Vignette > Castle Rock

A majestic vertical greenstone outcrop forty feet high overlooks Homestead Valley from high up on the west end of the valley. In 1903, when the Tamalpais Land & Water Co. subdivided Homestead Valley, Castle Rock dominated the landscape. It could be seen from the lower reaches of the valley. Today, trees block a view of the rock from all but a few vantage points. In 1910, Carrie E. Bridge purchased land where the rock is located. The present Castle Park subdivision is about half the size of what she originally planned.  The south half is now the Amaranth subdivision. Castle Rock Drive is a 20 ft. wide private dead end road serving 21 homes in Castle Park.  Castle Rock abuts the pavement. In 1908, the Camp Tamalpais subdivision was developed in the redwood canyon several hundred feet directly below Castle Park. There is no direct road connecting the two subdivisions. It is a 2-mile drive from Camp Tamalpais to Castle Park. Hikers can go more directly via the Cowboy Rock Trail or the Log Arch Trail in Homestead’s Open Space land where Castle Rock Dr. is a paper street ending at Ridgewood Ave., another a paper street.