Bishop Castle
Encyclopedia
Wet Mountains
The Wet Mountains are a small range of mountains in southern Colorado named for the amount of snow they receive in the winter. There are three variant names of this range: Cuerno Verde, Greenhorn Mountains, and Sierra Mojadas...
of Southern Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
in the San Isabel National Forest
San Isabel National Forest
San Isabel National Forest is located in central Colorado. The forest contains 19 of the state's 54 fourteeners, peaks over high, including Mount Elbert, the highest point in Colorado....
located North West of Rye, Colorado
Rye, Colorado
Rye is a Statutory Town in Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. It is part of the Pueblo, Colorado Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 202 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rye is located at ....
. The castle is named after its constructor, Jim Bishop.
The Castle is located in south central Colorado along a paved public road, State Highway 165, approximately 13 miles (20.9 km) southeast of the junction of State Highway 96 and State Highway 165. This road is part of the Frontier Pathways Scenic and Historic Byway, and Bishop Castle is shown on the official map.
Construction of the castle began in 1969, when Bishop began construction on a family cottage, which he decided to surround with rocks. Several neighbors noted that the structure looked something like a castle. Bishop took this into consideration and soon began building his castle. He bought the land when he was fifteen for a price of $1,250. He has faced numerous challenges with the local and state government over ownership and activities on the site.
The castle is open from dawn until dusk 7 days a week, year round. Entrance is free, though donations are suggested. Several hand-painted signs warn visitors to climb at their own risk, while others remind visitors that Jim Bishop is the sole builder of the castle.