| This mileage sign along southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 provides the distance to the next three exits: Exit 194, Junction Colorado 470/E-470; Exit 193, Lincoln Avenue; and "Exit 191." Photo taken 11/10/03.
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| Exit 194 serves as the transition ramp to Colorado 470 west and E-470 north. For a fee, E-470 north provides a traffic-free route around metropolitan Denver, avoiding the T-Rex construction project and the Mousetrap (Junction Interstate 70). It is also the fastest route from here to the airport. Colorado 470, meanwhile, travels west toward Ken Caryl Ranch, choosing to stay south of the Arapahoe-Douglas County Line and then turning northwest toward Golden after entering Jefferson County. Photo taken 11/10/03.
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| The next exit along southbound is Exit 193, Junction Douglas County Route 36, Lincoln Avenue. Photo taken 11/10/03.
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| Lincoln Avenue is the next major east-west arterial street, offering a connection west into Lone Tree and connecting to University Boulevard en route to Highlands Ranch and an interchange with Colorado 470. Photo taken 08/28/04.
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| Southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 87 reaches Exit 193, Junction Douglas County Route 36, Lincoln Avenue. The freeway leaves the suburban areas and enters rural Douglas County. Photo taken 08/28/04.
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| Skipping several exits between Exit 193 and Exit 182, we miss Exit 191, Schweiger Road (North Surrey Road); Exit 190, Oak Lane/Clydesdale Road; Exit 188, Castle Pines Parkway; Exit 187, Happy Canyon Road; and Exit 184, Junction U.S. 85 north/Founders Parkway. The freeway now enters the town of Castle Rock, and Interstate 25/U.S. 85-87 stays to the west of the city center. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Use Exit 182 (Wilcox Road/Wolfensberger Road) to connect to Colorado 86 east to Franktown, where the state highway meets Colorado 83. The western terminus of Colorado 86 is at the former alignment of Business Loop I-25 in Castle Rock, so the state highway does not connect directly with Interstate 25 (since the Castle Rock business route is no longer a state highway). Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| If Interstate 25 is to be widened to accommodate more lanes of travel through the vicinity of Castle Rock, this railroad overpass would have to be removed or significantly altered to allow for the additional width. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Southbound Interstate 25 and U.S. 85-87 reaches Exit 182, Wilcox Road/Wolfensberger Road. The Town of Castle Rock is home to approximately 35,000 people (as of 2005 estimate per the official webpage) and is the seat of Douglas County. An old alignment of U.S. 85-87 used to be a business route on Wilcox Street through Castle Rock, but it was removed from the state system by the mid-1990s. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| The freeway has been gradually ascending in elevation since leaving Denver. The town of Castle Rock is situated at 6,202 feet above sea level, which is almost 1,000 higher in elevation than Denver (elevation 5,280 feet). The next exit along southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 85-87 is Exit 181, Wilcox Street and Plum Creek Parkway. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 85-87 reaches Exit 181, Wilcox Street and Plum Creek Parkway. Formerly, this exit led to a business loop for Interstate 25 into Castle Rock, but the state relinquished the route in the mid-1990s. As a result, Colorado 86 reaches its western terminus before connecting to the freeway, and the business route is not signed through the town. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Interstate 25 takes a much more rural feel as it enters southern Douglas County. Traffic, however, does not seem to decrease much, especially since this is one of two routes toward Colorado Springs (the other is Colorado 83). Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| The Burlington Northern/Santa Fe Railroad, which rejoins Interstate 25's alignment south of the Plum Creek Parkway interchange, stays on the west side of the freeway. A rest area is located about four miles south of this point. There are not many motorist services between here and El Paso County. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| The next exit along southbound is Exit 174, Tomah Road. Use Tomah Road to explore old alignments of U.S. 85-87, which exist near the railroad tracks. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| The following exit on southbound is Exit 173, Spruce Mountain Road, which provides freeway access to Larkspur. Another section of Old U.S. 85-87 travels south into the town of Larkspur. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Continuing south, the next exit along southbound is Exit 172, Upper Lake Gulch Road (Douglas County Route 56). The connector leads west into Larkspur, and it was part of Colorado 18 before that route was decommissioned from the state highway system around 2000. According to Matt Salek, Colorado 18 was the shortest state highway between 1973 and 2000, coming in at a mere 1,531 feet in length. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 85-87 reaches Exit 172, Upper Lake Gulch Road (Douglas County Route 56/Former Colorado 18). Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| After passing through Larkspur, the next offramp is for the rest area, situated near Milepost 170 on southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 85-87. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 85-87 reach the offramp for the rest area. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Larkspur Butte (elevation 7,535 feet) and Rattlesnake Butte (elevation 7,570 feet) offer some mountain scenery as Interstate 25 continues to ascend gradually toward Monument Pass in El Paso County. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| The next exit along southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 85-87 is Exit 167, Greenland Road. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| A variable message sign placed near the Greenland Road interchange offers warnings in case of inclement weather over Monument Pass. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| The final exit along southbound in Douglas County is Exit 163, County Line Road and Palmer Divide Avenue. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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| Southbound Interstate 25/U.S. 85-87 reaches Exit 163, County Line Road. The freeway leaves Douglas County and enters El Paso County. Photo taken 08/29/04.
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Page Updated June 20, 2005.
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