Bishops Castle is a free attraction (donations are encouraged) just 160 miles from Denver, Colorado. The caste itself was constructed completely by the hands of Jim Bishop who first purchased the property when he was 15-years-old.
From the moment you step foot on the property there is a particular… eccentricity about it.
There are no blueprints for the castle, everything just sorta… came to Mr. Jim Bishop as he worked on the large scale project. He and his wife, Phoebe Bishop, are authors of a book, “Castle Building from my point of view” which contains illustrations of his work.
The labor that went into building Bishops Castle is extensive, but also very interesting. You can learn more about just what went into building this architectural menagerie from their website – Here. I link the site again at the bottom of this section.
The climbs are not for the faint of heart.
I’ve mentioned this in previous posts, but I have a fear of heights and this place will certainly rattle even the most confident climbers. With a height of 160 feet, Jim Bishop crafted each and every stairwell and rod-iron walkway himself. While that is most certainly an impressive feat, it can also make your heart beat a little more out-of-wack with the knowledge that nothing here is ‘up to code’. It’s an OSHA or Building Inspector’s nightmare. You explore at your own risk, which is clearly displayed on hand-made signs before entering the castle.
The “grand ballroom” is certainly the most glorious for me with its glass ceiling, hand-crafted wood flooring, stone walls; meticulously crafted stone and ironwork everywhere you turn will leave you amazed.
It was a pleasure to see such an unbelievable, handmade, Castle. Jim Bishop certainly proves that age-old saying to be true – whatever you put your mind to, with hard work, will happen.
I didn’t go too much into detail about the castle or Jim Bishop here, but if you want to learn more about Jim Bishop and his castle check out his website – Here.
If you are traveling from Denver, either on your way to Bishops Castle or from, I suggest stopping for lunch at The Burrowing Owl.
The Burrowing Owl, located in Colorado Springs, is a completely-vegan restaurant. They craft their own cashew style cheese for their Mac&Cheese (which you can get on a sandwich or nachos). This place has unique and delicious options.
I ordered a… hold on to your seats… fakin’ bacon, peanut butter, jelly, pickle, and potato chip sandwich (pictured above). I’m a connoisseur of the strange and unusual – particularly when it comes to vegetarian/vegan cuisine; Peanut Butter and Mayo Sammy anyone?! Still, I was skeptical. To the surprise of my very pleased tastebuds, and the members of my table gawking in disbelief that I had actually ordered such a strange thing, the sandwich was freakin’ phenoms.
For the less dare-y of the devils, you can still order a bowl of Mac&Cheese, which they have in Chili-Mac, Jalapeno Mac, or Classic, and/or a plate of nachos.
Find their full menu – Here.
Bishops Castle & The Burrowing Owl are #2 in my Day Trips from Denver series. Explore more with, Garden of The Gods & The Manitou Cliff Dwellings – Here!
I hope you enjoy Bishops Castle and The Burrowing Owl as much as we did. If you have any questions or just want to chat, leave me a comment below (I know you guys have something to say about that sandwich!). Your feedback is always appreciated and I love to connect with fellow travel enthusiasts.
2 responses to “Bishops Castle & The Burrowing Owl”
Beautiful photo’s. Thank you for sharing your travels.
I had never heard of Bishop’s Castle. We intend to do a lot of travel in Colorado, so this is now on our list. I’m not a vegan, but I’d try that sandwich, your description lures me to it.