Mount Falcon: A Fascinating Hike To A Colorado Summer White House and Castle Ruins

Mount Falcon, situated in the foothills above Morrison, Colorado, is a fascinating walk into history. Panoramic views combine with castle ruins and big dreams of a summer White House nestled high on the mountain. 

The key feature of Mount Falcon Park is the Walker Home Ruins located along the Castle Trail. Build by entrepreneur John Walker in 1909, the mansion featured beautiful stone walls. The extravagant home, constructed by stonemasons from Italy, included ten bedrooms, eight fireplaces, a library, a music room, and an observation deck along with quarters for the servants to reside in. 

Walker, who developed the amphitheater at nearby Red Rocks, also invested in the Stanley Steamer Company and owned Cosmopolitan Magazine. A successful businessman, Walker preserved thousands of acres of land near Morrison, including the Mount Falcon area where he built his mansion. This land eventually became Jefferson County Open Space.

Ever the dreamer, Walker had a vision to construct a Summer White House near his mountaintop castle for President Wilson and future Presidents to enjoy. After hiring a Denver architect to design a mountaintop palace fit for royalty in 1911, Walker promoted it widely going so far as to ask Denver children to donate dimes to fund this lofty presidential project. The foundation was laid, but a series of tragic events soon struck Walker and his family.

First, Walker's wife, Ethel, passed away in 1916. Two years later, a lightning strike caused his beloved castle to burn to the ground leaving only the stone walls as a testament to the magnificent castle that once stood high on the mountain. Fundraising efforts for Colorado's Summer White House shrank as World War 1 loomed. Walker's fortune quickly dwindled as the economy fell. The dream of a Summer White House stayed just that. The crumbling cornerstone and foundation remained the only testament to Walker's lofty vision for a mountain-top Presidential Retreat. 

Once a millionaire, Walker died a pauper in 1931 but left behind a legacy in the thousands of acres he preserved in the Morrison area which are enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts.

Visiting Mount Falcon Park:

To visit the historic sites at Mount Falcon Park which include the foundation of the Summer White House, the Castle Ruins of Walker's Home, and a lookout tower, park at either Mount Falcon West Trailhead or Mount Falcon East Trailhead.  The western trailhead approach is an easy family-friendly 2.3 mile loop hike to the ruins while the eastern approach is fairly strenuous climb (1700 feet in 3 miles) popular with mountain bikers. 

Directions:

Mount Falcon West Trailhead: 
21074 Mount Falcon Road, Indian Hills, CO 80454

Mount Falcon East Trailhead: 
3852 Vine Street, Morrison, CO 80465