Bishop’s Castle

Bishop’s Castle is located in neighboring Custer County along the Frontier Pathways Scenic Byway and is an excellent addition to any trip to Custer County or nearby Mission: Wolf.

Bishop’s Castle is an elaborate and intricate one-man project named after its constructor, Jim Bishop, that has become a roadside attraction. Tucked in the forest, visitors will discover a frontier fortress made of stone collected from the surrounding San Isabel National Forest. The castle reaches over 16 stories high, has three large cathedral windows, wrought iron walkways, and a steel fire-breathing dragon.

At the age of 15, Jim Bishop dropped out of high school and bought a two-and-a-half-acre plot of land in rural Colorado where he planned to hunt and live. When it was time to have a house, he decided to build it on his own. What started as a one-room stone cottage would soon grow to astounding proportions.

Cool Fact: In 1959, Jim Bishop paid four hundred and fifty dollars for his two and a half acre parcel of land enclosed on three sides by the majestic San Isabel National Forest in southern Colorado. It was money saved from mowing lawns, throwing newspapers, and working with his father Willard in the family ornamental iron works.

Every year since 1969, Bishop has single-handedly gathered and set over 1000 tons of rock to create his stone and iron fortress in the middle of nowhere. Bishop calls it “a monument to hardworking people” and “America’s biggest, one-man, physical project.”

Bishop’s Castle is always open and always free to the public. The castle dragon is fired up on weekends Memorial Day through Labor Day.