly three hours, from Pueblo about an hour.

A car is the most convenient option: Highway 165 runs right past the castle, and there are no public transit stops at the gate. If you don't have your own vehicle, compare options in advance: compare car rental prices.

The San Isabel National Forest begins right around the castle, and beyond the pass lies the Wet Mountain Valley with the town of Westcliffe. Another interesting place in the US: Carlsbad Caverns.

Bishop Castle on the map

The map below shows the point your GPS will take you to: southern Colorado, Highway 165, between Rye and Westcliffe (as of 09/2026, map and location on the ground).

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to enter Bishop Castle?

Admission is free: there is no ticket office on the grounds, and the owners accept money only as a donation. It was these contributions that paid for the stone and iron, and the arrangement still works today (as of 09/2026, castle page).

Is the castle open in winter?

Yes, the grounds are open every day of the year, from dawn to dusk, including the winter months (as of 09/2026, valley tourist office). The main issue in winter is not the schedule but the weather: Highway 165 goes through the mountains, so check the forecast and road conditions before heading out.

Can I bring children and a dog?

Yes, children and pets are allowed. The owners ask that you take responsibility for their safety just as you would for your own: entering the grounds is at your own risk (as of 09/2026, safety rules). Keep children and dogs close to you near the tall towers and on the walkways.

Who looks after the castle now?

After Jim Bishop died in November 2024, his son Daniel became the caretaker; he has been working on the grounds since 2018 (as of 09/2026, castle caretaker). He plans to finish the Roy Tower and keep admission free for all visitors.

What happened to the castle in 2026?

On June 29, 2026, the castle was evacuated because of the Aspen Acres fire in southern Colorado (as of 09/2026, 2026 timeline). The structure itself was barely damaged, and on August 7, 2026, the grounds reopened to visitors.

In short: what to book

The castle is free, so what you need to book is not admission but transportation and lodging. The logic is simple: if you have one day, get a car and leave Denver in the morning; if you want to see the mountains without rushing, stay overnight in Colorado Springs or Westcliffe; if you are traveling with children, allow extra time for the drive and bring weather-appropriate footwear.

From Colorado Springs to the castle is about an hour and a half on the map, so it makes a convenient base for an overnight stay. You can find lodging here: find a hotel in Colorado Springs on Trip.com.