I was a Colorado resident from 1972 (age 10) until 2000, with the exception of the 2 years I was technically and legally a resident of North Carolina. ('95-'97) In 2005, I returned to Colorado after graduating from law school. Below are various pictures of family and of cool places in the Centennial State.
Below: One of the temporary ice formations that periodically inhabits the cave.
Okay, first question: What the hell is it? Unfortunately, the answer isn't clear. Not a tourist trap, although it draws tourists, Bishop Castle is one man's obsession. Located in South-central Colorado, Southwest of Colorado Springs near the town of Beulah, Bishop castle was built (more properly, is being built) by one man, Jim Bishop, out of rock and concrete. As you can see by the picture, the castle has towers that soar to over 100 feet. Keep in mind, this is not an "official" castle, and bishop has filed no building permit, nor does the "castle" conform to any building code (I figured that out when I realized that there were numerous stairwells over dizzying heights with no hand rails to speak of.)
Bishop started his castle in 1969, and is still working on it (or was, as of November 1999 when these photos were taken.) It's a sight definitely not to be missed, but don't take young children unless they are tightly controlled. Because of these safety concerns, the state of Colorado refuses to list Bishop Castle as an "official" tuorist attraction, and would probably discourage you from going there.
Below: Call me picky, but that dragon would seem more appropriate on a Bronze-age Greek ship or maybe a Viking vessel of the pre-Christian era, rather than a medieval castle. Also, climbing those stairs is a good way to get a nice view of the surrounding area!
Below: The castle is set back from the highway, but can easily be found by this "model" castle that also serves as a mail box.
All images are © by Martin Albright unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.