Downtown Castle Rock Has More Parking Than It Did — But Try Telling That to Anyone
The 2026 Downtown Castle Rock Parking Study found that available parking downtown is up 113% since the last study. The Town presented the findings to Council on April 21, 2026.
Residents who showed up to comment weren't buying it.
Festival Park, the heart of downtown Castle Rock. Photo courtesy of the Town of Castle Rock.
What the Study Found
The Downtown Castle Rock Parking Study, dated March 2026, was prepared for Town staff and Council. The headline number is the 113% increase in available downtown parking compared to the last study.
That includes a mix of public lots, surface lots, on-street spaces, and changes in the supply since the last count. The full study (linked above) breaks it down by area and time of day.
What Residents Said
Per Denver7's coverage, residents who spoke at the meeting pushed back. Their argument: a study run during specific hours doesn't capture what it actually feels like to find a spot during a Friday-night dinner rush, the Saturday farmers market, or any of the year's bigger downtown events.
In other words: the count is up, but the experience hasn't caught up.
Why It's a Real Tension
Downtown Castle Rock has gotten busier. New restaurants like Bar Hummingbird and the Starbird Chicken opening, the upcoming Castle Rock Sports Center at the Brickyard, and a packed downtown events calendar — all of it pulls more people downtown more often.
Pull any random weekend off the events list and the supply question changes. A Saturday in summer with a market plus a festival plus dinner traffic is a different problem than a Tuesday at 2pm.
The study's job is to measure supply. But supply only helps if it's where people actually want it. Some of the 113% increase is in lots a few blocks from Wilcox or Perry — fine if you're early, less fine on a busy night.
What Council Did
Nothing yet. This was a discussion/direction item, not a vote. Council heard the presentation, took public comment, and gave staff direction. No specific change to parking rules, hours, or pricing came out of the meeting.
That said, Council also greenlit a few things at the same meeting that will affect downtown traffic over time:
- Link On Demand — free rideshare launching Q3 2026 that lets people skip the parking question entirely
- Industrial Tributary Trail — connecting downtown to Philip S. Miller Park for foot and bike traffic
Both shift the math on how people get into downtown.
Test the Theory Yourself
The fastest way to form your own opinion is to actually try it on a busy night. Use these as a starting point:
- The best restaurants in Castle Rock and best bars/nightlife — most are downtown
- Whatever's on tap in Castle Rock this weekend or in the full events calendar
- The full Castle Rock business directory for everything else downtown
What to Watch
Council will likely revisit downtown parking as part of broader discussions on downtown development, the Brickyard, and the Town's overall transportation plan. If you have thoughts, Town Council meets twice a month and public comment is open at every meeting.
Sources: Castle Rock Town Council 4/21/26 — DIR 2026-012; Downtown Castle Rock Parking Study, March 2026; Denver7 — "Castle Rock residents sound off on parking issues"